LETTER FROM MATT WEBER

FROM MATT WEBER

God has given us lemons.

I'm typing this letter from my house, where I’m “selfisolating” with my family to avoid the Covid-19 superbug.

Like everyone else, I’m nervous about the future and worried about my friends and relatives. I’d like to offer some words of wisdom or insight, but given the incessant media blitz, I’m afraid I have no new information or anything particularly revelatory

I'M JUST AN AVERAGE JOE WHO IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THIS “NEW NORMAL,” AND PRAYING A LOT.

to add to the conversation. I’m just an average joe who is trying to figure out this “new normal,” and praying a lot.

I won’t claim to see a silver lining in any of this mess. The whole deal stinks. But, I’m also not the type to sit on my hands. I’ve got to keep my head down and move the ball forward at every opportunity, even if it’s just to distract myself from the next worrisome news alert. I’m stuck in the house, but I plan to stay busy.

So, I’ll make lemonade from all these lemons, and I have a recipe to follow. It’s currently stuck to my fridge with a magnet, where it’s been hanging for quite a while. My wife Shanna has labeled it, “Wish List for the House” but you might also recognize its more common name--the “Honey-Do List.” My “honey” has included items such as Paint the cabinets, Trim the windows, Build patio furniture, Install new lighting ... the list goes on. I don’t always have time at home to address these requests, but these times, they are a-changing. So, Shanna’s wish list will be my guide in the days ahead. And to be honest, in these chaotic times, it feels good to have a plan in hand.

What improvements and repairs do you have planned for your time at home? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram-our handle is @HIRpub. Let’s start a conversation. We’re all in this together, and while we have some real challenges to face, we should never let ourselves get too distant.

The HIR staff wishes you all the best.

PUBLISHER JEREMY HOLLINGSWORTH jeremy@HIRpub.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MATT WEBER matt@HIRpub.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR WESLEY GLASSCO wesley@HIRpub.com ADVISORY BOARD JEFF WINKLE CHIP LOVELADY REX LYSINGER KATHY ZIPRIK MARK CLEMENT KIM DREW ROB ROBILLARD LARRY CLEMENT EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTERS KIM KATWIJK CARTER SWIFT CHRISTOPHER WEST

COPY EDITOR DIANE WEBER AD DESIGN/COORDINATION SPECIALIZED MEDIA SERVICES, INC. ads@HIRpub.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER SHANNA QUIGLEY

ONLINE/SOCIAL MEDIA DEVELOPMENT GLORIA BERRIO

Home Improvement & Repair is published by Pine Mountain Media Group LLC, 130 Inverness Plaza, Suite 226, Birmingham,AL 35242. All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmittedin any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without permission. The editorial content is intended to explain and simplify home-improvement tasks. Tools, products, materials, techniques, building codes and local regulations change. We assume no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any project. The reader must always exercise reasonable caution, follow current codes and regulations that may apply, and is urged to consult with a licensed professional if in doubt about any procedures.

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