Man, I hear you on the old house surprises. Every time I try to fix something, it’s like opening a can of worms… or maybe a whole worm farm. I swapped out a window last fall and found crumbling plaster behind the frame—wasn’t planning on patching walls that weekend. At this point, I just expect some weird curveball with every “simple” project. Gotta laugh or you’ll lose your mind, right?
You nailed it with the “worm farm” comparison—every project in my 1940s place comes with a side quest. When I did my first window, I found ancient insulation (or what was left of it) and a bee’s nest wedged in the frame. My trick now is to budget extra time and keep a small drywall patch kit handy. If you haven’t tried those pre-mixed patching compounds, they’re a lifesaver for quick fixes. Not perfect, but good enough until I can really tackle the room. Sometimes you just gotta roll with it...