TV shows are designed to make us feel envious or inadequate. Surely this is the case with me and HGTV, the cable network that showcases, well, homes and gardens.

Today I have watched Get It Sold, Curb Appeal, International House Hunters and Designed to Sell.

I have seen homeowners in tears because a 'stager' dared make disparaging remarks about their choices of color and furniture. One was appalled that the Realtor wanted them to remove all dog beds and toys.

Couples from Spain want to move to Uruguay. Condo owners in San Francisco are moving to Aruba. All of them seem to have quite a bit of money to put into a new home. One couple was buying a vacation home with six bedrooms and baths...a second home. These folks do not seem to be feeling the pinch of the present economic situation.

There is a show titled Clean House where some of the messiest folks who have amassed stacks of both useless and useful (who would know which) stuff all over their homes, get help to organize and downsize. I have never watched this show because the premise disturbs me. People who have two of these and four of these, when people in need have none of either, irritate me. Of course, hoarding can also be a serious mental disturbance. In these cases, when the TV hosts return a few months later, more stuff has been found and hoarded, or if the homeowners know the TV folks are returning, they might rent a storage space for use during that visit.

One show makes over a home for sale within a two thousand dollar budget...and a lot of sweat equity. I have no desire to put any sweat into this kind of effort. I have no interest in learning how to rewire a light switch or build a pergola or lay a patio. When I see couples completing these projects it doesn't seem too difficult and of course can be completed in no longer than an hour but I am smart enough to know that what I am seeing on TV is not the whole story.

A few years ago I watched This Old House and was convinced that if given the proper tools I would be able to get water from a well into the house by digging and laying pipes and installing pumps and what-nots. I never have had the opportunity to put all that knowledge to use...yet.

But today I changed a light bulb. And I helped put together an 'upside down garden' (I'm sure you'll hear more about that as the growing season progresses). I straightened two rugs that the cat had wrinkled. I also made the bed. These are all small but visible home improvement events that make me grateful to have one house, and one cat, and no mortgage.

And that's what I think about it.