The last two weeks have been spent working. And the coming week isn’t looking much better. Seven jobs on my desk and no assistant. Well, I have an assistant, but she is pretty much useless. No thumbs, short attention span. Plus, as a dog, she thinks work is stupid. Hard to argue with that. For Stella napping should only be interrupted for food and potty breaks and a romp around the block. Can’t say I argue with that either. The only spare time I’ve had has been spent running or sleeping. But I will say while running or sleeping I’m usually thinking about the living / den or working. So, you know, that’s helpful.

Post-traumatic bath syndrome? Maybe. Plus my able-bodied assistant, isn’t all that amped on the next project. He thinks, and I’m not sure I disagree, that we should do the door last. Letting the weather get a little warmer. Although I’m pretty sure if I said “Go buy a new TV,” he’d be gone before I finished my sentence. I have been looking for a gas direct vent fireplace for the last two weeks. It’s hard to find anything that’s in the budget that I like. And I have no real idea what the installation materials are going to cost. I just want to make sure that I have enough money left over for a un-lumpy sofa and that I DON’T have to get from Hulk Hogan at the rent-a-rama place.

To get me back on track (time is a wastin!) I have to set some goals. Putting them here forces me to at least try to get some of them done.
Here they are.

By Friday
I will have found and paid for a fireplace.
I will have made a decision on sectional sofa.
I will finish scrapping the ceiling.
I will start taking out the arch by the front door. (I know a LOT of you want me to keep the arches. And I may keep the other two, but in order to make the sectional work and not have the living room look like maze for lab rats, I think the one by the door has got to go) (I hope I don’t regret it, cause it would be a real bitch trying to put it back.)

The beauty of all the work is the budget. I have a new budget. It’s called the “Whatever I make in the next 7 months – I get to spend budget.” This allows me to spend whatever the hell I want as long as I’ve earned it. I like this budget, I think it’s going to work for me.

More next week I promise! As long as I get my work done.

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“They” say that the heart of the home is the kitchen. Not this home. In my home the heart is where the tv is, especially if there is a game on. Hey, I’m just being honest. This is where we live. We eat together, play games together and bitch about life together, in the den. Thats the ying. The yang is the largest room in the house goes unused 363 days a year. The living room. The den has been an issue for us since we bought the house. It became a bigger issue with every inch the kids grew and every friend they brought home. It’s an odd shape and has four windows and door in 9.5 x 16 feet. It does have great light though.

The den leads to the dining room, which does not have great light. Or hardly any natural light at all. And my table is too big, but I like my table so it’s a moot point. The dining room leads to the unused living room. Not much bigger (11 x 16) but more useable space. I’ve come to the conclusion that the first owners of this home were on a tight budget and opted not to pay the additional $100 to put a fireplace in. This has also always been a sore spot for me. A 1949 home in this neighborhood with no fireplace. How can that be. Leading into the living room is our dark and tiny “foyerette.” A whopping 6 x 3.5 feet. But what if we put in a glass door? That could help, but what about privacy? Do we care? Oh, and all of these rooms are connected by a charming little archways, which I am considering removing. Just to open it up more and allow for more light to travel through the house. But, is this a bad idea?? Does it hurt the character of the house? Will it make it more vanilla then it already is? Will it even make a difference?

Over the years I’ve tried many ways (some silly) to remedy these problems. First we built a box that annexed some space in the garage to put the tv and equipment. This was before flat screens and your television was about 40″ deep and weighed a million pounds. In November we took the “cubby” out. And ironically enough found out where the mice were residing when they weren’t in the house. They had a nice little condo, fully insulated with cable and wifi. And one year we flipped the rooms. No one can remember why we put them back. Only that we remember being glued to the tv during 9/11 in front room. Since Ashley left for college a while ago, every Sunday is home for dinner night. Now that all the kids have significant others, eight people in this tiny den is feeling a little like a circus clown car. Not enough room for everyone to sit, and forget about playing kinect on the xbox.

This is the long winded way to the next plan to make my crooked house more user friendly. The living room will house the big tv and will have a gas fireplace. We get new seating that works for the space and lose the lumpy sofa (Craig’s List) The den becomes my office (I did not show you photos of my office as it looks like a scene from hoarders)(really) and a real den with the small living room sofa and a different tv, just enough room for Ben and I. And the dining room probably stays a dark thru way. But I am open for suggestions. See photos.

Ben is going to hear about some of this stuff, right now, for the first time on my blog. Poor bastard. I’m counting on the prospect of him being able to buy a new tv to distract him.

The List…
Remove the popcorn ceiling in the living room. (this is suppose to be easy – really soak it down and scrape)
 
Enlarge foyerette? Remove arches?
 
Put in gas fireplace. *This will be done by us except for the gas hookup. More tiling and building.
 
Put small built-ins under the windows next to the fireplace?
 
Move office to den. Keep current tv console, leather sofa, ottoman, desk and make it work!
 
Repaint! for the millionth time. Have the taper come in and smooth out the walls and repair ice dam damnit damage.
 
New window treatments, seating, lighting and area rug for the LR. (Ben wants carpet, but give it up, it ain’t gonna happen!)
 
Oh, and cool wonderful accessories!

I’m exhausted just thinking about it. What do you think?

53 days later, it’s done. Somewhere around day 30 (right after the faucet misplacement) Ben started saying “it is what it is” and I kept thinking of that great Gertrude Stein quote that “there is no there, there.” It began to apply to everything that didn’t go quite the way we wanted. Which was almost everything. Coincidentally around this same time I began to think, maybe it’s us. Like that Peanuts character who where ever he goes he brings a cloud of dust with him. But then one night Ben was watching Renovation Reality. The couple were redoing their bathroom, complete gushing water and other disasters. At the end the wife looks into the camera and with flat affect says, “spending quality time with your spouse is over rated.”

I can imagine that most of you will look at the pictures and bail. I can’t blame you. I too am sick of writing about, working on, worrying about or paying for the bathroom that ate St. Louis Park. But for the few who are interested, here is the final bath installment. My warning to others.

The last couple of weeks were spent waiting for things to arrive and then installing them, some of them more than once. First, the glass doors came. This was a breeze as all I had to do was open the door and write a check. They are truly all I could have hoped for. But then it was back to us. Captain Grumpypants and his loyal sidekick Private McAirhead. These roles were played by each of us more than once, and sometimes at the same time! The not so small small toilet came first. This was not an easy task, because as monotonously stated – it’s tight. I was for the most part in the shower, or under the head trying to line up the bolts. An hour later we had it in. An hour and 5 minutes later, it was leaking. This resulted in toilet removal, wax scrapping, playing another round twister. Left hand yellow. It’s cozy and if stand you’ll have no trouble. But if you sit and you get exhausted you can lean forward, and rest your head on the glass of the shower door. Or sit and hit your head on the glass, repeatedly, which I did, until it stopped feeling helpful.

Next came the sink. You can see we went with the black (a clear winner from those who emailed their votes). But I decided to not go with the vessel sink. There wasn’t any room for soap. We need soap. We like soap. It’s important. The sink came and along with it, no directions. Thus ensued the mounting, and un-mounting, (because you can’t reach to mount the sink with the cabinet up) and because it came in two parts, the mounting of and subsequent un-mounting of the sink (because the water lines couldn’t be reached) and the re-mounting of the sink and re-mounting of the cabinet. And then the un-mounting of the cabinet because the faucet lines couldn’t be connected with it up. Sounds like I was in a remake of “Show Girls.” After three hours and a pretty vocal dust-up the first night, we decided call truce and finish it the next day. That started with the defilement of the cabinet with the jig saw so the faucet would fit, which was connected, and then disconnected after we located the leak. Which required the un-mounting of the cabinet because we couldn’t tighten the leak with the cabinet on, and then the re-mounting of the cabinet and reconnecting of the faucet. Sigh.

I knew when I bought the light there was a chance the plate would not cover the ginormous hole from the old light. Why we didn’t make the hole smaller when we had the chance would have been easy and made sense, so we, of course, didn’t do it. I measured the light upstairs and knew it would cover the ginormous hole, so if push came to shove I could switch the lights. And of course, it didn’t fit. So I took down the old light and put up the new one, then went to put up the old light in the new bath and found that they didn’t have the same mounting plate. SO I had to take down the new light and take off the old plate, put up the old plate and the old light in the new bath. This is when I was promoted to Captain Airhead. (I still think the light looks upside down but the men consulted like the lights up. I think men prefer things vertical.

The mirror was no easier. First, the direction were wrong. So now I have 2 extra holes in my new wall. Then after getting the hangers in we realized that screw heads were too big for the brackets on the mirror. Then I spent another century looking for screws that would work. Ben noted after showering with the mirror up for the first time, that with glass doors, you have an unobstructed view, of, well, everything. I realized that if I place the towel in the correct location I only had a partial view (less depressing). That having been said, I wouldn’t change anything, it’s just a word of caution to others.

The shade was the first scathingly brilliant idea I had that actually worked. I wanted a patterned roman shade. But to custom it was ridiculous. Even if I had $300 to throw on this little window, I like to think I wouldn’t just solely based on principle. So I bought a $19 white super cheap shade on ebay and 2 yards of fabric. I attached the fabric to the shade and viola! custom shade. Because to the cheapness of the shade I don’t know that I’d advise this if you put the shade up and down alot. But we don’t and until we replace the window in the spring, it looks pretty good. Then I had the next scathingly brilliant idea to cover two vases with the same fabric as shelf accents. I’m not much of a hot glue gunner (I don’t own one) and started thinking Martha Stewart is right hot glue guns ARE awesome. And they are right up until you burn yourself. I must have said, “ouch, damn it!” at least twenty times and I no longer have fingerprints, which can only help me in my eventual career change to a life of petty crime to offset the budget. So adding in the glue gun to everything else we borrowed, (including last minute printing the Kandinsky art I stole from the internet) from our wonderful neighbors Tom and Al, I figure I’ll be into them for about a quarter of a million dollars when this is all over. (side note: someday lots of art, framed beautifully)

But it’s done and I love it! There are a few woulda coulda shoulda’s as always, but I’m proud and happy. We worked hard, fought rarely and muddled by. Yippee!

So, here is the budget. It’s badly injured, uninsured and about $1000 more than I planned:
Tile: $1800
Shower floor pan: $1000 (Dan was awesome)
Sink: $350
Tiny toilet: $330
Accessories: $200
Misc crap from 4,000 trips home depot: $550 (ouch) (grout, green board, drill bits, screws, drywall etc)
A little professional help: $400
Shower doors: $690

$5,320.00 (tear)

Up next…after a brief rest (and assuming no divorce)
THE BIG SWITCH!

This is the mirror I think I’m going to get. A little disco, but I like it. It’s big though 19 x 34. But I made a template (God help me I did) and it will fit. But it I don’t buy it soon, someone on ebay will snap it up and then I’ll end up paying full price at West Elm. I hate paying full price. Just so you can consider when looking at the sinks.

Here are the options for the sink. I like the two just “sinks” sinks. But I keep thinking it will look like the lavatory in elementary school. But that may be a bonus with the oompa lumpa toilet. See photo. The black one is cool (but pricey, see money throwing in previous paragraph) and has the added advantage of storage. Something sorely lacking in this bath. No medicine cabinet, and unless I can find something I don’t hate, no shelves.

My mantra (which for work is “I’m getting paid, I’m getting paid”) doesn’t apply here. I have changed it too “the next room will be easier, the next room will be easier” which would have been true if I wasn’t burning a hole in my budget. (Being on a budget always makes things harder! I’m actually afraid to add the numbers up) I may have to petition the committee (me) for an increase. What’s cost of living on 10 grand. In addition, I still don’t actually have 10,000 (except for Ashley’s wedding money) (hummm….) so it may be a moot point.

Right now all I want is a completed bathroom and to read a book. And world peace. Oh, and pie!

We did however purchase a toilet. All the Euro ones that would have fit perfectly (apparently europeans have smaller assets than us Americans!) were wall plumbed. So after hours (and I mean hours) of googling, we went with the smallest one we could find – 25.25″ deep. I am not convinced. If you are bigger than an oompa loompa you will probably have to sit duck footed on the head. Hopefully the “new owners” won’t make a grumpy before they make an offer!

The toilet which we purchased on December 22 left Maryland that same day and arrived in Coon Rapids on the 26th. Right now it’s just sitting there. I guess “Nonstop Delivery” is an oxymoron. We are also waiting for the shower doors to be made. I was pleasantly surprised at what the custom price was. I assumed it would be over a thousand, but it wasn’t. And they install and we get exactly what we wanted. I’m nervous as this usually means something horrible is going to happen. Like they made it too short or it won’t fit through the door or the glass wasn’t included.

So the trim is up (shopping for window covering) the light is up (shopping for new light, I don’t like the old one) but technically it doesn’t work. Our electrical problems continue. Now when you turn on the light it trips the ground fault and shuts off. We’ve decided to ignore that for a while until we are both emotional equipped to cope. Shopping for a bathroom mirror (which, is harder than I would have thought). Because I did not have the forethought to move the electrical boxes out further I only have about 19″ for the bathroom mirror. And I didn’t want a medicine cabinet which is what most 18″ are. (More googling hours) And I still need to paint the door, buy towel bars etc. Emerson my have been wrong (gasp) Perfection is the hobgoblin of little minds.

So to answer the few “What room is next?” questions, it’s going to be a while. But I will have to start it in January to make the deadline. I’m worried about the budget as the bathroom was a buster for sure. But next post will have pictures, I promise, even if it’s porn.

While standing in line to check out last week, the woman asked if I needed anything else, I replied “an antipsychotic,” she didn’t think that was funny. Fuck ‘em if they can’t take a joke.

Last week is a blur. Between Christmas shopping (still no ornaments on my tree, but at least I have one!) and working and the bathroom I can’t remember much. There was grouting and re-grouting. I can say that the only thing worse than grouting is caulking. Caulking sucks. And as I may have mentioned I have a caulking disability. It is never pleasant. And frankly, I hate it. If I go to hell, I will have to caulk as my penance.

First, the grout. TIP ONE – wear gloves! I didn’t figure this out until the end of the first day. When my fingers were bleeding. Turns out that the cut edges of marble is just like glass. Who knew! The next day I band-aided my finger tips and wore gloves. Much better. Doing the ceiling was not easy. Doing it twice was just stupid. And I redid the redo on the floors, because the wall grout did not match the floor grout. (Read earlier bitch about sanded vs. non sanded grout.) I think that there should be a “universal” white for all things…paint, grout, linens etc. That way no matter what you buy if you pick “universal” it will be the same white. Ceiling paint too! Which is another thing I did this week. I primed the ceiling and the walls – TWICE. WTF. Every task we took on took at least 2 hours or more. I did however get paint on the walls and the color is dead on for once. Color name? Timber Wolf. Ha! Really.

TIP TWO – don’t use Behr Paint. Went with the drama in this room. Loved the color but after painting (yes, TWO coats) I waited about six hours to tape off to caulk. When we pulled off the tape, the paint came with it. It was so depressing. The next day I taped off the grout to repaint, and when I took the tape off, it peeled off the caulk. That one made me wonder if I jumped of the roof of the house would I die or just be paralyzed. Decided it would be the latter, and ate something unhealthy instead.

TIP THREE – Brain farts have consequences. Remember that time (LOL) I tried to do something nice and had the plumber come and didn’t put the faucet at the right height? Well, when we went to put the shower head on, it didn’t fit! I thought thats it. Ben was going to have a stroke or pack his bags and move to a happy place where things went right. At 10pm we were in the basement trying to cut a straight line on a pipe with a dull saw. Luckily, once again Thang to the rescue. His sharp saw did the trick. We not only got a straight cut but got the end cap off to put on the shorter bar. See, now it fits!

TIP FOUR – the directions don’t always help. I am in charge of reading directions because, let’s face it, I have a uterus and Ben…doesn’t. We don’t usually do electric work. It’s scary and this house was not wired to code. Frankly after finding uncapped live wires in the wall behind the medicine cabinet I’m amazed we never had a fire. Anyway…there is a switch for the light with a plug, another 2 plug outlet and light. We wanted to put new boxes in and get rid of the old gross ones. But the internal wiring was clearly circa 1949. Which let to the following…hook up the wires. Thump thump thump downstairs, flip the breaker. “It’s on” which lead to my standing silently waiting to hear the beep beep beep of the “connection” detector or the sound of Ben’s body hitting the floor and his bodily fluids leaking out on my newly grouted floor. “Turn it off” – when I would switch it to off, and then make sure I switched it off (the O in OCD) and Thump thump thump back up the stairs. This went on about 20 times. We could get one switch to work but not the other. Or the other worked but not the plug in. Or the plug in worked but not the light. After the third hour, I put on my stretchy pants and said I’m out of here. It’s 40 degrees, the Vikings suck and I’m going for a run. I asked Ben repeatedly to come with me but he had reached the point where this electrical job had become personal! I must admit it was a great run. Best 5 mile time ever, and coming up over the bridge from the greenway, “Blue Sky” on the buds and the sun setting I was at peace. Until I hit the last hill home. I could see that the xmas lights were off (signifying that the power on that circuit was off) and thought, man I hope he’s not dead. That would really fuck up Christmas.

Poor Ben. Thump thump thumping on his own. We finally took every thing apart and started from “what we know” – this wire is this, that wire is that, this needs to go here etc. And VIOLA power! Five hours and about 50 christmas cookies later, everything worked. We hung our cheapo temporary shower rod and curtain and for the first time in 22 days showered in our own home! It’s was awesome! Hooray for small victories!

TIP FIVE – Never “ass”ume. This problem is still in resolution. We can’t find a toilet that fits our space. Apparently with the onset of fatter asses and mcMansions, the toilet industry has decided that bigger is sooo much better. We are okay with width, but not depth…when we put the new round front toilet in place we realized that while you “could” sit on it, you’d probably have to have the shower door open so you didn’t hit your head while standing. Really? What is this written down somewhere? So we googled and searched and looked. We have only found 1 toilet that is even remotely close to what we need and it $500. And really, its still going to be a tight fit. Ben suggested we look for RV toilets or trailer ones, that should work. I admit I kind of stop listening after that. So here we “stand” without a little pot to pee in. Literally. Calling the plumber – there has to be something besides an out house.

TIP SIX – Don’t borrow us tools. We have borrowed a few things from loving and kind neighbors. While this has worked out well for them, not so much for us. We have to date had to replace 3 items that we have either destroyed or broken. We borrowed, because we didn’t want to buy for just one small task. We ended up buying to replace so while we ended up purchasing this items we still don’t own any of the them. This includes: but is not limited to a live wire checker (I have no idea what its really called, I only know that if you use it incorrectly there is a zap, a spark and smoke) and a sledge hammer. Yes, we broke a sledge hammer, how is that possible?

TIP SEVEN – Christmas cookies, although delicious is not a healthy diet.

Hopefully the next post will be a completed bathroom. I’ve given up on finishing by Christmas. It’s probably not going to happen. Although, at one website they guaranteed Christmas delivery. I pity the person who finds a toilet under their tree. Although if it fit my space…

Tuesday, I grouted the floor. Because (and this makes no sense to me!) the floor mosaic grout lines were more then 1/8″ we were supposed to use sanded grout. Which we were told repeatedly NOT to use on marble. Why would they make a 15 x 15 meshed pre measured sheet with 1/4″ grout lines in a material that can’t use sanded grout. This was argument 1. POINT: We HAVE to use sanded grout on the floor! COUNTERPOINT: If you use sanded grout on my floor and you scratch it I’m going to be really really really pissed! This went on for most of the phone calls of the day. Until we called most excellent tile zen master Dan – who saved us with Prism grout, make with glass beads instead of sand. Fine, I grouted. It did scratch some, but you really have to look. But I’m not happy with how it looks. And because we did the floor first no matter how hard we tried, it keep getting dirty. The tapper, and us in there for the next 4 days putting up wall and ceiling tile was just a disaster. I told one friend between work and the bath and Christmas, I’d cry if I thought it would help.

By Wednesday, I was really low and decided as a “present” to Ben I would get our plumber Steve Pokorny to come in and finish the rough in on the shower. We had the pipes going up to the wall but the faucet and head plumbing had to be done. He said “$200,” I said “your hired” and he came that day. The night before we had set where we wanted the faucet to go. After another discussion and googling of how high the faucet and shower head should be we set a 2×4 between the joists marking the spot. When Ben came home there was a bow on the finished plumbing, and promptly noted that the faucet was a “little” high…I totally missed on the fact that we had moved the mixer 2×4 up about 5 inches before we quit for the night. So when Steve said “is this where you want the faucet?” I in a blurry and exhausted state said yes! It’s okay though, it’s still within “accepted” height, and now you don’t have to bend over to turn off the shower. The evening finished with us going down to the basement to find water coming in through the pipes that we had sweated the night before…

I have to interject a personal note. I had quit smoking for 25 years. And a few years ago started again. It was ironically just like riding a bike, except really bad for you. Anyway a couple of years ago in a moment of weakness and great stress, I bummed a stick from a friend and bam! I was smoking again. That familiar comfort of smoking. Delightful…I digress. Last April 1, (fool’s day?) I quit. Again. I’ve been running and working out and it wasn’t too hard, until this week. I wanted to smoke so bad I had to put my head down and take a time out. (I didn’t smoke, I did have a drink, but I didn’t smoke) She is a wicked and lovely vice and if ever I’m diagnosed with 6 weeks to live, I will return to her again.

This lead to Thursday, with me working and Ben playing the role of the Dad in a Christmas story working on the boiler. A string of obscenities, hammering and an occasional puff of smoke from soldering making it’s way to my office. I have in the past week grown to dread hearing the sound of my name. Kel? Kel? Could you, do you, can you…Thankfully neighbor Tan came over and stayed to help! The two of them figured it out and saved the day. Late late night.

Friday – Ray, Ben’s brother and amateur tile wizard came to help. This incurred what became the “ceiling discussion of 2011.” Ray did not think the mud was going to hold the heavy mosaic tile to the ceiling and had read, on the internet of course, that we should take the piece of hardy board down, mud and set the tiles and then rehang (what would have to be an incredibly heavy ceiling back up. I said no. No. No. No. But they continued to discuss this option. Escape was my only answer. I went up to take and bath, a final don’t do it, on my way upstairs. As I sat soaking, I could hear the drill whirling. Taking out screws to drop the ceiling. Words can not express what I was thinking, feeling, planning. I was so relieved to come down 30 minutes later to find that the attempt to drop the ceiling had been unsuccessful (prayers answered) and the tiling had began. It looks awesome! And the super mud held just fine.

Saturday – the taper (worth every penny) came and went and we have smooth, beautiful walls. Ray returned and another day of tiling continued. The marble is amazing. It’s like looking a pieces of art. Every one different and perfect and imperfect in it’s own way. By the time he left I was so tired I could barely stay awake. We both slept like the dead and got up to find that every piece of tile was still exactly where we put it.

Sunday – Five hours into day 15, Ben and I finished the tile. I couldn’t be happier. Except now I have to grout again. BUT our grout lines are 1/8″ so unsanded it is. Ash, Boom and Lenia showed up to help clean. And clean we did. Mess is a stress all of its own. They swept and bagged and dusted and washed. Sitting down on the sofa for Dexter was a unbelievable relief. Clay had come the week before to help, so we let him off the hook. Bless their pointy little heads.

I’ve only a few pictures today. Saving the “wow” for the BIG REVEAL! And I had better hear some ohhs and ahhs people! We are hoping to “shower” by the weekend. The glass doors may take a while to get up but hopefully everything else will be done. We are getting an estimate on Thursday for the doors, we shall see. Otherwise another trip to Home Depot. Where, next trip, I hope to get my Christmas tree, as the ground is rushing up at an incredible speed.

Day One: Started great. I went to the store and Starbucks by the time I got home Ben had the toilet and sink sitting beside the dumpster. But as in all matters of home improvement. Things went to hell quickly after that. Ten hours later we had had a minor flood, a small fire, a tortured elbow, a conk on the head, a burn due to scalding, a chip of tile in the eye, bleeding from multiple cuts and exposure to heaven knows what germs and carcinogens.

This bathroom, built in 1949, was made to survive an atomic bomb. The people may all have been dead, the this bathroom, by God, would still be standing. Cement, chicken wire, whatever they used for tile adhesion and for some reason nails. When Ben, on his fourth trip to home depot, asked if I could think of anything else we need, my only thought besides dynamite was a gun, with two bullets.
Why wasn’t the upstairs by this hard I was thinking. But then I remembered, no tile! It was, wait for it, varnished plywood! By the end of the day I was wearing my earbuds, a beanie, safety glasses and because we were down to only had one pair of gloves…MITTENS. It was quite the sight. Sorry, no pictures please.

Day two: This morning I feel like I’ve been shot out of a cannon, in yesterdays outfit, on youtube. Around 7pm yesterday, I got the idea to call our buddy Brinkman to see if he had a “mini jackhammer.” He does, it’s official name is air chisel. We are going to get that and see if it goes better. Heaven help us, we have to have the sub floor in today for guy to pour the pan tomorrow.

I need a valium, cigarette and a drink. And probably a shrink. I must admit that I did have an epiphany. The only down side to brute force is that it creates a horrible mess to clean up. And I’m the one with the broom.
Day three: Too tired to write. A friend asked if Ben and I were still speaking to each other. I said no, that we were too tired to talk, so communicating for us now is pointing and grunting. But we are making progress. Slowly. I can live with the fact that I have four projects on my desk, waiting, and that I don’t have a shower. But I am having a really hard time with the mess. And the DUST that is everywhere including my lungs. Dan Lindell of Lindell Tile is here pouring the pan. It’s beautiful and he is awesome and helped Ben today. They got a lot done. Artisans are under rated!

Day Four: I’m working and running today. I need a break. Brinkman came to help Ben and he was worth every dollar we paid him. It was a bit of a harsh on my mellow when I realized that he was making more money an hour then I was. But, I was in regular clothes at my computer working and not putting in a vent and light in the shower. Which works and looks great by the way.
Day Five: Today we hung sheet rock. It looks good and wasn’t too bad of a day. So we have the floors ready for tile and the sheet rock ready for mud. The only monkey in the wrench is that no one at The Tile Shop told us we needed to PRE order the tile. Seriously, we should have known, but still it would have been nice had they mentioned it. So most of the day was spent running around, getting stuff we need and picking up tile at 2 different locations. Trips to home desperate for the week are nearing 15. They called this morning to see if Ben was coming in. We are actually bleeding money right now. Oh, the budget.

Day Six: This has been the worst day. I shit you not. I actually thought that Ben was going to blow an aneurysm and I’d be telling the guys from his fire station what happened. In a nut shell…broken tools, plumbing issues, computer meeting issues (I fixed that one, but all I could think about was getting drunk and breaking the laptop with the new sledge hammer) and sense that things would get worse…and they did – I sent him to WI to go Charlie’s cabin and on the way he hit a deer. Really. He’s fine, the deer and the car are not. Add, no email – work deadlines, sheetrock, Christmas shopping and the mess! Even Stella isn’t talking to me any more. Well, not talking…that would be crazy. But Clay came to help and he did! All that muscle and fresh energy. Youth!

Day Seven: Nothing. I work, run, shop, work, clean, work. And shower at Tom and Al’s, God bless them. Maybe I’ll layout some floor tile to see where we want to start in the morning.