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Home Improvement

Its already broken, surely I can't make it worse ... can I?

Our weekend was much as any other, with a few unexpected hitches in our get along.  D had to work Saturday morning so I took advantage of a quiet house, cranked the stereo and did a speed clean of the main living areas.  It isn’t perfect, but I wouldn’t be embarrassed if you stopped by for a drink. If you do expect all the bedroom doors to be closed, and if you want to use the bathroom you’ll be directed outside.

Libby’s vet appointment was at 11:30 and I managed to be a little early.  As I pulled into the parking lot my nose alerted me that something was amiss in the cat carrier.  When I opened the crate and pulled her out the whole office knew something was amiss.  It was so foul the assistants were coming into the exam room to see what sort of animal created a stink so noxious. I was embarrassed and proud of her at the same time.  Not only that, but her nervous explosion seemed to solve her problem for her and he thinks she’ll be feeling better in a day or two.  I’ll keep watching her with the ‘worried mama eye’.

D and I arrived home around the same time and while he worked on the drywall in the bathroom I mowed the yard, gave the dog a bath and did some laundry.  Then I went to BJ’s and did a little super-sized shopping before returning home with a late lunch.  D finished the drywall, with exception of a few spots to touch up later and emerged looking like a plaster monster.

He’s not really angry in that photo, its just difficult to get him to smile for the camera.  Oh, and the two dots on his head in the second photo?  He tried to vacuum some of the dust from his pate.  Um, didn’t work but it did crack me up. 

After all that hard work we felt pretty justified in sitting down to waste time on the computers for a while, but when we did we discovered the cable was down.  Oh. The. Horror!  So D fired up the DVDR and I fired up the Husqvarna and we relaxed the afternoon away.  By evening the cable had returned and we joined Greenie and her friend for some lengthy game play.

Sunday D did touch ups and I sewed for a bit before taking a card to my dad and hitting Home Depot for further bathroom supplies.  When I returned we hopped back onto the game and finished the mission we had started the day before (thanks Greenie and T).  In fact our only other accomplishment for the day was to decide that the tile we chose for the walls in the shower looks like crap with the floor.  I hope to rectify that tonight by picking up some samples from the tile store.  Its really frustrating, but at least it is easily changed with yet another trip to the tile store. 

The weekend was crammed full of work, rest and play ... a fine weekend indeed.

The weekend will be busy as usual: Libby to the vet, continued work on the bathroom and general house keeping.  Toss in the need for some serious yard work, truck cleaning, and a trip to the tile store and you get a crazy weekend.  And that my friends is what lays ahead.  It may not, however, be what happens.  D and I both have some serious diversions drifting around this weekend and it would not be difficult to succumb to the temptation of taking a weekend off.  Hopefully we’ll find a happy medium between assignments and amusements. 

Me, I want to sew, which surprises me given the amount I’ve done recently.  Usually I move in ebbs and flows, but right now I just can’t seem to get enough.  I suspect that much of that encouragement is the advent of ‘homeless crafts’ ... I’m really diggin’ this gifting away of things.  Not to mention the gradual reduction of my stash.  The most recent gift-away hopped a plane this morning bound for Erika at mmmmbrains.* Up next will likely be coasters.  Yes, coasters.  Its an odd project, but a great way to use up the tiny scraps of material that I just cant seem to toss.  I’m also kinda hot to go through a couple of the fabric boxes and eliminate that which will never be used and I hate to not act on that feeling lest it pass me by.

I also want to start breaking down my growing boxes.  Yes, the very ones that I worked so hard to build.  Garden planting did not happen this year due to several unexpected events, and I think the neighbors might be a bit tired of looking at the weedy eyesores.  In a way ripping them out is part of my little project / big project challenge this year.  Right now they are an ‘unfinished object’ as well as one that I haven’t time to care for properly.  Under the ‘finish it or forget it’ rules off they go.  I’ve ordered some blanket flower and vinca seeds (both natives) and plan to scatter them willy-nilly the full length of the bed and let ‘em go.  Toss in a little plumbago, frangipani, and canna and it’ll still look like a weedy eyesore, but with flowers.

D, on the other hand, is being sorely tempted by the computer (ok, I admit it, so am I).  The game we indulge in is offering ‘double xp’ this weekend, ie double points.  Points are good, and we both have characters that are tantalizingly close to level 50 (the highest level) Yes, it should be very interesting to see what is actually accomplished in the next two days.  Oh, and its going to rain and you should be well versed in my ‘Sunday rain rule’ by now - heh.

* Erika has the best darn links around, including this one that I just couldn’t be more enthralled with.

Friday’s post was a little haphazard and confusing (not that most of them aren’t), so I managed a few shots of the first plan vs the second plan for the shower enclosure.

Our original idea was to use the travertine (natural stone) mosaic for the floor, 6x6 ceramic in a matching color for the walls and this border as a deco-accent.

But the more I worked with the travertine, the more I liked it. And the more I felt the border was too pale. Also, I was unable to find white 1x1 glass tiles to match and scatter on the floor. So I started thinking about cutting the mosaic down to about 6 inches wide and using it for the border.

Once I started down that path, I was also free to add glass ‘dots’ of our own choosing, and found this range that I fell in love with. Quality wise it is far nicer than that in the original plan.

D, happily, signed on for this new idea and Saturday I laid the bathroom floor. Sunday we sealed it, and grouted. . There were two surprises. The color of the glass tiles is determined by a paper backing on each tile, so when we added the grout the tiles changed color. White became soft blue-green, orange became gold and the gray-green became brown (we did not use the pale yellow ones). It is not in the least unappealing, just a surprise. Also the grout dried much lighter than expected, but may darken a bit when we seal it. Again it’s not a big thing. There are high-tiles, and low-tiles and a boat load of crooked tiles, but I’m really quite pleased with the result so far.

We’ll be on to the wall’s next weekend, then the curb and cap, and shower doors. The doors will take about two weeks and we’ve decided to go for broke and take on the vanity and walls in that time. The plan was to paint the cabinet front the deep gray/green of the glass, and replace the top with one a color similar to the tiles. With the color shift in the tiles though, I’m not sure if that’s still the plan. Shower first ... then paint!

June 6th heralded my 300th post, and it slipped by without fanfare or pomp.  I celebrated by doing some blog housework and creating categories.  I really need to update to the latest greatest version of Expression Engine (now about a year old) but frankly it scares the beejeebus out of me to take the site down.  It’s something I really need to sit down and try to figure out.  If I disappear sometime over the weekend you’ll know I gave it a go; and failed miserably.  If not, then I probably chickened out didn’t have time to try.

This weekend is all about tile, though there are several factors that must be addressed first.  This includes the fact that I changed my plan this morning.  I’ve been thinking about the vanity and how to tie it into the shower area.  The solution, I think, is to replace the vanity top, paint the doors a color that coordinates with the walls (whatever that is), install brushed stainless hardware and tile the back-splash.  And that’s where I changed the shower.  The deco border we chose for the shower is quickly slipping in popularity - at least for me, but I’m loving the floor mosaic.  So, I’m thinking about splitting those mosaics length wise and using them to create the border ... and do the same thing on the vanity back-splash.  The only draw back is that I would then loose the tumbled glass ‘dots’ that are in the existing border.  While I’m not as fond of the border as I was, I do love those ‘dots’.

At lunch today I slipped out of the office and off to the tile store where I purchased two sheets of 1x1 glass tiles.  The sheets boast four colors: off white, pale yellow, pale gold, and a khaki-greyish color that defies description (and yet is growing on me).  I had planned to use only the off white, but once I get it next to the tile I may be able to use some of the others.  These I will ‘dot’ through the border and the floor ... of course, that’s if I can sell the new plan to D, heh.

Saturday evening I’m going out to my grandparent’s for the great sort.  There is a quilt there somewhere that was promised to me long ago, but even that I wouldn’t fight anyone for.  I never did understand fighting over someone else’s possessions ... even if that someone is deceased.  I don’t expect it will take long.  Since its an hour drive, and my uncle lives nearby we are planning on catching some dinner and going bowling.  Don’t laugh, I can think of worse things to do with my Saturday night.

In case you haven’t figured it out by now D is something of a goof-ball.  When he opened a new jar of peanut butter this morning and discovered ‘eyes’ staring back at him it was only natural that he give it a mouth.

The bane of my existence ... I swear I dreamt about this last night.

Before you get too excited over my ‘tiling talents’ you should know that these are pre-laid on mesh in a roughly 12x12 square.  Evidently those squares aren’t very square as the issues I’m having are all with proper spacing.

The little plant Greenie sent me perked up nicely overnight.  It’s even thinking about blooming.

Another sewn item in dire need of a home.  The colors aren’t very true (damn kitchen fluorescents) it’s an ecru background with coral-red and pale green dragonflies / trim, and a coral/red/pink lining.  Speak up and its yours!

Update:  It has reach its new home with the fabulous Pea!

Mackie came to work with me today because the vet recommends keeping an eye on them after they’ve been sedated.  She has shiny teeth, clean ears, short nails and a pair of hips that are in very good shape.  The doc said there is some build up on one but not enough to call it arthritis.  He does, however, suspect a knee problem.  When he manipulated it he found that it moves distally, which it shouldn’t.  He likened it to a football injury caused by planting, twisting and pushing off all in one motion.  Of course, when D showed up and she did the ‘I’m so happy I could just die’ dance the doc reconsidered.  She shouldn’t have been able to cavort so ably with that type of injury, so for now we are to just watch her.  It’s mostly good news for our ‘mostly good dog’* and given the way things have been going lately, I’ll take it.

*phrase stolen shamelessly from Dan at Chucklehut, whose ‘mostly good dog’ Cosmo, led me to find his blog while researching doggie joint problems. Its hard to believe that I’ve ‘known’ Dan for three years now!

This post promises to be as wide and varied as my weekend – which means it’s going to be a bit long and a lot scattered.

First: The prize for my ‘100 Things’ name draw.  Brad at Almost Lucid was the winner and as expected was somewhat difficult to craft for.  In the end I settled for a case to store drum sticks in ... or if they wont fit, his wife can pack it with wooden spoons - heh.

But, because I was procrastinating on the decision of what to make him, I first made a smock for his daughter Z, and an apron for his son S.

And then, not wanting to leave anyone out, a tote for his wife, J.

Brad, of course, thinks I’m nuts.  Someday I’ll post a photo of my stash closet and you will all see how much it helps me when you accept a sewn item.  I’m on a strict ‘stash only’ diet, and have been for a while.  My only fabric store purchases have been thread, stabilizer and things from the remnant’s rack (can’t pass up a bargain-heh).  I did fall off of the wagon with my recent purchase from superbuzzy, but I just couldn’t resist that fabric.  Yeah, I’m weak.

I also promised a photo of journals I made for Jae.  She is giving them to friends who participate in wine tastings with her and her hubby.  I will probably bankrupt myself buying the journal inserts for these, I just love ‘em!

Second: Bathroom update.  We installed the remaining cement backer board, and the drywall on Saturday and completed one coat of the water-proofing.  Sunday I applied the second coat.  It goes on Pink Panther Pink, and dries bloody red.  And I thought the bathroom colors were going to be boring - heh.  I’ll probably dry set the floor tiles tonight to get all my cuts figured out, and lay it tomorrow night.  We aren’t doing very well with our schedule, mostly because of drying and curing times.  But, we have tried to do other things (like scrape wallpaper - ugh!) while we wait, so we’re actually ahead in some ways and behind in others.

Third: The open house on Sunday afternoon.  As expected there was tons of food provided by Grandpa’s neighbors.  There was also lots of laughter, and many kind comments.  The only sorrow was as the little old ladies were making their farewells.  They each expressed how much they would miss him, and that they didn’t know how they were going to get by without him (he fixed things, mowed yards, etc) with wavering cracked voices and teary eyes.  It was difficult not to get teary too.  The house is eerily untouched, I don’t think he had moved anything since grandma’s death.  And certainly he did not expect to never return ... there are intentions laying everywhere.  The event itself was far more personal than the church or funeral home would have been, and it was absolutely right in so many ways. 

We were asked to bring photos to the house, and I at least, was shocked at how few current ones I have.  So I took my camera and snapped a few of our dwindling family.

My dad (dad is the oldest son).

My ‘friend’-mom.  (She was trying to get the fan to go - heh).

Unc W and cousin S (middle son)

Unc D and aunt R (youngest son)

D (sorry ladies, no imp this time)

Finally: Mackenzie.  I dropped her off at the vet this morning to get her teeth cleaned and have her hips x-rayed.  She’s been a little mopy lately and more drooly than usual so we suspect a bad tooth.  Since they knock her out for the cleaning we elected to have the x-ray done at the same time.  Due to hip displasia at a very early age she is all plates and screws in her hind quarters; ie. she has a bionic butt and she is therefor an early candidate for arthritis (of the butt - hehe).  The x-ray will tell us if its time to start treating her for that condition.  In any case she’s pissed with me, and delighted with D – who will be rescuing her tonight.  It sucks being the bad guy.

And that’s all the news I have, with exception of receiving a lovely little plant from Greenie (yes she’s blogging again) on Saturday morning.  I have no photo of it yet as I’m waiting for it to right itself, it is still a tad miffed at spending time in a box.  It was all the same a very sweet, and greatly appreciated gesture (many thanks Greenie). 

And many, many thanks to everyone who has offered well wishes and support in the last few months.  Its been rough, and you guys never once failed to be the light at the end of the tunnel.  Thank-you.

Due to some scheduling problems, we didn’t get as much done on the bathroom as we had hoped.  By ‘scheduling problems’ I mean that we didn’t want to seal the floor and curb, and tile the floor prior to my plumber step-brother’s repair of the piping.  The house is plumbed with polybutylene piping, a material that has been balled up in lawsuits for years because of its tendency to leak at the fittings.  I’ve had several leaks in the house but they were all associated with the copper leaders at the valves and not the poly-pipe.  I repaired them to the best of my ability with a compression fitting that clearly stated on the package ‘not for in-wall use’, and they’ve held – some for nearly ten years.  Still, with poly’s reputation, and the dire warning on the fittings I’d rather a pro make it as right as possible (without re-plumbing the whole house) while we have the wall open.

D finished the knee wall, I hung the wall insulation, we installed wallboard where we could and then I set about constructing the curb.  After some discussion the decided on method was to lay two courses of bricks, and then stucco over them.  It took me far longer than it probably should have but we were both pleased with the outcome.  This took us to Saturday afternoon and a natural stopping point to wait for the plumbing to be done.  Certainly there were things we could do; finish the ceiling drywall, remove the toilet, install drywall on the back of the knee wall, remove the wallpaper and prep for the future paint job, etc.  But we were both easily swayed by the lure of other activities and called it quits until ‘J the plumber’ can get by.

D parked himself at the computer and I sat down at the sewing machine.  I was a ‘makin’ fool’ this weekend, completing three journals, two ‘cover-ups’, a tote, and a ‘roll’...most of which I can’t show you yet as they are all ‘promises kept’ (albeit slow promises) and are jetting their way to their new homes as I type.  There is however a straggler, a journal that didn’t make the cut, and that I can share.

It is the latest item that ‘needs a home’ so if it ‘blows your skirt up’ speak up.  It is navy and cream cotton with just a touch of red, and covers a lined journal (readily available from Barnes & Noble).  This one is a considerable improvement over the first round of journals and in my opinion more successful.  Like the little smocks these are a satisfying and quick project, not to mention a great way to consume the stash.  So help me out will ya?  Give this poor little guy a home.  Update:  Donna kindly gave it a home ... thanks Donna.

Well guys, I must love you lots, ‘cause I’m going to share with you a deep dark secret...my bathroom before photos. Here it is in all its soap scummed glory.

Believe it or not, it really is sorta clean, but it is nearly thirty years old and some wrinkles just don’t clean off. Our main reason for tearing everything out, is this leak ... ugly isn’t it?

Saturday we started demolition, and on the second or third hammer stroke I knew we had a problem. That privacy wall between the shower and the toilet should have been empty, it wasn’t. In fact it contained everything it possibly could; a water line, an electric line (220v no less - ack!) and a vent stack for the shower and toilet drains (right in front of D’s cute little belly)

We also discovered that you can tile over tile. That’s right, the back wall of the shower had two layers of tile, each uglier than the next.

But we kept going and made a big mess, and found that we had another leak in the front corner too.

Then we cleaned up the pile of tile and drywall, using a shovel and D went to work on the floor with an air chisel.

And I hauled bags and bags of trash to the garage. We cleaned the floor up and moved on to the ceiling which we also ripped out.

Yeah, all that insulation is from the attic ... it looked like pink and white snow falling through the air - heh.

All in all it took about five hours, and when we cleaned up one more time before heading off to Home Depot.

We spent more time at Home Depot and Lowes than we did tearing out the bathroom, and by the time we got home we were exhausted!

Sunday’s progress was much slower, and I’ve photos of that too, but what you don’t see is really what’s important in these. Like Saturday we started off with a dilemma. Our first project was to install a new light fixture / exhaust fan combination. As you can barely see from the photo the yellow arrow points out a ceiling truss that travels right through where we wanted to install the fixture (penciled box).

We elected to go to one side of the truss rather than scrap the light & fan. We’ve elected to leave the glass shade off until we are done ... to help avoid breakage.

Its off center, but I expect that only I will know. Then we ran the piping for the exhaust over to the soffit vents, and started moving the obstacles from the soon to be half wall.

And we installed insulation and drywall on the ceiling.

D had hoped we’d be further, but I’m happy, this is just where I figured we’d be by now.  I’m pooped, bruised, cut and sore ... but darn pleased with our progress so far. 

Tomorrow we demolish the shower surround in the master bathroom.  This includes removing a wall (a whole freakin’ wall!), a huge chunk of ceiling, the shower doors, the ‘curb’ that keeps the water in the shower, the shower floor and the walls.  I am at once enthusiastic and mortified.  As ‘do-it-your-selfers’ go we have a fair amount of knowledge, but this exceeds anything we’ve attempted so far.  Tile?  No problem, I laid every tile in the house, except this shower, by myself.  Drywall?  Yep, I’ve done that too.  Shower plumbing? Yep, twice.  Shower doors, wall replacement, soffit removal, curb installation ... um, no. 

Besides the obvious challenge this remodel presents, there is another perhaps bigger one; the relationship challenge.  Choosing the materials last weekend was miserable.  D has one idea, I have another and though we’re both willing to compromise that halfway point is often something neither of us like.  Take the dining table for example.  We searched, and hunted and scoured the countryside for said table.  By the time we found one we could agree on we were so exhausted we didn’t care.  The only bit we agree on now is that we both hate the table.  It’s one thing to hate the color you paint a wall, its another entirely to hate the tile you have all but permanently attached to the walls and floors.

So we’ve chosen a mish-mash of off-white, tans, browns and beiges...booooring, but practical.  The only flair it will have is small, white, tumbled glass tiles peeking out here and there.  I was bucking for green (soooo pretty) but green might dictate the color pallet of the room, and someone looking to buy the house someday might not be hot on green.  We haven’t chosen paint, lighting or towel fixtures yet.  You decide; does the title of this post stand for ‘demolition’ or ‘divorce’ heh heh!

Did you know shower doors could cost $1200?  Well I didn’t.  To say that keeping my jaw off of my chest when the salesman delivered the news took a herculean effort would be an obscene understatement.  Despite my shock, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that they were dang nice shower doors ... though at that price I did think they should be self cleaning.  No, the salesman didn’t think I was funny either.  For now the doors are merely under consideration.  After all, we haven’t been to Home Depot yet; and they get pretty lonely when I haven’t shown up in a week or so.  Seriously.  There are people there who know my name...scary eh? 

Though we both nearly needed resuscitation at Mr Shower Door (yeah, really) we did come away with some very helpful information and if you can afford it I would recommend them on kindness alone.  We also came away with something that is nearly a plan. Our current shower is basically a box with sliding doors and a lower ceiling than the bathroom.  We are going to demolish the entire thing, including the privacy wall and low ceiling.  Then we will install a rubber liner (there isn’t one now, which is part of the problem), and build a half wall where the privacy wall is.  Next, re-tile the floor and walls, install shower doors and a glass panel on the top of the half wall, and replace the shower fixtures.  That is where the budget will scrape bottom so the vanity and mirror will have to wait.  I’m secretly hoping to paint, but don’t tell D. 

I know that my description is hard to visualize but it will have to do for now.  There is no way I’d share a photo without first cleaning and I’m not sure I’ll clean something I’m getting ready to destroy ... but I might.  ‘After’ photos should be much easier to come by.  In any case we may already be in over our heads and we haven’t even started.  I’ll know more Monday after we’ve done some more research, a little sketching and completed a tiling class at a local tile store.  It is going to be another busy weekend.

In more important news, G’pa is improving, though it is a very, very small improvement.  They have turned the respirator down to 40% and anticipate having him off of it by Monday.  They were singing the same tune last Monday so I’m not getting my hopes up too far.  We continue to hold our breath, and my heart freezes in my chest whenever the phone rings at an odd hour.  As it has been all along; only time will tell.  For the record, after all he’s been through in the last month I think he deserves a few more years, don’t you?

And now for something completely frivolous.  I can’t read the directions, I probably can’t duplicate the projects but my gawd, I think I need this book.  How perfect is that little fox?  I really, really wish the library system would start carrying craft books like this ... there are several I’d just like to see.

I’m embarrassed to say how freaking tired, aching and sore I am after two days of painting, hauling, hanging, laddering and a fair amount of cursing.  I would be more embarrassed to show you the before photo if I didn’t have such a lovely after photo to share as well.  Parts of the plan didn’t go quite as I figured, including being done in time today to spend sunset on the lanai with a book and a glass of wine, but the end result is more than worth the trials.  The photo’s aren’t the greatest as the sun had already set by the time I finished, but I think you can get the general idea.  Any bets on how long it stays this way (or whether or not D gets yelled at the first time he puts laundry away - heh).

When I woke up this morning I was very sure that if the house were to get quite again that I’d be able to sleep another hour.  I hate waking up tired, almost as much as I hate waking up with a headache (especially one I didn’t earn-heh).  Unfortunately work was waiting and quiet or not there was no sleeping in.  I’ve felt ‘muzzy’ all day; its possible I’m coming down with something, but I refuse to admit it, refuse I say!

Just in case some part of me was trying to get out of the ‘too big’ project I have planned this weekend I trotted off to Home Depot at lunch and picked up the supplies I’ll be needing. D is working Saturday, and when he found out what I have planned he figures he might be able to go in on Sunday as well; the big chicken!

It would be so very nice to finish on Saturday, and to that end I’m planning on unloading the closet tonight when I get home.  I’ll bet though that it will be something like eating a big salad, I’ll just keep taking things out but it won’t even seem like I’m making a dent.  Still, I’m hopeful and I’m planning on spending Sunday afternoon sitting on the lanai, with a good book and a better glass of wine.  Wish me luck!

I’m glad I did that reapair myself, because in the end there was little to it.  The phone system was down for under five minutes while I wired, and the only difficulty encountered was the fire alarm’s annoyance at being disconnected from the phone line.  The best part?  I don’t have to loose sleep over the system being struck by lightening anymore.  I sure didn’t want to replace all of that on my own - heh.

Thing are a little strained at work, two people are on vacation (dad and step-mom), one tech is away at school, and my uncle has been in and out caring for my aunt.  She is finally home now, but still not doing very well.  Evidently ovarian cancer causes the body to retain fluid, she has retained so much that it is weeping from the pores of her legs.  A physical therapist has been by to show him how to properly help her about the house and a nurse came yesterday to change the dressing.  My uncle said if he’d been left to do it alone he’d have taken one look and called 911.  The staples are out, but the incision site is 7cm long 4cm wide and 6cm deep.  That ‘deep’ part flips him out, understandably.  His worry, combined with ours, and the shorthandedness at work has everyone on edge, and we have a week of being short-staffed left.  Posting may be a little spotty on weekdays for a while.

My weekend plans are on the mundane side, chores, chores, chores.  But we are going to try to go to lunch today, at an outdoor spot where we can take Mackie, and to the pet store ... sort of ‘a Mackie day out’.  She’s alone so much during the week that we try to take her with us whenever possible on the weekends, plus she loves to go!  I’m hoping to get the chores done today, so I can relax tomorrow.  My brain needs a little ‘down time’.

I spent some time this morning patting myself on the back for figuring-out something difficult.  The short version of the story is that the telephone system surge suppresser died, leaving an expensive (though outdated) telephone system vulnerable to lightening at the height of storm season.  I managed to track a replacement down and it should be here tomorrow.  I also managed to find the special tool, for connecting the wires to the unit, in my dad’s garage (without ever having seen one in my life).  Hopefully my luck will hold, and I’ll be able to install it without mishap. 

The yellow arrow points to what I’ll be replacing, but what you can’t see is the nine billion wires attached to it.  Ok, there’s only 32, but when you are trying to keep them in order, believe me, billion seems possible.

Why, you ask, with a building full of technicians would I even try it?  It comes down to pride, plain and simple.  Part of my easing into the driver’s seat of this business is to be responsible for building repairs.  Not that I have to preform them myself, but I have to start making the decisions regarding them ... and I decided that this is a repair I can make.  Of course, if you see a mushroom cloud go up in this direction, you should probably send D a casserole - heh.

D and I are on the verge of a project.  This may not sound like news, but it is; its bad news.  We are great out of the gate and missing at the finish line when it comes to projects, and I had just about decided that all future home projects would be carried out by paid professionals.  But no, we’re cracked, and we’re going to jump in anyway.  ‘Into what’, you ask?  We are going to build a bed.  More specifically, a bed like this.  I repeat, we are cracked ...