Renovation Rescue

Have you ever realized just what a messy business this tidying up can be?

I mean to say, we’re in the process of creating more storage in a house with a hitherto serious lack thereof, so our home at the moment looks like the proverbial bomb has hit it.

In fact, our lounge room (which has become the temporary dump site for the rest of the household items) has enough clear space for only two people to sit down at any given time…three if one of the abovementioned people sits on someone else’s lap (and depending on the people involved, you'd probably prefer to be the sitter than the sittee on the settee. Tee hee).

And we’re not done yet. Oh no, we are a looong way off, despite the blood, sweat, and tears that have brought us even to here.

So far the children have new wardrobes built into their bedrooms, we have gutted and retiled the main bathroom (when I say “we”, I mean the tiler of course, under my careful supervision), and are awaiting the shower frames, a glass splashback for the kitchen, and two new doors. Three, if you count the door that was installed only two months ago and has broken already (*you just can’t get good help these days can you?)!

But wouldn’t you know it, now the bathroom door won’t close properly, and we uncovered a bit of a mould problem in the toilet and laundry; where subsequently me in my enthusiastic removal of same, managed to poke my finger through the wall (pressed concrete wall my a$$). So there’s another repair and repaint job just waiting to happen.

My Beloved has had a little more success than I in the renovation department: he has tidied up the tiling in the ensuite (unfortunately our budget didn’t stretch to redo two bathrooms so we’re stuck with the 1970s shocker hidden within) and finally fixed the loo - fingers crossed (as opposed to legs while we were all waiting for an available lavatory in working order). He even got some help from our little daughter (our son preferred to keep his hands clean and play the Nintendo® instead). In fact, one could almost go as far as saying she did a better job than dad did. (One could, if one was game.)

See, my Beloved is not known for his motivation in being man-about-the-house, and somehow manages to mysteriously (or not, depending on your level of skepticism) misplace important parts of his power tools, right when he needs ‘em most. Oh he does a good enough job once he gets going. It’s just the getting going.

So there they were, dad and daughter up to their armpits in tile glue and grout, when I get called in to appreciate their handiwork. “Looks good,” says I, “well, as good as brown tiles can look, at any rate. But the tiling is fantastic!!” With this I flick a quick look towards my Beloved to gauge whether I have expressed enough exuberance in his efforts (wouldn’t want to scare him off now would I); it seems I have, as he nods approvingly at my approval.

And then proceeded to scratch his ear.

Now, if you haven’t ever experienced grout in the earhole, you probably don’t want to start now.

It doesn’t make the situation any easier if your wife and daughter start giggling at your expense. Insult, injury, and all that.

You’ll be pleased to hear (he was, get it?!) that the grout came out of where it wasn’t supposed to be, and stayed put where it was, and the bathroom is right on target for the shower frames…as soon as the ‘5-10 business days’ are up (and we’re only up to, oh, 28 days so far. Refer to the comment* above). So we’re stuck with the living room being mostly unlive-able for a little while longer.

Which only gives me more time to wander around looking at the place plotting what next needs a renovation rescue. Oh, that sound you hear? Just a grown man crying.

Jx
©2010