Throughout the day, I go out and take some random pictures, here is the first one…footer beams in place…

With a storm about to roll in, they cleaned up and got out of here…this was the last picture of the day

The first thing I did when I bought this house was gut the bathroom (except the tub – love the old comfy back rest…oh and I re-built and re-installed the old reliable toilet).  I may be able to search through the many pictures and find some before and durings, because I always take pictures (just not always able to find them)….but anyway

The faucet started dripping and I found out the HomeDepot does not sell the cartridges for this faucet any longer (even though they still sell the damn faucets), and the cost of shipping from the manufacturer and the snail mail weeks worth of water dripping made the decision to just buy a new faucet…and since the bottom of the cabinet was water damaged, it’s coming out too…

Since it’s a small space between the tub and the toilet, my options of cabinets are limited. I found a sink cabinet combo at HomeDepot (I really wish there was a Lowes in my area…or even better, an Ace Hardware)

Now I know that every house reno (even replacing an outlet) can become a huge project so I plan out to do this on a Saturday, early, just in case there are “complications”. I bought all new supply lines and a u trap because, well, huge problem preventative.

cabinet/sink/faucet (plumbing tools and supplies…ready to go)

I disconnected both of the supply lines, the U trap, carefully remove the cabinet so that I don’t rip out the drywall…so far, so good!  The sewage line runs straight down through the floor instead of through the wall, so I need to cut a hole in the bottom of the cabinet…really not a big deal…hole saw, measure twice, cut once…I impressed myself…it fit and nice and snugly too.  So I level it and caulk it in place…part 1 done, looks good!

Next, putting the new faucet in the new sink (that is part of the sink/cabinet combo), supply lines connected, ready to drop it in.  Something doesn’t look right!  The new faucet is hanging over the sink…by at least a 1/2″  * DAMN SINK IS FAULTY!!  I guess no-one ever checked the specs before cutting the holes.  And it’s part of a combo that 1/2 is installed (nicely) and I cut a freakin hole in the bottom…so I can’t return it or exchange it!

Good thing I didn’t use a hammer to get the old sink out (I was tempted), so I cleaned all the caulk off of it, made it look nice and installed the faucet and dropped it in.  It looks nice, I am happy with my work!

• (called HomeDepot about the sink/cabinet combo, left a few messages, sent a few emails…never heard anything back, not even a courtesy call to let me know they got my messages)

After much harassment, Kevin decides to have his guys come over and do the footers. His intentions are to get the footers in place and then let them cure and sit for a few days and doing the framing in one day next weekend. (He will have his guy come during the week to pull any facing off the front so that they can connect the new roof deck to the house)

Joe and Chainsaw are dropped off to dig the holes and John will bring the molds and cement by later (the molds have another construction name for them, but damned if I can think of it right this second).  They thought they were going to have to cut the step and/or the walkway, but they only had to pull up the pre-cast cement step.

They finished the digging alot faster than I though they would (about an hour and a half), so while waiting for John, I ordered a pizza.  That’s always fun because the conversations are always interesting.  I thought they gave the nickname to chainsaw because he was bad with a chainsaw or something, but it turns out his name is Tenesal (or something like that, he is from Guatemala)…all the guys think that he doesn’t understand English, he may not be fluent, but he understands just fine.  Joe asked him loudly if he wanted American Pizza, and chainsaw just looked at him, but busted up laughing when I said “he speaks Spanish, he’s not deaf, dumbass!”  He understands just fine!  hee hee!

Chainsaw took a nap in the shade, Joe on the hammock, while I continue about my to do list…Joe will be here in 20 minutes (my ass!)…

It took about 3 hours for him to get here…and to top it off, the 12′ foot tube was either forgotten (possibly the supply warehouse) or flew out of the back of the truck…so off John goes to get replacements.  Once he got back, it took about 20 minutes to cut the tubes to 36″, pour the cement mix in, wet it and mixed it.

• 

• 

• 

3 of these!

This has been a terrible spring for my lawn equipment!  I got the lawn mower out of the shed, after a few pulls, it started right up.  I did the back yard with no problem.  I move to the front yard…1 length of the yard and it dies…wtf!!  I can start it, but it immediately stalls…there is no way to get the yard cut like this!!  With all this frustration, I reach out to my friend who says, bring it over, I’ll have the hubby take a look at it.

I throw it in the car and head out…Chuck takes a look at it, ties back the safety, wiggles some magic cable and poof…it’s all good!  Back into the car (after a couple lifesaving beers) I head back home, pull it out of the car, starts up just fine, one square around the yard…stalls again…I hate lawn equipment!  At this point, I am thinking about hiring a lawn service and not fixing or replacing anything.

Chuck diagnoses, bad carburetor…if I can get a replacement part, it may cost me almost as much as a new mower!!  Did I mention, I hate lawn equipment??