Day 45: June 26, 2005 (Sunday)

Happy Birthday to me!

Walt prepared an excellent breakfast of fresh mango and strawberry slices, and I made coffee - the breakfast of champions!  Yes, this photo was taken in the bathroom.



Walt spent some time spackling and sanding while I took it easy.  I am middle aged now after all! 

We spent the afternoon celebrating Mom and Dad DeMarco's 50th wedding anniversary.  A great time was had by all.

Day 44: June 25, 2005 (Saturday)

Another day of patching holes and spackling and sanding the spackled wall (once it had dried).  I lent a hand by vacuuming up the debris.

We also took a late afternoon trip to Windsor, NJ, to visit another tile store, "Creative Ceramic Tile, Inc."  They have a great selection of tile.  They even had the tile that I like displayed on the floor. We've decided against purchasing this tile, as it has some small, but sometimes deep, holes in the surface.  Walt's convinced that the holes will attract dirt, and since I'm not Susie Homemaker when it comes to cleaning, the dirt will stay.  I guess that I agree with him. My goal is to find a similar patterned tile without the holes.  My quest continues.

Day 43: June 24, 2005 (Friday)

Friday we celebrated the release of the cultural competence website at work.  Everyone was encouraged to dress in clothes that reflected their own culture.  Folks were free to not participate, as well. 


I've been so busy with the bathroom renovation that I'm not thinking clearly at times.  Before lunch, I grabbed a bottle of water from the office fridge and went outside.  It was only when I returned to the office that I realized that the water bottle belonged to my supervisor!

While I was taking water bottles, Walt was hard at work spackling all of the wallboards.  He claims that he doesn't know what he's doing (it looks good to me) so it's taking him a bit longer.  He also spent some time working on the wall cabinets.

Day 40: June 20, 2005 (Monday)

The first visitors to our new bathroom.  Well, our underconstruction bathroom.  Mary Ann and Harry stopped by for dinner and a tour.  Looks like they are having fun.  Any other takers??!!

Day 41: June 22, 2005 (Wednesday)

In our neverending quest for tile, we took a ride to AvanTile, 22 Worlds Fair Drive, in Somerset, NJ. They manufacture, as well as sell, porcelain, stone and ceramic tiles.  We checked out the factory seconds and discontinued items - lots of great deals, but not in the type (porcelain) and style (who knows at this point) of tile that we are looking for. 

So, on the way home we stopped at the West Windsor Home Depot.

I forgot to mention that I won a contest from REI (the outdoor store) and Shape magazine.  Lynne and I shopped at REI before she trekked to her new home in New Hampshire.  I entered a contest in Shape magazine - the first 250 folks who submitted at least $35 in receipts from REI (yes, I spent a bit more) won a water bottle.


I am wearing the two shirts that I purchased at REI.  Look, they match the water bottle!!!

Day 38: June 19, 2005 (Sunday)

Guess where we spent our Father's Day morning?

Yup, a day without Home Depot is like... You fill in the blank.

We went to see Thomas demonstrate how to lay tile. Walt had ample time to ask lots of questions. We're about ready to start laying tile (although we haven't picked out the tile yet).

Thomas demonstrated the positive attitude needed to tile, as well as the proper technique to spread the thinset.

Good enough to walk on!

When the demonstration was over, we looked for tile again. I like "Tivoli" by DalTile - the tile has some pock marks (on purpose) which give it character. Walt thinks that these holes will collect dirt and, because I am not a proficient cleaner, he thinks that these tiles are not for me.

We picked up some Hardibacker cement board and also a green wall board.

We spent the afternoon at my parents celebrating Father's Day (today) and my birthday (next Sunday). Finally, a photo of Dad smiling!

Day 37: June 18, 2005 (Saturday)

We got a late start today.  Walt did manage to get some spackling in

And, I spent some time mugging for the camera. (See, I do have bathroom burnout!)

Day 36: June 17, 2005 (Friday)

I took off from work to assist with the renovations.  Our goals were to install the vent for the fan, to remove the old ceiling light and to run electric for the new lights. Oh, nohttp://cowgirljan.zoto.com.another hole in the ceiling.

And, another one!

Walt threaded the hose through this hole.  Somehow attached it to the fan and was able to position it correctly. Here I am testing the outcoming air.

Walt had to enter the attic crawlspace to run the wire.  Thanks to Mom for the headlamp.

Let there be light!

We took another trip to Home Depot to pick up items.  By the time we were finished for the day, it was pretty late.  I'm tired.

Day 35: June 16, 2005 (Thursday)

Walt took it easy today

Although he still cooked dinner.  Smoked salmon with dill and yogurt sauce - yum!

Day 15: June 15, 2005 (Wednesday)

Today was a day of spackling

and drilling holes, first for the vent for the new bathroom fan

And then for the two recessed ceiling lights.

Day 33: Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Today, was kind of a day of rest.  Walt put down the Hardibacker cement board on the floor right over the plywood, and also put joint compound on the seams.  He's a cementboard artist!

Chances are we went to Home Depot in Ewing again.  We seem to live there.  I do know that Walt spent part of the day on the computer, researching tiles and tiling techniques and anything else that would help him with this job.

I, on the other hand, am trying to keep our bathroom items organized in their temporary location, the kitchen.

Day 30: June 11, 2005, Saturday

OK - I realize that the idea of a blog is to publish something every day, heck, maybe even several times a day.  All I know is that I've been pretty burned out and haven't made it one post each day.  I'll write about 5 days worth this evening to make up for it.

Saturday, June 11th, started out early.  We had installed one piece of the Hardibacker cementboard incorrectly.  I didn't read the label (actually, I did, but I didn't see the instructions) where it said to put "this side out."  So, we put "this side" in!  There goes another $10 for the cementboard.  Walt had to drill a new hole.  But, he's an expert and the shower fit perfectly.

He also made mockups of the wall cabinets that he will be making out of cherry plywood.  Nope, the real ones won't be pink!!!

We took a ride to Lowes in West Windsor to pick up a few items and look at tile (again).  Stephanie, one of the salespeople, was very helpful. One kid gave Walt the thumbs up when he saw his shirt.

Did we pick out tile?  Nope.

Wed, June 22, 2005

I've taken a break from blogging for a while, but hope to resume soon. Seems like I have bathroom burnout. Walt and I may finally have settled on a tile pattern, I hope.

Tues: June 7, 2005: A Day of Rest (kind of)

I visited the Home Depot in West Windsor at lunchtime and found a few possible tile styles.  I'm having a tough time as nothing really jumps out at me.

Walt worked in his office today and played Farmer Greenjeans in the evening - harvesting his crop of garlic.
 
Not to be outdone, I have a green thumb too (as well as a cheesy smile!)
 

Day 17: June 5, 2005 (Sunday)

Today we tackled drywall.  It required precise measurements to get the holes and other cuts accurate (good thing I paid attention in jr high math class).
 
We had to put special Hardibacker board behind the shower fixtures. We found out later that we put the top sheet on with the incorrect side out.  We'll have to fix it before we can move on.
 
It was quite a long day, but one where we didn't go to any Home Depot location!  That's one for the record books.

Hey, I know that I am domestically challenged, but this is ridiculous!  There's a formal dining room table in there somewhere.

I'm still searching for tile and will visit the West Windsor Home Depot, as well as the Hamilton Home Depot (Home Depot has a sale on tile) this week.

But for now, time to rest and think of spackle.
 

Day 16: June 4, 2005 (Saturday)

On Friday we went to Home Depot an picked up a few items so that we'd be ready for Saturday. Saturday was a day of cleaning the old grout off of the bathtub. I finally found something that worked - Zap porcelain cleaner. I still have to go over the tub once more before it will be clean enough to eat off of (yuck).

Walt spent quite a few hours hooking up the bathroom fan and making sure that the ceiling light and other outlet still worked. It took a few tries before all of the fixtures worked.

We also put up some wall board. Nothing like cutting it in the living room.

Tomorrow, more wallboard. And a trip to the West Windsor Home Depot to pick out tile. They are having a tile sale, and you know me, I don't miss a sale!

Day 15: June 2, 2005 (Thursday)

Well, Walt didn't like the idea of leaving the bathroom as is. So, on with our journey.

I came home from work today to the old vanity and sink in the living room. And, our first reportable accident. Walt had a close encounter with a kitchen cabinet.

He spent part of the day trying to straighten out the walls.

I have more scraping to do around the bathtub. Hopefully the old grout will come off easier from around the top of the tub than it did from the side of the tub.

Day 14: June 1, 2005 (Wednesday)

Hey - maybe I've found the tile.  I like this pattern, but it only comes in two sizes 13 x 13 floor, and 10 x 16 wall.
 
I picked it up Tues evening at a tile store in Trenton.  When I returned home, I did some investigating and found out that the tile is made in Spain, is probably a closeout color, and folks all over the country are not able to find replacement tiles from the manufacturer (CeraCasa).  So, back to the drawing board.

Walt was busy.  He installed the new shower valve.

Once we decide and install the tile, we'll be able to remove the plastic that's protecting the wood in the shower area.  I am getting used to the rustic feel.  It's kind of like being at Girl Scout camp.  Maybe we should leave the bathroom this way.  Let's see what Walt thinks.