Ranger Jim Would Be So Proud

Honey and I have missed our dads quite a lot throughout this whole process. They would have both been down here discussing the best way to do this or that, and instead of us busting our rears we would probably be getting them beers and kicking back a little more. His dad installed heating and air conditioning and could pretty much build or fix anything. My dad never met a project he didn't like. Growing up I truly thought he could build, fix, or make anything better. I know my "no fear" attitude towards home improvement came from him - you can always fix something if you break it - it's just stuff.

We had a guy who worked on our house when I was growing up named Charley Jones. He was a rough guy, smoked his cigarettes and gave one word answers. My dad always worked with him and learned as he went as well as got a better price on whatever renovation they were doing. Well, tomorrow starts my first apprenticeship a la Charley Jones. I'll be spending the next two days working with our electrician to wire our kitchen so I can learn as well as keep our costs down. When he offered this deal, I had to laugh - dad would be thrilled to learn about circuits and daisy chains and whatever else I'll be doing!

After a little more tiling last night I came to the rude realization that although my tile work looks pretty good, I was using the wrong mastic, using too much of it, and that we would need to remove it all and start over. So I got new bigger tiles today and all of the right supplies and Honey is over there right now prepping the wall all over again. One step forward, two steps back. On a better note, the plumbing was mostly done today - the only issue that remains is a leak in the gas line to the hot water heater. So we don't have hot water, but we do have water and heat!

Our current plan is to move in next Wednesday. Hmmmm. We are looking for a small refrigerator to set up our kitchenette in the office, and I've started packing some boxes. At least we will have the apartment until the 31st to shower and cook if we need to camp out here a little. Maybe it will make us eat more raw foods and do a little healthier cuisine for a while. I tend to think we might be grubbing for meals more than we think.

Peanut has been enjoying her visits to the house now that she can get down and move around in there a bit more. I had forgotten how much she loves to go up and down stairs! She loves to see the joggers and their dogs come by - she is always running down the hill towards them yelling "goggie!". At the apartment today, she had almost every toy she owns out in the living room and I was just envisioning the cozy rec room with all of her stuff and how nice it will be to once again have some more space so the toys don't look as though they are outnumbering us!