Tile job

My back hall was is done, but it might be the most expensive tile job in the history of tile jobs due to the medical bills. It started off as a simple project that turned into something so much more.

I started using tile I bought for the bathroom. My dad talked me out of putting tile down because we would probably have to gut the entire room before I sell the place. I measured and had enough for the space. However, I did not account for me getting mad and going 'smashy smashy' when I could not get a cut right.

The first attempt was a total fail. I ran out of tile and they no longer carried it at Home Depot. I tried to match it, but the difference in color would kill me, even though it is in the closet.

Attempt two started off good. I bought new tile that I liked and there was a large stock at Menards (I got mad at Home Depot. They pay their employees less and Menards offers health insurance to all full-time employees.) Then I ran into the corners that needed a special cut. The cutting thingy (technical term) I bought sucked and I was running into the same 'smashy smashy' problem from before.

To avoid going back to the hospital from this project, I called my mom and she brought over all her tools. It made the project so much easier, but she also brought over a bottle of booze so we got very little done. One more weekend of work and I was finished. It looks so pretty and I literally put my blood, sweat and tears into it.

Day one

Growing up, I remember my Aunt Shelly being a person of authority. She would yell at me for simple things like trying to ride her Doberman like a horse. Crazy, I know.

The first thing we had to do was weed. So much weeding. The first day consisted of weeding a small spot and planting two large plants. That was easy. Then we had a day off and I was suppose to weed the large wall. I worked for about an hour and then went to the beach. Shelly was not very happy with me after that, and she had every right.

Funny story: while we were weeding, the neighbor had a guest in town. He was a very attractive hippy-man with bright blue eyes. He stopped by to let us know the weeds we were pulling actually were a plant he uses for hippy-style salads. However, he did not help, he just grazed on the 'weed'.

In the end, the part of the wall looks amazing. I could not have done it without the help of my super fantastic aunt. The problem is, I kind of hate her because she looks a billion times better than me, yet is a few years older. Grrr.

Opps! Down I go

A little over a month ago, I was heading out the back door with crap in my hands. Holly was sitting on the stairs and the light was burnt out. I turned around to keep Dandy from getting out, but when I turned back around, my flip-flop slipped and I fell off the stair and down I went.

Everything would have been just fine, if days earlier I wasn't tiling the back hall way. I had a container full of cement that dried and was too lazy to get up and toss it in the garbage. I toss it out the back door. Bad, bad idea. That is what I landed on...

Right when I fell I knew I as in trouble. (The picture is of what I fell on). I could tell my lip was cut, but I didn't know the extent. Fast forwarded to the emergency room. They thought they could just sew it up right there and everything would be fine. Nope. It was far too extensive and I had to have surgery.

Not realizing how bad it really was, I kept asking if I would be out in time to see Rod Stewart. I don't like him, but I got free tickets and my aunt wanted to go. The nurse just laughed and fed me more morphine. I laughed too.

After over 14 hours of sitting there with my face split open, I went in to surgery. Within an hour (I think) they put over 200 stitches in my face.

It wasn't all bad, I got to stay with my dad for a few days. He waited on me hand and foot while we came up with scenarios to tell people. We had a lot of fun watching PBS and just talking. After only 10 days I was able to return to work with my new scar and teeth (I damaged two of them).

A short list of the really funny things that happened:
-My dad telling me to quit ultimate fighting in a crowed elevator
-Calling my co-workers out for calling me Nettenstein in a group meeting, even though I was the one that came up with the name
-Seeing people's look when I tell them I 'broke my face'
-Catching up on 90's cult movies

All in all, it sucked and hurt a lot, but it could have been worse. That is why I haven't updated my blog, cause I know the two readers (Shelly and Margi) are concerned.

Da yard

My mom was suppose to do the front retaining wall as my 'house warming present'. That didn't happen. Then Holly was going to take it over, but nearly 200 feet of weeds and unsettled soil hindered her. However, the wall needed to be done. Knowing it would take a few years for the plants to add curb appeal, I had to start this year.

This lead me to think: who do I know that knows enough about plants, but can keep me in line. Auntie Shelly! Shelly has an amazing way of keeping me in line. She has this strange thing where she makes me clean up after a project is over. I fight, but in the end, I feel a lot better.

It was a big task, but Shelly had a couple days off. This was the start:

Hotdog!

Holly and I were sitting in the back yard when we say a small bunny. He was eating a small daisy. It was super cute.

He was a very small bunny. His mother probably died and left him to fend for himself. He sat in the back yard and ate daisys. He would start at the stem and nom until the flower hit his mouth, then he stopped.

This week in Art

With the new room, I had to find things to put on the walls. I believe that the art on a wall makes the room complete.

I already put most of the pictures I already owned on the walls in my house so I had to find new pictures. It was late and I knew I wouldn't find what I really wanted. On one of the walls I put my dad's first violin. It looks antique, but it is not. He bought it at a garage sale and still had nail polish marks for finger placements.

I just needed something for above my bed. I always have more fabric then the average bear so I used it as a canvas. Yes, it is not high art, but it adds the balance needed for the bedroom.

I moved

I got really sick of my bedroom. When I moved in I took the master bedroom as my bedroom. I removed the closet thinking I would replace it in a timely manner. Then I thought I would put in new flooring and molding. However, I failed to do any of that. I wanted to, but then I came up with new ideas for the room. A master bedroom is a selling point and I don't want it to be a room I would just like.

I bit the bullet and moved. I decided on the smaller craftroom because it had a closet and finished floors. It was a great idea!

First, I had to repaint. I thought it would look good to paint vertical strips on the far wall. That ended up looking very bad. The only other thing I had to do was move everything from the old room to the new. It sucked, but when it was done, the room ended up looking great!

I love my new room! It is great! Small, but great.