June 26-27 -- work slowdown

The slowdown -- the shipper failed to get the tiles onto the truck in Calgary so they won't be in Toronto until July 11th -- that leaves little time to get tiling completed before the gang starts arriving -- August 1st. We are also not sure when the tiles will make it to Sudbury or Port Loring after they arrive in Toronto. Groan.

Everything hinges on having the tile here -- no pun intended -- cannot install the doors, for example, until the tiles are in place. So -- Sandy is going to contact her supplier in Sudbury and get more specifics on the tiles in terms of arrival but also substitute the tiles that I just installed in the darkroom to go in the bedroom. They apparently come from Montreal and can be here sooner -- meaning that I can at least move forward with some of the tiling. If I can get those tiles installed before the others arrive then I can move forward with the area at the entranceway, the bathroom and the bottom of the stairs -- which means that I can install the doors for the bathroom, bedroom, furnace room, darkroom and workshop.

I went into Sudbury early yesterday to pick up a number of things -- mainly tools for tiling i.e. float and margin trowels, jig saw blades for cutting, an extra blade for the saw, nippers, spacers, more grout sponges etc. I can always return tools that are unused, but I want to be prepared and not held up needing a tool or waste time or do crappy work with the wrong tool. I also got the exhaust fan for the darkroom and braided supply lines for the sink, speaker wire for the outside speakers ... you get the idea. I spent more than two hours in Home Depot -- like Jason, it's my second home (from a comment by his son Mike when I called a couple of weeks ago looking for him).

Sandy also went into Sudbury yesterday -- you'd think that we would go together, but she had an entire day of her own errands, which included going to the tile place and picking up some grout and thinset, groceries, carpet for the den (which turned out to be not ready yet), linens-n-things returning something for Bonnie Matthews -- you name it. When I update my accounts with Quicken I'll be able to chart her movements by the credit card bills -- we always joke that I know where she's been before she gets home.

I got home at lunchtime and worked in the basement for the day happily unaware of the tile issue until later. I added the wiring for the vanity light in the bathroom, installed the exhaust fan in the darkroom and moved and partly installed the darkroom sink. I found that the 20" braided lines were "just" long enough - I'll probably pick up some 24" lines rather than stretch them. The 20" lines will work in the bathroom.

After Sandy got home and I heard the depressing news about the tiles, I working for an hour or so more mudding the darkroom drywall.

The other thing that I investigated at HD was the counter. They can custom cut counters for me at quite a reasonable price (I need greater depth than normal) so I'll confirm the exact measurements once the sink is in place and move forward on that front. What they do, in effect, is use one of their standard measure bar counters and simply cut it down to size. For example, if I need 33" x 60", they order one of their standard 36" x 72" (widths come in even numbers, eg. 6 feet) and cut it down. I'll have my nice white formica countertop for the darkroom. Come to think of it though, the white counter that I had in Philadelphia ended up being stained from chemicals -- perhaps I should go with a beige ... hmmm. I'll get Sandy to do that one -- she can pick a colour that goes with the floor.

It was hot here -- high 80's again -- warmer than Florida. I was working in the basement so did not notice it for the most part except for going outside to cut a 2x4 at one point. Abby spent a lot of time outside, sitting up at the top of the stairs surveying her territory. I was surprised that she had not asked to come in -- I called her at one point and said "go for a swim" to her and it was like she just thought of it -- walked down to the beach and into the water up to her shoulders drinking water as she walked.

The plan for today -- continue with the drywall finishing work; perhaps install ceiling drywall in the bathroom; go for a bike ride (that first); grout the tiles in the darkroom; -- there's other stuff, I'll fill the day, don't worry. I also need to finish the drywall work in the bedroom -- the walls were completed last summer after which I installed the closet -- so there is only the areas around the closet that need completion. I put the initial coat of mud on last fall.

I had a voicemail on my cell phone from Alice Pao when I got into cell range (first time in a couple of weeks) -- she was on her way home from Chesapeake and was reporting that Don Mines was doing well and also that Ron Sonkin was interested in information regarding my bike ride (this via Eric Oehler). Someone was going to call my cell -- well, that is usually fruitless up here, so I checked my old Margaret-Kelly-maintained staff list and called Ron's mobile number from that list. His number had not changed, so we had a brief chat regarding the bike ride. He is interested in doing something similar and will probably catch up with me later when he has more time to talk. Ron left EDS about the same time that I did and is now back doing pension consulting working for a boutique firm in the Boston area ... and ... it sounds like he is enjoying himself.

I exchanged emails with Don Mines to see if he was still planning the snowboarding trip to New Zealand -- that has now been switched to a surfing trip to Hawaii -- it's great to hear that he's doing well.

... time to feed Abby and go for that bike ride.