Then he CUT HIS FINGER OFF

So I get home to find the cabinet guys nearly done, but the crown moulding we had ordered was not touching the ceiling as we arranged for in the showroom last week.  I knew it was wrong the moment I saw it, but I did not 'hit the ceiling' myself.  I told them and the three of us had an uncomfortable conversation before the main guy, a pleasant older fellow I'd dealt with before, called the showroom to bawl them out.

Then he went outside in the fading light to his table saw set-up in my driveway to cut extra pieces to extend the moulding up.

Then he came back in clutching his bleeding hand.  His assistant grabs a towel, wraps it and off they rush to the hospital.

I continue on my own project in another room for another ten minutes or so.

Until the assistant comes back, breathless.

He needs a strong flashlight.

To find the thumb.

I.  SHIT.  YOU.  NOT.

I swear to Me, the man cut his thumb off.  Now we have to find it.  In the dark.  And of course, I do.  About an inch or so of it, severed at or below the joint.

He grabs it with a gauze square they gave him at the hospital, puts it in a baggy already set up with ice and a gauze bed, and off he goes to help his boss get whole again.  It's too early to know if they'll be successful reattaching it.  His whole family went to the hospital and is with him.  As I am not actually all-knowing and couldn't guess as to the protocol for this flavor of madness, I asked his assistant if we should go.  He said not, he's sedated and not receiving visitors anyway.  At least we know he's getting good care.

And that's where it stands.  True story.  Just happened.  Swear to Me.

Let there be floor! said I

And lo, there was floor.

And low, was how I had to bend to do all that shit.  It took a while and was hell on my lower back, but the kitchen floor is IN.  The cabinet guy is doing his installation today, so the B part of this post should show a much improved kitchen.

The kitchen tile, 18" x 18" Tavertino Beige porcelain, is meant for most of the first floor.  The kitchen represents only about one fifth the square footage and four fifths of my aching lumbar region.  The money saved on labor is substantial.  The money spent on future chiropractors might be as well. 

If I were God... I'd snap my freakin' fingers and it would be done.(possibly by the Swedish bikini team)  But since I'm not, I'm going to have to think about it.

And so we build

I've gotten bids from a number of
contractors.  None of them looked
anything like this.  Why is that?

After the flood we felt drilled
and the losses just killed
but the possibilities thrilled
and now it's to us to build
and so we build
AND SO WE BUILD

More than two months after 3 feet of flood water flowed through our home we have turned the corner on DEstruction and graduated to CONstruction.

Today was a big day in that process.  We had already ordered our cabinets, and today we went to the stone yard and picked a light marbled pattern for our counter top.  It'll be one piece, which is nice.

After that it was back to Home Depot, to submit a list of the most expensive materials we need to get into their 'bid room'.  They had told me about their build room a month ago when I explained I'd be buying a shitload -I'm sorry that's wrong to say.  I'd be buying a fuckload of building materials to rebuild my house.  As it was explained at the time, their 'bid room' was a place you submit your $2500+ item list wish they would offer discounts on.  So I spend the ensuing weeks building that list to exceed that threshold and garner said discounts.  When I spoke to them on Saturday they told me they had recently changed the rules on bid room acceptance; it's contractors only now.  Rather than argue with the innocent counter person I asked for a manager.

Everything a boy needs to rebuild his kitchen
(and make his wife happy) -almost.

I was in luck, he had been flooded also.  He told me the rule was company-wide since management felt it was being abused and was originally intended for contractors only, but he would make an exception for me and let me in for one week.  I took advantage and put in for 4K worth of materials, mostly tiling.  They came back within minutes of my submission with $350 worth of discounts.  That's 8% on top of their already low prices.  We done good.

I had taken a tiling class there just the day before, so I collected enough of our selected tile, quick set and grout to do the kitchen.  Our cabinets are due in later this week, and the tile should be laid before hand.  (If you knew me at all, you'd know I'm a fan of getting things laid early)  So it's all starting to fall into place.  Finally.  Yay us!

Halloween Snow



The way home; BLOCKED



Going around the back way was only PARTIALLY blocked.



These are not the bottoms of huge fir trees, these are branches who
cracked under the weight of wet snow and collapsed outwards.
OR
An inebriated all-powerful being stumbled by and squashed them
-but I can't prove that.



Now my Weeping Willow will NEVER stop crying!



And afterwards He just shines His rays down upon His handiwork;
"Yeah, I taketh away too, beotch."

 So flooding me out wasn't enough for YOU, huh?  YOU gotta drop wet snow all over my 'burb while there's still leaves on the trees to catch it and break under the weight?  Or maybe you though I'D break under the weight?  WRONG.  Whatever doesn't kill me makes me stron-
(what am I, crazy?)

Uh, let me stop right there for a timely disclaimer. 

THIS IS IN NO WAY A CHALLENGE TO KILL ME.

And in closing, let me just say thank you for the snow, it's very pretty.