Forwards and Backwards

Our renovation went three steps forward and one step back this week.  I guess that is to be expected.  "C'est normal" as they say in France.

Forward:

As everyone knows, Joe's amazingly beautiful espresso machine arrived from Italy last week.  Amir, from Stone Galaxy, came up from North Vancouver on Saturday to cut a hole in the silestone countertop to prepare it for the plumber.

Backward:

Joe was playing around with Big Bertha's levers and discovered that the right hand lever made a metal-on-metal grinding sound when he pulled it.  Uh-oh.  A few phone calls were placed and now we are waiting for a repairman from Naples (just kidding) to arrive next week.

Poor Big Bertha is in sick bay before she's even able to pull one cup of java.

Backward:

Several days ago, our hot water tank decided to spring a leak.  OF COURSE IT DID!

Leakage.

Forward:

We decided to replace our old hot water tank with a tankless hot water heater.

Backward:  
The heating guys were scheduled to come on Friday.  But someone (not saying who) forgot to keep the front door unlocked for them.  Hmmmm...I wonder who that was?  Needless to say, the new hot water tank did not get installed nor did the free standing gas fireplace in the TV room.

The floor tiles sit bereft of the gas fireplace.

Forward:
Now that the entryway landing is tiled with charcoal grey slate, the front door was looking sad and tired.  We decided to get Ray (Howe Sound Painters) to paint the front door black.  All I can say is, "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST WHERE WILL THIS RENOVATION STOP?"

Priming the front door.

Paint it black.

Now all we need is a new door handle and we're done!

Backward:

We finally returned all the leftover bits and bobs from our kitchen renovation to Ikea.  We discovered that we had $400.00 worth of odds and ends.  Ikea advertises that you can always return things.  But we discovered that to get cash back, you must return the items within 45 days of purchase.  Who can build a kitchen in less than 45 days?  (Well, actually, Marcel can.  With one hand tied around his back.)  But we were lazy and didn't get around to returning the stuff.  What Ikea will give you after 45 days is an Ikea gift card for the amount.

Ikea's exchange and return department.

Forward:

We decided to use the $400.00 gift card to buy door mats, waste paper baskets, candles, throw pillows, frames, a duvet and its cover, blankets, and cupboard pulls for the bathroom.

Shopaholic.

Forward:

Instead of buying someone else's art to decorate the walls, I decided to use my own.  I went through thousands of my travel photographs and chose a few to frame and hang.

A sampling of photos.

Backward:

I enlarged one of my favourite photos to 20" x 30" poster size.  It is of the medieval village of Puy L'Eveque where Joe and I stayed for a month this past summer.  I bought a huge frame during our shopping spree at Ikea.  I later discovered there is no glass in the frame, just plexiglass that seems to get scratched by breathing on it.  I mounted my photo to the white mat, attached all the screws and wires, only to have one of the frame corners come apart in my hands!  Grrrrrr.  I was so frustrated!  I just MacGyver'd the two pieces together with a piece of tape and said, "To hell with it."

I love Scotch tape.

Forward:

Our kitchen's fairy godmother (aka Colleen) gave us her father's 1956 Telefunken stereo cabinet for our living room.  We are hoping to convert it into a bar.

Drinks, anyone?

Forward:

The heating guys came on Monday and installed our tankless hot water heater!

Hot water forever.

Forward:

The heating guys also installed our free standing gas fireplace in the TV room!  (But we have to wait for the proper chimney pipe.)

Almost there....

Forward:

Dave, the electrician, came this morning to install our entryway light fixture.  It was hand-blown on the Island of Murano, just off the coast from Venice.  We love it.

Blown glass loveliness.

And that, my friends, was the week that was.

Happy Valentines Day!