Bathroom progress, and a sweet tale

I've been so busy, and the longer I go between blogs, the heavier the weight of it is on my shoulders and the more I dread it. I have a blog half written about getting pumpkins (the flashback blog to which I referred earlier) but have to finish it, and in the meantime, we have lived a bit of life that I would like to write about! But instead, we keep living it and I tell you all about it in my head. I've had the thought that if I had a little handheld mini-tape recorder, I could just talk, and then later just type. But adding the pictures and videos take time, and that is the really fun part. Except for those of you who like to read my rambling - thanks! =)

So, before I head to bed tonight, I will break the barrier of weeks of no blogging with just a quick update and some plagiarism.

The big update is that we have a functioning upstairs bathroom. Big cheers, everyone! My awesome brother-in-law Keith took time from their huge remodelling project to drive up from Lincoln last Sunday afternoon (50 minute drive) and replace the subfloor/underlayment and lay tile, and then the next night, on his BIRTHDAY, to return and do the grouting. The picture of me trying to do the grout with Amanda around compelled him to take pity on me and finish the job. (We gave him supper, had a birthday cupcake and sang for him.) Dad & Mom had come down for Brandon's (Keith & Cindy's son) music concert Saturday night, and they stayed overnight so Dad could help Keith on Sunday, and Mom could help entertain Amanda, while I tried to be generally helpful, and also while I went to Home Depot to get a new cold water shut-off valve. Funny - Keith attached the new valve and told me I was good to go to turn the water on. I went downstairs, turned it on, and listened for any shouts that I should shut it off! But nothing, so I returned upstairs, only to find Keith surrounded by some small puddles, saying, "We need a towel." The shut-off valve was attached securely, but was set to the on position. Problem! I was so surprised that they didn't holler, but it was too quick - get wet, shut the valve, look at the puddles. After tiling, Keith installed the faucet from the upstairs bathroom in the basement bathroom, replacing the old one which was hard to use and impossible for Amanda to operate. And after grouting, he also cut a hole for my new sink in the new counter top I bought at Lowe's. What a guy!

Dad helped me clean out the cabinet to be removed from the bathroom, helped Keith move the cabinet and replace the subfloor, and also cleaned up my leaves in front and probably did other things I haven't noticed. And Mom didn't have it easy - my little angel became a monster after I left for Home Depot (a 15 minute trip), grabbing her pill bottle and scattering them, taking the bag of leftovers for their dog and, to quote Mom, "slinging it on the couch" (yikes! Glad the plastic held!) Mom asked me why I thought Amanda turns so naughty like that. No idea, Mom. She's a mischievous (adorable) little monster at times.

Wednesday night I returned the cabinet to the bathroom, placed the new counter top, and found that I didn't consider that it might be a different depth than my old one. And not just a little different - three inches deeper! Good grief! I weighed my options and decided it was ok to have the cabinet away from the wall that much more and I'd just hide the gap on the side that shows with a piece of finished wood. I'd thought to measure the width but didn't realize that it was a kitchen counter top (I guess?) and would be deeper than a standard bathroom counter top? Sometimes I feel pretty dumb and irritated with myself.

Thursday morning, the plumber came and set the toilet with heavy bolts, and was very reassuring that it should not leak, and if it did, I would see it on the floor (Keith tiled right up to the opening, and the plumber did not caulk around the bottom edge of the toilet). He also sealed the counter top to the cabinet, sealed the sink to the counter top, installed the new faucet and hooked everything up, making the pipes fit even though the cabinet was three inches further away from the wall, all the while chatting about adoption, graduating in 1984, Monty Python, and how he went from working in a bank to being a plumber. I gave him info on my adoption agency (AdoptionArk.org - I highly recommend), as he and his wife are considering adopting, and when I started writing him a check, he said that once a year, around Thanksgiving (because three years ago, that just happened to be the time of year it was when he decided to do it), they do a job for free, and I'm this year's recipient! I told him to pick someone else, but he refused, and it was so nice I started to cry. He said it's always been females, and they always cry. I told him to pick a guy next time, and the guy would probably say, "Cool, want a beer?" (I did think about offering him a beer after I made that comment, but it was 11am) =)
(Yes, I do have beer in my house. Not always, but at this point in time, I do.)

So, my brother-in-law saved me about $400 by doing the floor, the plumber saved me about ?? ($150?) (but I told him I'm going to give it to the food bank as a donation - and maybe will give some to a family who just lost their father and their home in a fire). And I have a beautiful floor, a toilet I can trust, and a new sink/counter top/faucet! It's awesome! The deeper counter top/ cabinet is taking some getting used to. Less space in the room when I'm giving Amanda a bath, brushing teeth, and getting ready for bed, further to reach to get things from the medicine cabinet or look at something up close in the mirror, etc. But I think I'll get used to it, and I do love the counter top.

Amanda was so excited to see the "new" bathroom. She exclaimed, "Mom, it's so cute!" (She's all about things being 'cute') "And we can use the potty! And we can wash our hands!" It's been a long month of bathroom exile to the basement.

I'm heading to bed. I typed the plagiarism part of this blog last week, before I returned the book to the library. Please don't turn me in. I don't often get library books for Amanda, because she has been blessed to have lots of books at home, but we were there one time and I let her pick two out. One was "Little Miss Spider" and I couldn't believe it when I read it to her. She didn't really get the connection, and I may buy the book sometime because it is so fitting, but in the meantime I wanted to remember it for me and share it with you. You won't have the benefit of the great pictures, but can either imagine them or google the book and take a look. So, without further ado:

Little Miss Spider by David Kirk

Little Miss Spider
Popped out of her egg.
Swinging down from a thread,
She hung on by one leg.

Watching brothers and sisters
All scooting for cover,
She dangled there wondering,
"Where is my mother?"

Did she squeeze down a hole?
Or dive underwater?
Why won't she come out here
And meet her new daughter?

She climbed to the
Tippity-top of a tree.
Gazing out on the world,
She sobbed, "Where could Mom be?"

A beetle named Betty
Buzzed by this high perch.
"A child needs a mother.
May I please help you search?"

"I don't know for sure,
But I'll offer this clue -
If I were your mom,
I'd be looking for you."

They flew through the trees,
Spying down from the sky,
And asked all the butterflies
Fluttering by.

But none of the insects
They happened upon
Had any idea
Where her mother had gone.

She then asked a small spider -
As plump as a pig! -
"Have you seen my mom?
She's like me, only big."

The sly spider laughed
As he gobbled his snack,
"Up there is a mother
Who's yellow and black."

With a heart full of joy,
She peered over the straw,
But it wasn't her mother
That Miss Spider saw. . . .

It was six hungry hatchlings
And a goldfinch, who cried,
"Your dinner's here darlings,
So open up wide!"

Before she could blink,
She was whisked out of sight,
And brave beetle Betty
Was hugging her tight.

In her warm cozy home
In the bark of a tree,
The kind beetle asked,
"Won't you stay here with me?"

Then Miss Spider smiled,
And held Betty fast.
"I looked for my mom,
And I found you at last."

For finding your mother,
There's one certain test.
You must look for the creature
Who loves you the best.

~~~ The End ~~~

(Sniff, sniff)