Year after Year we pimp ourselves up and make the tedious drive into town to present ourselves at Rbts nephews house on Christmas eve. We sit and watch them perform a gift exchange and general socializing. They all pack up and head off to church for the evening service and we head home again. there for a total of 2.5 hours. It's tough. since my first marriage in 1977 I have always been the one to have to drive some where on Christmas. with the exception of one year when I convinced my first mother in law. A Ukrainian lady, to let me do Christmas dinner instead...I turned myself in side out preparing the whole meal deal, turkey, ham, meatballs and gravy, potatoes, pyrogies, cabbage rolls, salads and stuffing, homemade buns and fresh pies for dessert. We were to eat at 2pm. Sids sister had a 3 hour drive to get home afterwards. She and her family had come the day before and stayed at the mothers house in town. They slept late on Christmas day and at basically noon my mother in law made them a breakfast of potato pancakes, ham and eggs so at 2 pm when they arrived at my place they weren't hungry. all they did was drink and nibble and they were back at the mother in laws for HER Christmas supper at 4 pm. Sid drove in and I stayed home...I was livid, and since then never offered to make dinner again, not that I would have been allowed...when I complained to Sid that his family did eat much of my dinner, his response was " well, if had tasted more like my moms, maybe they would have eaten more". there was me told.
since marrying Rbt. I have tried to have Christmas dinner here but there were no free slots...unless I wanted it a week before or after...hahahaha the one time I did have a New Years day dinner, three people showed up....apparently we live to far from the city...hahahaha screw them. I happen to be an awesome cook, and they will never know because they are to f-ing lame to bother coming out.
I just get tired of being the people that invited because they feel they have to and we wouldn't be missed if we didn't bother showing up.
Christmas is depressing, it builds a persons expectations so much, to the point where how can you not be disappointed.
We are eating left over meatballs I took to the family dinner last night and they didn't eat. along with some coleslaw and broccoli salad I have in the fridge. I think there might even be a piece of leftover cherry pie in the freezer as a special treat for Rbt. Merry Christmas y'all.
Splendor
December 25, 2012
December 20, 2012
College
I apologize for the infrequent postings of late. My spare time is used up on the bathroom renovation that seems to be taking forever. The work is progressing very slowly, which might be for the best in the long run but seems frustrating right now.
Every third day or so we are compelled to drive to town for more supplies and tools we forgot to get the last time. Makes me want to pull my hair out. If we had done this sort of thing before we would have better idea what things were needed to do the job right but we are learning as we go and so it is taking many trips to the hardware store. One day we were in LOWES in Edm. so long, the older guy working in the tile department asked us if we wanted to fill out applications...hahahaha every body's a comedian.
We did luck out and one of Rbt.s nephews owns a wet saw for cutting tile. that saved us a bundle of money.
I have the tub deck framed now and today I got my first lesson in taping and mudding the drywall. putting up rounded corner bead and the like. I was alone and willingly admit to be a nervous wreck. But I got my little job done without any catastrophes, and am ready to apply the second coat tomorrow.
Christmas is on hold for us this year...we both discussed it and have agreed to put off our Christmas dinner for two until the reno is complete, at which time we will do the big turkey dinner and the fixing's as a celebration.
We do plan to drive to Rbts nephews place on Christmas eve, where Rbts brothers 4 sons and families get together for dinner ... we have gone 3 yrs in a row now and always have a nice time. After dinner they all go to the tiny church nearby and we head home. Neither of us being particularly religious and find going that one time a year a bit hypocritical.
Rbt. took me to see THE HOBBIT movie, thanks to Jen for sending us the cineplex gift cards. It was awesome. Rbt fell asleep briefly near the beginning but then got his second wind and stayed awake to see the rest. I thought momentarily that I was going to have to elbow him like I did during the third and final show of Lord of the Rings, when he was snoring too loudly. First movie I've seen since the new year.
I desperately want to see Les Miserable between Christmas and New year. Rbt took me to the theatre production for our 5 th anniversary and I loved it. The movie looks even better. I mean with Hugh Jackman and Russel Crow in it, it's gotta be good. We will use the other gift card Jen generously sent us to see that.
Rbt and I never go out for New years. We prefer to stay home and watch the comedians on TV and the year end reviews on the National (Rbt.s favorite thing to watch) and I go along with that, just happy to have him in the house early. We cut loose and eat potato chips and dip, open a box of chocolates and drink pop. Party animals that we are. If we lived closer to the city I would love to watch the fireworks, I haven't seen live fireworks since I was kid in PG.
Other than that, I will just keep plugging away at this reno, for a small job it sure is taking it's time... I keep waiting for Rbt to give me a hand but he barely manages to get the chores done before dark and by then I am tired so the reno ends for the day. maybe this weekend. He is going to have to hook up the plumbing of the bathtub soon since I refuse to do that job.
The world is suppose to end tomorrow according to peoples interpretation of the myan calendar. If that's the case, I won't have to pay off my latest Visa Bill...hurray.... if it's not, damn I guess I'll have to pay it.
All the best to you, one way or the other. It's been a blast knowing you all.
Every third day or so we are compelled to drive to town for more supplies and tools we forgot to get the last time. Makes me want to pull my hair out. If we had done this sort of thing before we would have better idea what things were needed to do the job right but we are learning as we go and so it is taking many trips to the hardware store. One day we were in LOWES in Edm. so long, the older guy working in the tile department asked us if we wanted to fill out applications...hahahaha every body's a comedian.
We did luck out and one of Rbt.s nephews owns a wet saw for cutting tile. that saved us a bundle of money.
I have the tub deck framed now and today I got my first lesson in taping and mudding the drywall. putting up rounded corner bead and the like. I was alone and willingly admit to be a nervous wreck. But I got my little job done without any catastrophes, and am ready to apply the second coat tomorrow.
Christmas is on hold for us this year...we both discussed it and have agreed to put off our Christmas dinner for two until the reno is complete, at which time we will do the big turkey dinner and the fixing's as a celebration.
We do plan to drive to Rbts nephews place on Christmas eve, where Rbts brothers 4 sons and families get together for dinner ... we have gone 3 yrs in a row now and always have a nice time. After dinner they all go to the tiny church nearby and we head home. Neither of us being particularly religious and find going that one time a year a bit hypocritical.
Rbt. took me to see THE HOBBIT movie, thanks to Jen for sending us the cineplex gift cards. It was awesome. Rbt fell asleep briefly near the beginning but then got his second wind and stayed awake to see the rest. I thought momentarily that I was going to have to elbow him like I did during the third and final show of Lord of the Rings, when he was snoring too loudly. First movie I've seen since the new year.
I desperately want to see Les Miserable between Christmas and New year. Rbt took me to the theatre production for our 5 th anniversary and I loved it. The movie looks even better. I mean with Hugh Jackman and Russel Crow in it, it's gotta be good. We will use the other gift card Jen generously sent us to see that.
Rbt and I never go out for New years. We prefer to stay home and watch the comedians on TV and the year end reviews on the National (Rbt.s favorite thing to watch) and I go along with that, just happy to have him in the house early. We cut loose and eat potato chips and dip, open a box of chocolates and drink pop. Party animals that we are. If we lived closer to the city I would love to watch the fireworks, I haven't seen live fireworks since I was kid in PG.
Other than that, I will just keep plugging away at this reno, for a small job it sure is taking it's time... I keep waiting for Rbt to give me a hand but he barely manages to get the chores done before dark and by then I am tired so the reno ends for the day. maybe this weekend. He is going to have to hook up the plumbing of the bathtub soon since I refuse to do that job.
The world is suppose to end tomorrow according to peoples interpretation of the myan calendar. If that's the case, I won't have to pay off my latest Visa Bill...hurray.... if it's not, damn I guess I'll have to pay it.
All the best to you, one way or the other. It's been a blast knowing you all.
December 10, 2012
Renovation Hell
Bathroom reno has begun. I basically demo'd the tub surround and walls myself, Rbt showed up in time to help carry it to the burning barrel.
Yesterday I forced myself to go down to the crawl space and re-enforce the joists under the tub area (something that should have been done the first time, when the guys built the house with the huge tub) and my efforts have already payed off, even before installing our new but much smaller tub. The movement in the floor and the subsequent squeaking has stopped. Yay...
It was pretty traumatic though...being down there for three hours. in dim lit space all by myself, especially with my severe issue with claustrophobia... the job was hard enough as it was but try doing it while your whole body is tensed up and screaming for you to get out.....it wasn't pretty, profuse sweating, the smelly fear based sweat, talking to myself, mostly in encouragement, sometimes in anger. I hate this weakness I have...that I can't bully into subordination.
Any way it worked so well Rbt wants us to do the same thing under the kitchen floor....hahahahahahha.... that's maniacal nervous laughter you hear.
Next on my list is to lay a second layer of sub floor, the professional plumber who plumbed the house when it was new...must have been drunk because he bored huge 5-6 inch holes in the sub floor for the drain and such but he's got about 5 holes all over the place and the tub only had one drain....hahaha so we need to bolster that by gluing and screwing a sheet of 3/4 inch ply on top...then I have to drywall the walls because the builders just built the tub surround over the insulation and vapour barrier. I want drywall there too, then I get to start constructing the new deck for the smaller tub. then apply 3/4 plywood to the top and sides of it and then the tiling begins.... I never done any of this before so it is pretty nerve wracking...and expensive...but the house is worth less money if the tub is defective..so we hope to increase the value by doing the reno. besides I love to take baths from time to time and I had a real problem accessing the old one now that I am gibbled up.
I'd have pictures on here but blogger won't let me.... gotta look into that...half the fun of blogging is being able to brag about stuff.
Yesterday I forced myself to go down to the crawl space and re-enforce the joists under the tub area (something that should have been done the first time, when the guys built the house with the huge tub) and my efforts have already payed off, even before installing our new but much smaller tub. The movement in the floor and the subsequent squeaking has stopped. Yay...
It was pretty traumatic though...being down there for three hours. in dim lit space all by myself, especially with my severe issue with claustrophobia... the job was hard enough as it was but try doing it while your whole body is tensed up and screaming for you to get out.....it wasn't pretty, profuse sweating, the smelly fear based sweat, talking to myself, mostly in encouragement, sometimes in anger. I hate this weakness I have...that I can't bully into subordination.
Any way it worked so well Rbt wants us to do the same thing under the kitchen floor....hahahahahahha.... that's maniacal nervous laughter you hear.
Next on my list is to lay a second layer of sub floor, the professional plumber who plumbed the house when it was new...must have been drunk because he bored huge 5-6 inch holes in the sub floor for the drain and such but he's got about 5 holes all over the place and the tub only had one drain....hahaha so we need to bolster that by gluing and screwing a sheet of 3/4 inch ply on top...then I have to drywall the walls because the builders just built the tub surround over the insulation and vapour barrier. I want drywall there too, then I get to start constructing the new deck for the smaller tub. then apply 3/4 plywood to the top and sides of it and then the tiling begins.... I never done any of this before so it is pretty nerve wracking...and expensive...but the house is worth less money if the tub is defective..so we hope to increase the value by doing the reno. besides I love to take baths from time to time and I had a real problem accessing the old one now that I am gibbled up.
I'd have pictures on here but blogger won't let me.... gotta look into that...half the fun of blogging is being able to brag about stuff.
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