I'm going to call it "Productive" ...
... even if I didn't exactly get everything done that I'd listed on Friday. Mainly because I added to the list as the weekend went along, of course.
Long, boring details follow.
Friday - I didn't mow (I got out of work a bit late and it was chilly), but I did get most of the laundry done. Since I don't use the laundromat usually I had to remember where I'd seen one. I knew there was one on Lake street, but it was packed. I saw another on Indian Trail though and there were open washers there. I did the first couple of loads, trying to figure out if I had enough change to do more. Only then did I discover that there were different size machines there that took varying number of quarters, and I'd used the largest machines (the first I found open). After figuring out how many quarters the dryers were going to need I ran two more loads in somewhat smaller washers. The only thing I didn't get washed was towels, and we could get by without getting those washed Friday.
Saturday - got dishes done, lawn mowed and trimmed (it was a beautiful day), then went to do a little shopping. It was Free Comic Book Day so I had to run by Graham Crackers, pick up a few free comics and some that I bought. Got screen material and grill refurb stuff from Home Despot. Got a new cat litter scoop because I finally gave up on trying to get the cats used to the Robotic Litterbox Overlord (Ash was still freqently ... expressing his displeasure) and the one for tidying the RLO is too small for general use. Got home, got the grill cleaned up and fired up for the first time this season. Replaced the cooking grids, then grilled a chicken breast for dinner. Then I got the screens replaced on the patio door and the front storm door, and called it a night!
Sunday - the day to do some tiling. I started by getting my materials and tools together and going over the instructions again. Noted something in the instructions that I hadn't seen before on how to deal with tiling up from an uneven floor (and ours is un-level just as it is un-square -- it's a little off of both). I had marked a level line at the top of where I expected the tile to be and was going to work my way down (thinking the adhesive/morter would be enough). Fortunately I found that advice before I did something that just wouldn't have worked. So, I followed their advice and nailed up a line of wood above the uneven floor so that I could put all but the bottom piece of tile in, all the way around, building up from the wood. Then I went to mix the adhesive and found something different than what I'd heard in the training we went to -- the adhesive said "Do not hand mix", but rather use a beater bar (like a huge eggbeater) on my drill. So, another trip to the Home Despot to get that. While I was finding the wood to nail up around the room I'd also assessed the amount of door casing I still had laying around and decided I needed more of that too, so I bought that at the same time.
By the time I got back and ready to start it was about 5:30. So, I fed the cats and shut them in the basement so I wouldn't be disturbed. I then mixed up the adhesive and got going on tiling. I first tiled the short wall behind where the toilet would sit and I learned a few things about how to speed the process, but it was still slower than I thought. Faster than Ellen thought, though, as she was impressed with my progress when she got home from the grocery store. I managed to finish installing all the full tiles on that short wall and the long wall across from the door, as well as the first row of tiles on the wall behind where the sink will be. Notice the emphasis on "full tiles", as I found that is was going to be difficult to deal with both putting up tiles and measuring/cutting the partial tiles at both ends, so I concentrated on getting the full tiles done so I could work with the set tiles to do the measurement of partial tiles later. That's also why the first row of tiles behind the sink was important -- the next row will also need cuts in two tiles to accomodate the pipes. By the time I was done with this batch of morter it was just past 10pm, so time to clean up and quit for the night.
So, I can envision three more wall tiling sessions, with some prep needed before each but the next one. The next session, maybe tonight, will be the full tiles on the walls flanking the door. Actually, I'll probably cut the tiles for around the pipes so I can do behind the sink at the same time. Then, measure and cut all the edge tiles that go above the wooden framed line, and install them. Finally, after all that is set, take off the wood pieces, install the new floor underlayment, cut the bottom row of tiles where necessary, and install those.
Then I should finally be ready to do the floor tile.
By the numbers, I've installed 79 full pieces of 6"x8" wall tile, along with 15 each of the 6"x2" decorative line and the 6"x2" top bull-nose sections on top. I have another 44 full pieces along with 2 to cut around pipes to and 10 each decorative and bull-nose put up in phase 2. Phase 3 will have 40 edge pieces to cut and install, plus 8 each of the top pieces. Finally, there will be 33 bottom pieces to install. Total, 264 wall pieces, 109 of which are done. So, 41.3% done.
I don't know why I felt compelled to figure all of that out.
Tomorrow I pick up Ryan from school for the summer.
Long, boring details follow.
Friday - I didn't mow (I got out of work a bit late and it was chilly), but I did get most of the laundry done. Since I don't use the laundromat usually I had to remember where I'd seen one. I knew there was one on Lake street, but it was packed. I saw another on Indian Trail though and there were open washers there. I did the first couple of loads, trying to figure out if I had enough change to do more. Only then did I discover that there were different size machines there that took varying number of quarters, and I'd used the largest machines (the first I found open). After figuring out how many quarters the dryers were going to need I ran two more loads in somewhat smaller washers. The only thing I didn't get washed was towels, and we could get by without getting those washed Friday.
Saturday - got dishes done, lawn mowed and trimmed (it was a beautiful day), then went to do a little shopping. It was Free Comic Book Day so I had to run by Graham Crackers, pick up a few free comics and some that I bought. Got screen material and grill refurb stuff from Home Despot. Got a new cat litter scoop because I finally gave up on trying to get the cats used to the Robotic Litterbox Overlord (Ash was still freqently ... expressing his displeasure) and the one for tidying the RLO is too small for general use. Got home, got the grill cleaned up and fired up for the first time this season. Replaced the cooking grids, then grilled a chicken breast for dinner. Then I got the screens replaced on the patio door and the front storm door, and called it a night!
Sunday - the day to do some tiling. I started by getting my materials and tools together and going over the instructions again. Noted something in the instructions that I hadn't seen before on how to deal with tiling up from an uneven floor (and ours is un-level just as it is un-square -- it's a little off of both). I had marked a level line at the top of where I expected the tile to be and was going to work my way down (thinking the adhesive/morter would be enough). Fortunately I found that advice before I did something that just wouldn't have worked. So, I followed their advice and nailed up a line of wood above the uneven floor so that I could put all but the bottom piece of tile in, all the way around, building up from the wood. Then I went to mix the adhesive and found something different than what I'd heard in the training we went to -- the adhesive said "Do not hand mix", but rather use a beater bar (like a huge eggbeater) on my drill. So, another trip to the Home Despot to get that. While I was finding the wood to nail up around the room I'd also assessed the amount of door casing I still had laying around and decided I needed more of that too, so I bought that at the same time.
By the time I got back and ready to start it was about 5:30. So, I fed the cats and shut them in the basement so I wouldn't be disturbed. I then mixed up the adhesive and got going on tiling. I first tiled the short wall behind where the toilet would sit and I learned a few things about how to speed the process, but it was still slower than I thought. Faster than Ellen thought, though, as she was impressed with my progress when she got home from the grocery store. I managed to finish installing all the full tiles on that short wall and the long wall across from the door, as well as the first row of tiles on the wall behind where the sink will be. Notice the emphasis on "full tiles", as I found that is was going to be difficult to deal with both putting up tiles and measuring/cutting the partial tiles at both ends, so I concentrated on getting the full tiles done so I could work with the set tiles to do the measurement of partial tiles later. That's also why the first row of tiles behind the sink was important -- the next row will also need cuts in two tiles to accomodate the pipes. By the time I was done with this batch of morter it was just past 10pm, so time to clean up and quit for the night.
So, I can envision three more wall tiling sessions, with some prep needed before each but the next one. The next session, maybe tonight, will be the full tiles on the walls flanking the door. Actually, I'll probably cut the tiles for around the pipes so I can do behind the sink at the same time. Then, measure and cut all the edge tiles that go above the wooden framed line, and install them. Finally, after all that is set, take off the wood pieces, install the new floor underlayment, cut the bottom row of tiles where necessary, and install those.
Then I should finally be ready to do the floor tile.
By the numbers, I've installed 79 full pieces of 6"x8" wall tile, along with 15 each of the 6"x2" decorative line and the 6"x2" top bull-nose sections on top. I have another 44 full pieces along with 2 to cut around pipes to and 10 each decorative and bull-nose put up in phase 2. Phase 3 will have 40 edge pieces to cut and install, plus 8 each of the top pieces. Finally, there will be 33 bottom pieces to install. Total, 264 wall pieces, 109 of which are done. So, 41.3% done.
I don't know why I felt compelled to figure all of that out.
Tomorrow I pick up Ryan from school for the summer.
posted by TT at
5/08/2006 01:43:00 PM
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