BUILDING A SHOWER

I have decided to do this post because this is something that has bothered me for years. The first time Dan and I did a reno where we totally gutted a bathroom, ( back in the '60s) we argued about the positioning of the taps and shower controller.  I wanted them near the outside edge of the shower curtain and he said that was too much extra pipe to run. I won that argument and after the job was completed he agreed that it worked out well. 

 So here's the thing.  The above picture is of a typical shower stall that we see all the time.  This particular one was in one of the motels on our journey home from Texas.  You will notice that if you want to turn on the water adjust the settings and get it to the desired flow and temperature, you have to get into the shower and stand under that spray (hot or cold) until you get it right.  WHY?  Because men make these decisions rather than women. 

 Now when I design a shower, (as above) I design it so that you can open the shower door, reach the controller, which is right close to the door, stick your hand under the shower head until you have adjusted it to your desired settings, then and only then, get into the shower stall.   I watch all these fixer-upper shows and I still see the same mistake being made over and over again. 

WHY ???

JUST PLUGGING ALONG WAITING FOR NICE WEATHER.

Well, the snow is all gone from our yard and all the leaves are cleaned up.  

Last years ashes have been cleaned out of the fire pit, so it's ready for the first fire but we haven't put out the lawn furniture yet.   

We got the Bar-B-Q out, but we only used it once.  The weather just has not been co-operating.  

We've had a couple of nice days here and there, but nothing consistent.  And the forecast for this week is not looking good.  They are predicting rain for almost every day this coming week and into next weekend.  

 We'll just keep plugging away with our endless list of chores  

SUMMER WILL ARRIVE SOONER OR LATER

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE.

  

I am having a really great Easter.  

But it has nothing to do with the religious holiday.  Since my cabinets have been installed these two cabinets have been planned as my pantry.  

One cabinet has standard shelves on rails that can be pulled out if you can't reach something way in the back.  

And today Dan installed a complete set of four file cabinet type roll out shelves in the other pantry cabinet.  So, that was my Easter present and I am very pleased.  It sure didn't take me long to get everything loaded in there, which of course makes the rest of the kitchen function so much better without all these things stuffed in here there and everywhere.  

Time to put the turkey in the oven and prep the vegetables

He certainly deserves a good home cooked meal after all that work.  

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!  

(I hope your's is as happy as mine)   

 

PIZZA NIGHT!

Dan and I re-discovered homemade (Kraft from a box) pizza late last fall before we left for Texas.   It has become our new favourite thing for Friday or Saturday night.  I prepare the dough and cut it in half, then we each pour a drink and are on our own as to the rest of the chore.  

We spread out our dough.  Dan uses a rolling Pin with some oil on the dough and I just push mine out to the edge of the pan with my hands.  Then we pile on, our preferred toppings.  

Then we pour another drink and pop the pizzas in the oven.  Mine stays in a couple of minutes longer as I like my crust well done and crispy.  Dan not so much.  It only takes about 15 minutes to bake.  

Sea-Enna loves pizza night as well.  She hangs around pretty close (for anything that might fall, during the prep and during the eating).  

Sea-Enna also knows that pizzas have bones that are always left over when we are done, and...........

SEA-ENNA LOVES, PIZZA BONES

BACK TO NORMAL????

It has been slow progress but we are near to getting back to normal. We have repaired and replaced (pressure tank, hot water tank, toilet etc., etc.) all the damage that was done in "THE BIG FREEZE OF 2019".  And now are moving forward with the PLANs we had for this year.   

The new water softener is being installed today.  

The first day of spring has come and gone, and the snow is still here.  But it is starting to shrink back and the predicted temperatures should see it gone shortly.  

I am starting to get over the discouragement I felt when we walked into the house on our arrival home.  As you can see it's just over 3 weeks until Easter and I'm starting to look forward to it.  

COME ON SPRING!!

WE HAVE MOVED BACK HOME

Well, it has been a week since we arrived back in Winnipeg Beach.  Dan has worked like a slave to get us up and running.  Thawed sewer line, holding tank emptied, water pump thawed, new pressure tank installed, new toilet purchased and installed, new hot water tank ready to go, now all we need is the water softener.  

We now have running water and a functioning toilet.  So we have moved back home. 

Our friends and neighbours Gord and Ellie Gowie have been so kind in taking us in and feeding us and helping us out, we will never be able to repay them.  Unless they have a disaster happen to them, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone.  

I am still emptying crates and finding places for everything from basically two households.  

We still do not have hot water yet, but that will come shortly.  It's not as if I haven't lived without it before.  A water softener was going to be top of the list this spring, so we are going to do that before we hook up the new water tank.   

EVEN WITH THE KAOS, IT'S STILL GOOD TO BE HOME

WE ARRIVED HOME TO KAOS

We cleared the border without any hold-ups by 10:00 am and were well on our way home.

The roads were good and it was a quick trip around the city and heading north.  

We arrived home by 11:00 and Sea-Enna was so happy to see her yard, she dove right into the snow drifts. 

We were pretty glad to be here too, until we opened the door and found no heat on.  Everything was Icy cold.  Our newly installed furnace was not running. ??? We ran to the thermostat and found a reading of - 32 degrees.  We immediately called our Furnace installer and he sent someone out.  Too little too late.  Then we started to access the damages.  

In the bathroom, the toilet was tipped over, to one side (forced up by the ice) and cracked around the bottom where it was bolted to the floor.  

The toilet tank had one solid block of ice in it and was split right down the back.  

The hot water tank bottom was bulging out an also tipped over slightly, so we knew that it was destroyed. 

So the last couple of days have been pretty hectic.  We have been busy cleaning up dealing with insurance people and buying a new hot water tank, and toilet, (yet to be installed).  

Thank goodness for kind neighbours who have taken us in.  The furnace is now running again, but we still don't have an, answer as to WHY it happened, which I need to get to the bottom of.  Plus we can't live there until all the repairs are finished and we have proper running water and toilet facilities.  

SO, THIS WAS OUR WELCOME HOME.