Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Construction with ex-convicts, the bathroom, and The Surprise!

Typically Australian Builder calls Nick with questions or to talk about how construction is going.

Even when it's something that pertains to me, because, let's face it not to be so fucking stereotypical, but I'm significantly more interested in what color we should paint it than what it's made out of. Plus Nick is a lot more anal particular than I am.

And can you tell I'm kind of fixated on construction? Which is supposed to be done on Thursday? Fingers so crossed and also yippeenakedbackflips?

Actually, let me back up. The bathroom is done! They put up a pole yesterday and last night we put up the super cute elephants shower curtain, but I didn't have time to take new pictures. I had trouble working the angles, but you get some idea of what it's like. The window is over the tub. I'm pretty in love with it. I love the tile and the color and the tub and the cabinets. The fact that we are no longer in danger of stepping straight through the floor figures in as well. And the fact that I can just walk down the hall and shower is kind of magic too.But! Back on semi-track! I don't think I've told you how Nick used to spend his summers working construction in New Jersey with a bunch of ex-convicts, have I?

He did.

So he knows a lot about construction (and ex-cons from New Jersey - who, seriously, used to do things like inject tequila), and can not only talk about materials but techniques and tools and wiring and you know, whatever else one might talk about when talking the construction talk. He might also be able to talk prison talk, but surprisingly, that's never come up.

Even before that, Nick's father, who is cerebral and not remotely practical, started asking Nick to fix plumbing and electrical problems in their house at quite a young age. And so he figured stuff out. Thankfully, for the more complicated projects where he thought he might get electrocuted or flood the house he said he was like, "Um, Dad...maybe we could hire someone? I'm only 12."

But this is such a sidebar, because what I really want to talk about is The Surprise.

Last Friday Australian Builder called me - me?! - all excited. "Remember I told you I had a surprise for you? The surprise is done! What time are you going to be home?"

I tried to get it out of him, and he wouldn't tell me. All he'd say was, "It's for you and for Jordan."

He'd put a surprise for us in the bathroom. It was not a puppy. And I was to call him when I figured out what it was. Jordan and I looked everywhere. We got in the tub. I opened all the cabinets. We closed the door and looked behind it.

It's a good sized bathroom - certainly bigger than what will be our master bath - but it's not that big. How could we miss the surprise? So I had to call him and say, "OH MY GOD I LOVE LOVE LOVE THE BATHROOM I LOVE IT SO MUCH BUT WHAT'S THE SURPRISE?"

So he told me to lift the toilet lid. He said the plumber, who is an equally large and manly man called him one day and was all, "Listen to what I found!" And AB said, "Buy it buy it buy it!"

Surprise! Magnetized little tiny toilet seat that folds down for little tiny potty training bottoms!

20 comments:

  1. Oh, YAY! I'm so happy for you! And this is going to make it so much easier for J in the long run. Australian Builder is a good guy. :o)

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    1. I think we are going to start the training this weekend. Ugh. And yes, he is good people, he really is.

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  2. Beautiful! That's a nice surprise....Jordan and Baby / Toddler Girl falling in would not be a fun surprise further down the road. Happy for you and the family on the construction milestone!

    I would be open to you exploring the ex-convict talk in another post, should you become privy to it. It makes me think of my Dad who picked cotton as a child and says that's where he learned to cuss like a sailor. He can string together the most shocking curse words, often they are quite funny (unless directed at you then not so much).

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    1. I love love love how you put that: "I would be open to you exploring the ex-convict talk in another post" - that's really funny. I think I will. He has some good stories. As I am certain your father does as well.

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  3. Oh, we have that seat! It is the best one. Well done, AB.
    And, LOVE the tile! Especially the floor. So nice.

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    1. I had no idea they made seats like this! Such a good idea! And I love the floor tile as well! He tried to keep it consistent with the period of the house.

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  4. Oh, I've been eying one of those seats for a while, and can't wait to buy one once we move!! Let me know how it goes, because the only thing that worries me a little is the lack of splash guard at the front. But I think I could get over that. Exciting!

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    1. Since we haven't started the training, I hadn't thought about the splash guard. Hmm. Will definitely let you know!

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  5. What a fantastic surprise! Where can I get one of those? And the tile looks amazing too.

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    1. I just looked on Amazon for potty training seats for toilets and they have several. I will look at our brand too and let you know.

      I'm going to imagine you know tile - me, I never, ever had an opinion on tile before - and now I do.

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    1. It seems like it! We'll see how he takes to it!

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  7. The tile! The tile! I adore the tile! And I love the Australian builder.

    Injecting tequila? That's a new one.

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    1. yes, the tile! That was AB's idea. I love him as well. He is such a good guy.

      Yah, Nick said they'd get paid in cash on Fridays and then the guys would go out and buy tequila, inject it, and be drunk for like 15 minutes. It all sounds very terrible to me.

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  8. That looks like one awesome bathroom! xx

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    1. Thanks! It is nice! We all want to bathe in it! :)

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  9. Yeah, great bathroom. And really cool toilet seat - and so sweet the way the AB's so excited as to make it a surprise.

    Wondering what J's reaction to this seat is.

    So is the whole house done now, or do you have more rooms to do?

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    1. I haven't yet put J on it, so he's not paid much attention.

      When J's is done, the only rooms left will be our bedroom and bathroom. But those won't be done for a long while. We fixed the water damage in the walls in our bedroom, and while it would be great to make our room lovely and be able to shower in our bathroom, it's fine to go down the hall.

      Really, we went through the house starting with most dire, and ours are last on the list. Except for my mom's floor and the elevator, which she paid for when she sold her house, it's all a matter of money (isn't it always?).

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