GUEST BATH FINISHED!

I have had some blogging friends asking if I ever got my guest bath done. Yes, it was finished in October '09! I had to hurry and get it done then, as I was getting a little 7-year old kitty with asthma from Houston, TX. This was her quarantine room after she arrived, as she had been in a foster home around other cats/kittens that had not been tested for FeLV. I had taken the floral arrangement out to get ready for little Sarah and forgot to put it back on the commode tank when I took these pics, but it filled in that area quite nicely.

I did the wallpaper and floor removal, painting, and tile work myself, as I'm sure you all remember my earlier posts on this project. Now I am into painting my big room...16 x 27 with 13 1/2 foot ceiling! Then I am moving on to the next project after that! Some people are gluttons for punishment, and I guess I am one of those people! Have to keep busy or go crazy! LOL

Anyhow, I think I am back to blogging for awhile again! Seems good to be back, but from what I've heard, a lot have dropped blogging and moved on to Facebook, just as I did. It's good to be back, and I will be by to visit you all soon! ;-)

Tile and Pets Update

Just a quick update! I have received several emails from blogger friends asking how the bath redo was coming along. Well, this was taken April 13th, and, since then, I have only laid 2 more tiles! Yes, I know, I am a slow worker, but I have been experiencing some heart problems again so decided to just take it easy for awhile.

Notice Oliver's tail in the pic. He is on special food to help prevent further kidney stone formation, and I feed him in this guest bathroom. He has his own little litterbox in there, too. This is HIS room and HIS only! He loves it in there! It was kind of funny to watch him the first time he walked in there on the new tiles...he kind of "pussy-footed" ever so slowly as he entered!

Every day this week, my ex and I have planned on getting the new saw set up and to do all the special cuts, but the pressure washers have been washing the exteriors of our homes here. For 2 days now, I was told by this guy that he would finish up. I need my front porch to set the saw up on, and it will be wet when he gets done washing out there...I have outdoor carpeting on that porch. (This is an electric saw, and we don't really wish to stand on wet ground while using it!) So we had to cancel the sawing both yesterday and today. And now today, my front was not washed again! So I suppose he will be here tomorrow, but we are planning on doing the sawing then, anyhow! I am tired of delaying it, and I am ready to get this tile job done!!! Do I need to say more? LOL I am anxious to get it grouted and the new baseboard and quarter round molding down.

Now on to my daughter's cats....GREAT NEWS!!!

Sweet Pea and Buster

We had them to Greenville to the specialists' place last week. Sweet Pea is clear of cancer, and she is now 12 months post-radiation!!! Buster also had his ultrasound and chest x-rays done last week, and he is free of all cancer, too!!! The lymph node that was cancerous is not showing up as cancer now at all! This new type of chemo they are using on him is working! It is called cobalt something or other...I can't recall the proper name right now. It does not affect him in any way at all...he has not been sick one minute from it. His ultrasound was clear after just 2 treatments! And since his checkup, he received treatment #3 last Friday...with just 2 more to go! So that was the best news we could have heard!!! So all in all, things are beginning to look up in my neck of the woods here in Dixie! And now temps are to be in the low 80's this weekend, so who could ask for anything more???

I do want to thank you all for the birthday wishes yesterday! My daughter had a birthday dinner for me on Sunday, but I did not get any pictures. Too much talk and chatter, and I totally forgot! Another year older, another year wiser, and another year more forgetful!!! LOL

Wishing you all a wonderful, fun-filled weekend, too!

Guest Bath Update, 206-Pound Dog, and Button Thank You's!

Well, believe it or not, I am back to working on my guest bath! I have been putting it off since I discovered that this new batch of tile I purchased is different from the first batch I got for my foyer. That tile was a two-tone, and this new tile is basically all one color, although it is still textured. Same pattern name, just a different batch! But I finally did get the tile started today! Below is a laser square/level, absolutely the best little tool for laying ceramic tile! If you look closely, you will see the red laser line that gets your tile job started straight and square. It's just getting started that I dread! Once I get started, I could lay tile all day long...but my back can't take the bending all day long! LOL Anyhow, I've got it started, so it's all downhill from here on in! Hooray!!!

I think the hardest part of tile laying is getting the bottom of the casings cut off so that the tile can be slipped under it as shown below. This makes for a much neater job than just nipping it to fit 'around' the casing. And that nipper tool is hard for a woman to use, too!

Below is where I laid out just 4 pieces to make sure it would come out right in the doorway. As you can see, I have cardboard laid over the floor so I can keep my feet clean...ha-ha The floor has been scrubbed with straight bleach, but I still don't like to stand on it in my bare feet! I still have 4 more squares of vinyl to remove yet, too, but still using it to stand on, also. My knees are not much good anymore, so I do all this tile work standing on my feet, bending from the waist.

Below are the first 4 pieces I laid! I did a 5th one before quitting this afternoon, and I plan to work in there some more later tonight yet. I am a fussy worker, so this job will take me awhile to complete. Before setting a tile in the cement adhesive, I square each piece and then level each one. I plan to lay all the full pieces before doing any cutting. I bought one of those electric table ceramic saws that you have to hook a water hose up to, so all the cutting will be done at one time, and one time only! I don't plan to lug that thing out to my patio every time I need to make a custom cut. But at least I've got the tile started!!! LOL Then comes the new baseboard and shoe molding...and then the plumber!!! Woo-Hoo!!!

This past Monday, the 6th, we had to take Buster and Sweet Pea back to the oncologist's for their checkups. On days when they have vet appointments, my daughter puts them both in her bonus room when she leaves for work. Sweet Pea is easy to get into her carrier, but Buster is a hider! We couldn't find him anywhere!!! Finally, I looked behind the computer desk and saw a black mass. I knew the cords wouldn't be solid black like that. Sure enough, it was him! Well, he had gotten himself in and under a shelf back of the desk, and with all the cords, it was impossible to pull him out by his back legs. So the only way we could get him out was by moving the desk out. Talk about heavy! Wow! That thing was really a devil to move! And then Buster was a little devil to get out, too! We finally got on the road but ended up being late for their appointments.

Their reports were very encouraging! Sweet Pea is doing phenomenal! Her lung x-rays were clear! Her liver and kidneys are normal yet, too. She is now one year post-radiation!!! Buster just had to have his regular bloodwork done this week to see how his system was tolerating the chemo...and the report came back that he is doing great! So he is on for Round 3 of chemo next Monday!

When we walked in the door, this is what greeted us! This Great Dane's name is "Marcus." He weighed in at 206 pounds, and his owner said he'd lost a few pounds! He has lymphoma, same as Buster. He is 6 1/2 years old. This lady told us the life span of a Great Dane is between 6 and 8 years. He is just one of three great danes in that household! The others weigh 120 and 160, so Marcus is, by far, the largest of the three. He was a friendly guy despite his scary size! He is also receiving chemo but was there that day to be treated for diarrhea. Notice in the first pic below that he is actually sitting in that chair and that his feet are actually off the floor!





Look at how big his head is compared to his owner's! She said they are fed twice a day....2 cups of dry food and half a can of wet food at each feeding.



And this last pic is my absolute favorite! He really was a great dog! He was as gentle as he was big! God bless you, Marcus.....

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And now I need to acknowledge and say "thank you" to these great blogging friends! This first button is from Pea..."Sweet Pea" at Pea's Corner. You are so creative, Pea! You always make such pretty buttons for your readers! Thank you, Pea!







This next button is from Mary at Mary's Writing Nook. This button is adorable and makes me think of you working on your children's stories! Thank you, Mary!





This darling Easter button is from Hootin' Anni. This is just so sweet, just like Anni! She always comes up with cute buttons for all her readers! Thank you, Anni!




And this next one is from Mary of Mary's Writing Nook. You can tell Mary writes children's books, can't you? She is giving us a little of our childhood back when we all believed in the Easter Bunny! Thank you, dear Mary!

And this is the most recent one I received, and it is from Pea at Pea's Corner! Absolutely adorable!!! Thank you, Pea!

And now I would like to wish you all a very Happy Blessed Easter!

Wallpaper Stripping

This is what I am taking off! I have always loved this paper pattern but have grown tired of it after almost 9 years. It has been quite a tedious job, to say the least! But I am coming down the homestretch now! Below, you can see what little is left to remove yet. Just this partial strip, plus a small piece over the mirror. I have been dreading it all day today, as I have to take the light fixture down next.

Thank goodness, I applied sizing to the walls before the wallpaper hanger hung the paper! Thus, the paper is coming off without any damage to the walls. It's the backing that takes the time. I score it lightly with one of those little scoring tools, and then soak it by spraying it with hot water with fabric softener in it. I just keep soaking it over and over, and then allow it to stand 15-20 minutes, and scrape it off! It's a messy job, no doubt about it! Some of it is actually peeling off so nicely. But then comes the sticky mess....skimming off the softened glue and washing the walls down! This wallpaper was not the pre-pasted kind, so the adhesive is quite sticky!!! And it is also 28" wide! But I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel now!

Below, you can see the wallpaper backing that is taking so much time to remove!

I went to Home Depot last night and had my paint mixed up...so now I am just hoping I am going to be pleased with the color! After the painting is done, then comes the vinyl removal from the floor, and then I will lay ceramic tile. I had the commode lifted last Thursday, and so I am moving right along! I am putting all new baseboard down after the ceramic is finished. I figure another 2 weeks, and I'll be finished! I work at my own pace, and I don't rush with anything, anymore! I plan to do my bathroom and dressing area after this. I have to keep busy at night...Believe it or not, I can unwind and relax this way! Plus, every time I open the bathroom door to leave the room, there are all my little 'fur kids' laying in the hallway outside the door waiting for me! What a great reward, wouldn't you agree? LOL I'll be around to visit you all soon!

Below is another darling button from Pea that she was passing on to all her readers! It's a cutie with that little leprachaun perched on top! Thank you, Pea!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!