Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Begats

My dad always calls home projects "Begats". It is in reference to a part of the bible which covers the genealogical ancestry of Jesus. It goes something like "Abraham begat Isaac; And Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat so-and-so" and it continues for 30 or so people. That is how most home projects turn out.

A simple improvement or job around the house turns into something a lot more complicated and ends up "Begatting" other jobs.

The bathroom in our house had a small leak in the faucet area that needed to be replaced. I called in a plumber friend who looked at it and asked me to remove some of the tiles around the faucet area so he could replace the hardware. Plumbing "Begat" tile removal.



This picture is me starting the removal of the tiles. We could not find our safety goggles and Lauren insisted that I wear some type of eye protection. They only thing available were her sunglasses. I think I look like Elvis. TCB.

Lauren knew that we would not be able to replace the tiles with the same color which was a Brownish Mauve. So Removing a few tiles "Begat"...


..removing all the tiles in the entire shower/tub area. As evidenced in the above picture, I dinged up the drywall pretty good. You are supposed to replace new tile on a flat even surface. So removing all the tiles "Begat"...

...tearing out the drywall. Tearing out the drywall "Begat"...

...replacing it with new Cement Board. The new Cement Board "Begat"...
...the new tile that Lauren installed.

This "Begats" was three days of hard work. We could not shower or use the bath all this time which "Begat" us smelling pretty bad.

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

omg, Bill! I love your beard!!!

It really works well with the glasses.

Anonymous said...

Oh, bless your heart! This post begat laughter here. Much needed, much appreciated. I'm liking the beard, too. TCB.
I LOVE the begats thing re: home projects. SO true. (And nice work, Lauren!)

C. said...

Go Lauren!

MP said...

the glasses are awesome... We need to do that SAME exact thing...but we only have one bathroom :-(

Was it easy?

Anonymous said...

How do you feel about repeating this project at a house in South Jersey? We need to do this at JP's mom's house--I think her tile and tub are the exact color of yours. But we're afraid of all the peripheral projects that project will beget.

Looks good!

Mindy said...

I like the tile work. Great job and you both can begat at my house anytime:)

Unknown said...

Yeah, ok, I get all of that... but what on EARTH begat that beard, William?!

I am in awe of Lauren's tiling (and painting and decorating) skills.

Anonymous said...

I love the "begat" phrase! But it also sounds like a "If you give a mouse a cookie" scenerio!

Have fun in the new house! (or keep having fun in the new house)

Anonymous said...

If it makes you feel any better, I like the way the new tile looks...it's nice and bright!!!

Gwen said...

Dude! First, your wife rocks. Can she teach me her mad skillz? And second, the beard? With the glasses? I just peed a little from the giggling.

Chris Cactus said...

That does NOT look like fun.

BOSSY said...

One word: Eeeee-yikes.

Spilling Ink said...

The same thing happened to us with our bathroom in our last house!

--This "Begats" was three days of hard work. We could not shower or use the bath all this time which "Begat" us smelling pretty bad.--

This part then "Begat" me washing every stitch of bedding and going a little nutso with the Lysol!

Ali said...

Do you read Mandajuice? Check out this post of hers: http://mandajuice.typepad.com/mandajuice/2007/09/o-to-the-m-to-t.html

And we also need to do our (only) bathroom, but the thought of no "facilities" is not a happy one. My parents just left for a two week vacation - think we should move into their place?

Idaho Dad said...

Oh no, I shouldn't have read this. I'm about to start framing and drywalling our basement and now I'm afraid of what it will "begat"...

Sharpie said...

Lauren installed the tile? You are seriously the luckiest man alive. I am awed by both of your house fixing skillz!

Michelle said...

I am very impressed! Lauren did such great work!!! I like the begats idea. It is true for any and all homeowners.

SusieJ said...

Oh my. Good for you -- this is a tough project -- but one that needed to be done?!!

Wendy said...

Only one bathroom!?! Egads! Maybe you should "begat" a second one.

Patience said...

Wow! Lauren is a really great tile-person!! Does she hire out??

Yes, one project does indeed beget another . . . and another . . . and another . . .

Be bought a new dishwasher . . . five years later I have a new kitchen!!

Anonymous said...

So funny and true. Lauren has some marketable talent there.

eclectic said...

No, no... we're not laughing at you in those sunglasses, really. We're just, um... okay, we're laughing at you in those sunglasses. Really. ;) New tile looks good, though, so it's worth a little humiliation, right?

The Egel Nest said...

How many "Begats" do you have to do until Jesus comes and finishes your projects for you? :)


Bradley
The Egel Nest

Anonymous said...

1 question....

Did it begat you taking a shower with your wife in it yet?

Charlotta-love said...

I am totally going to start using that phrase. It's perfect! Plus, um, I think I'll start wearing your protective eye gear while I'm driving. :o)

Anonymous said...

Kenny Rodgers called.. He wants his beard back.

Anonymous said...

Are you playing Steven Spielberg in an upcoming salute to Santa Claus?

Anonymous said...

HILARIOUS! Very good post! We begat all kind of crap around here. Totally get it and totally funny! HA! And it looks grea - I'm thinking it must have begat some painting as well?

mrtl said...

what begat that beard, yo? Grizzly Adams?

Anonymous said...

Welcome to new/old house ownership. Seems like everytime I cross one thing off my list, it "begats" four more.

You'll never catch up...and even if you do, by then your early projects will be outdated and it'll be time to start over.

Creative-Type Dad said...

When your done would you mind replacing my tile?

Gale said...

Pretty, is it pink?

Kate Giovinco Photography said...

way to go lauren it looks awesome!

am said...

Good lord, we have the same bathtub as you do, too.

Do you have the same faux-beams tacked up on your vaulted ceiling, too?

Alana Geikie said...

Looks like faucet repair turned into a more challenging task! But I think the problem with the leaky faucet is a good thing because it allowed you to give your bathroom a whole new look. I like the color of the new tiles; it’s brighter, and it looks so fresh. You did a great job installing them. How were the tiles now, after almost 5 years?