When we bought this house two years ago, we knew the microwave was about to go. It was awful looking. The door was cracked on the plastic, and it was about as ancient as over-the-range units get. So it took us a while, but Ben just installed this flashy new superstah in the kitchen. He did a great job, and I have to say, it makes the rest of the appliances look like dowdy old maids.
Of course, as with all home improvement projects in this house, he did have to do battle with the Ghosts of Idiots Past. Yes, someone (we think probably the previous owners, who made a host of bad design and "improvement" decisions we've had to undo and redo) decided when they were going to put the ugliest backsplash in town up, that rather than tile it, the way one normally does -- you know, with thin set and all that fun stuff -- that they'd just use construction glue.
Yep, construction glue.
Basically, the new microwave was a bit larger. So Ben got a tile cutter, scored the tiles just where they needed to be cut off, and tried to pop them off. No dice. The whole tile started cracking and coming off. He was confused until he looked on the back and discovered the work of He Who Should Be Banned From Lowes. (That's the nice name we call him.) So basically, he had to tear off the whole line of tile, which really burned Ben's biscuits (figuratively, not literally, of course, if you notice the toasty biscuits he made me on mother's day below our new appliance) since there are many half-done projects haunting him in the house. (Disclaimer: these half-done projects are usually my fault. I start something and then can't finish it because of the kids, and, well, we could use some DIY To The Rescue sometimes.) Anyway, the shiny-diviney new microwave looks so nice, I am now itching to replace the Reagan-era knobs as well as the terribly placed wall-oven and dishwasher. But all in good time, I know, all in good time. After all, who knows what strangeness we'll encounter when we begin those tasks. At least Ben has Hazmat training.
2 comments:
Oh honey, I ache with you. When we moved into our "fixer-upper," it had cow wallpaper glued to the kitchen walls, which sadly was not as disturbing as the plastic bathroom vanity set on bricks. And no worries - most of our lives will be half started/finished for the next 18 years or so. Take care!
Aw, thanks Sandy! You and I both know that since we do the kids, the house, the work-from-home bit and all, but my husband feels like half-done projects are a badge of bad husband/handyman behavior. I think he just doesn't realize half done is really halfway there. :)
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