Bathroom Bliss

The last three and a half weeks have been a foretaste of hell.  For me, and for the cats.  The noise, the dust, the incredible mess, the chemical smells and the intrusion into our lives was difficult.  And Jazz made me pay, poor cat.  I don't know how many times I depiddled the kitchen floor.  Jewel skulked in the wardrobe and filled me with guilt.  When they were sure the coast was clear in the afternoons they emerged, and needed a LOT of comfort.  And comforting.

But it has been worth it (for me).  This morning I had my first shower in the new bathroom.  And revelled in it.  The bill will arrive sometime next week.  And will, without doubt, make me shudder. 

It was a big job.

The tired old dangerous fixtures were removed.  As a plus, the bath has gone to live in the country and become a horse trough.

The tiles, the walls and the floor were removed.

The plumbing was moved.  New drains were installed.  The wiring was checked and replaced where necessary.  The walls were rebuilt, and retiled.  The ceiling was repainted and the cornices replaced.  The door jamb was widened and a new door installed.  This meant that a new piece of carpet was needed.  It was installed.  New fixtures were installed.

The floor tiles are non-slip.  The vanity is wheel chair accessible.  With luck, this is an unnecessary precaution, but it is done, and won't need to be redone.  There is a custom-built storage cabinet beside it which more than makes up for the missing vanity drawers.

The towel rail is also a grab rail.  There are another two grab rails in the shower.  There is a fixed shower head, and a hand held one.

And I had my first shower in the new bathroom this morning - and it was blissful.  Safe and comfortable and a joy.

A few years ago one of my friends was undergoing chemotherapy.  One dreadful day she passed out in the toilet - blocking the doorway.  When her husband tried to open it to help her he bashed the door (repeatedly) into her head.  She, her husband and the dog went on anxiety medication after that episode.  And it will now never happen here.  Both the bathroom and the toilet doors can be opened from the outside, without using tools.  A brilliant initiative.

There were delays, and irritations.  However, when issues arose they were addressed.  Quite quickly,  and they didn't try and pretend that the problems were all in my head.  A plus.  And yesterday I received a huge shock.  The primary contractor rang to say that when he had given us his initial quote it had included an amount for the custom vanity and cupboard.   They had cost less than his estimate to build and install - and the difference would be deducted from our final bill.  Which amazed me.  The custom joiner bills the contractor not me, so I would never have known if he hadn't told me.  Big brownie points.  And he will be coming to do a final quality inspection on Friday - and will not issue the bill until he is satisfied that all is as it should be.  A tradie among tradies....

Just the same, I really, really don't want to go through another renovation anytime soon.  And neither do the cats.

Sunday Selections #195

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme. We had more blessed rain on Thursday, and clouds (but no rain) on Friday.  And both sunsets were spectacular.

Thursday.

By Friday evening I was seriously knackered.  I couldn't get words out, and was literally running into things and falling over.  So I decided that I was going to bed.  Shortly after seven.  When I wandered into the bedroom and looked out the french doors I delayed my early bed time and rushed out to do a wobbly mad woman with camera dance.  His high and skinniness stuck his head out of doors too - and came out to revel in the spectacle.  In my usual restrained fashion rather a lot of photos follow.

Amazing wasn't it?

The bathroom is still not usable, but some positive progress has been made.  Perhaps by Tuesday we will be free of builders, electricians, painters, plumbers and their ilk...

Hiss and ...

Today my fears were confirmed.  Our bathroom modifications will not finish on Friday, as promised.  Sometime next week is as definite as they are prepared to go.

I am peeved, sad and overwhelmed.   I am also well aware that it is a very minor problem on a global stage.  Just the same, for the next day or so...

And I may not be colouring between the lines either...  So there.

I will put on my big girl panties again shortly.

Sunday Selections #194

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme.  We had a very wet day here on Tuesday.  The builders were feeling sorry for themselves... and I was feeling sorry for the birds.

The next day the sun came out, but there were still clouds around.  Which gave us a wonderful sunset.  Subtle to begin with, but blazing by the end.

On Friday the builders only made a brief and token appearance (drat them) and didn't manage to actually do anything,  As they sauntered in with their cocky tradie's walk they completely missed seeing the king parrot camouflaged in the camellia by our front door.  Their loss.

Sunday Selections #193

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme. Things have been a tad busy here (and yes that understatement is my English heritage coming to the fore).  Just a few photos this week.  The banksia rose and snowball tree along our back fence and the back deck - which is a haven of peace for much of the year.

I have really, really appreciated the support and the warmth of your comments on my last post.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

So far only one glitch has raised its ugly head.  For unknown reasons the powerpoint for the bathroom has been installed inside the new shaving cupboard.  WTF?  And of course we only noticed it after the relevant tradies had left for the day - leaving no contact details.  It will be resolved next week.  Whether they realise it or not.

Tomorrow

For quite some time now for a variety of reasons I have been putting myself to the back of the queue and treating myself with ignore.

Which is wrong.  And I know it is, and am (slowly) starting to do something about it.

My MS is progressing and, like the unwelcome visitor it is, has made itself right at home.  My pain levels are up, my fatigue levels are up.  Other manifestations include a foggy and forgetful brain.  Muscle spasms.  Spasticity.   My hands and legs are reluctant to obey simple commands and I am never quite sure where they are.

Which has become dangerous.  Our shower is on a hob and I have to step up and over a metal lip to get into it.  I have damaged my toes multiple times and I am always bruised .  And I am well aware that a dramatic fall is a real possibility.  Probability even.

So I have bitten the bullet and we are having extensive bathroom modifications.  Extensive and obscenely expensive modifications.  Which will take three weeks to complete.

The existing shower will be ripped out and replaced with a walk-in one.  Which has to be located (for drainage reasons) on the other side of the room so the bath will have to go.  The floor will be pulled up and non slip tiles laid.  Grab rails.  And, since we are doing this much I have agreed to replace the vanity (which has to be moved anyway) with a wheel-chair accessible one (which with luck I won't need for some time).  As an aside, we cannot buy a wheel-chair accessible vanity here.  It has to be custom made.  A stand alone basin?  No problems.  One with a bench so I can have soap, a toothbrush and other things to hand?  Nope.  Hiss and spit.  Some drawers wouldn't go astray either.

I have been wishing painful haemorrhoids on most of the tradesmen who came to give us quotes.  Two of them gave us quotes which included items we hadn't requested and didn't want or need.  They also ignored things we had requested, and included vague statements such as 'if asbestos is present the quoted price will increase'.  When I asked questions they disappeared faster than speeding bullets. 

There is another bathroom in the house but it is, if anything, less accessible than the one that we are having modified.  The work starts at seven thirty tomorrow morning and the next three weeks look like being chaotic.  Builders, plumbers, electricians, plasterers, tilers and painters.  And the asbestos removal team because there is sheet asbestos in the bathroom.  The tradesman we selected tested for it.  $1400 to have it removed and disposed of.  Sigh.

Jazz loathes and detest visitors, particularly white van men, and will piddle copiously and inappropriately to express his displeasure and reclaim his territory.  Jewel will retire to the wardrobe and moult up a storm. Part of me sympathises with them both. 

I am tired and overwrought even before it starts and expect to be largely absent from the blogosphere.

And on a much more serious note my youngest brother is also having issues with asbestos.  Much more serious issues which make my heart hurt for him and his wife.

Between 1968 and 1979, a private contractor from Canberra known as "Mr Fluffy" (such an innocent sounding business name) insulated residential dwellings by pumping friable loose asbestos fibres into the roof cavities.  And my brother's home is a Mr Fluffy home.   The house was insulated before his wife bought it.  In 1990 when the danger of loose asbestos was better understood it was removed.  And we now learn that residual asbestos remains.  And there is no safe level.  At the moment it appears likely that the house will have to be demolished.  And they will get no choice about it.  A compulsory reacquisition and demolition.  When?  No-one knows.  Who pays for it?  No-one knows.  Has the asbestos contaminated their furniture and clothing?  Perhaps.  Testing will take place.  When?  No-one knows.  So they are in limbo.  And worried for their health, for  the health of his wife's children (who grew up in the house) and for that of the visiting grandchildren.  So I have my fingers, toes and eyes crossed.  Which adds to my mobility issues.

Have fun in my absence.  I will miss you, but will be back in the fullness of time.  And with luck will be able to stop in on the weekends at least.  

Sunday Selections #192

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files. 

The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme.  I am back in our garden this week.  The blood, sweat and tears I have expended in it have been paying dividends.  And I need to get back into it before the weather heats up any more.

The daffodils are largely finished now, but other things are coming out in droves.  Particularly the weeds.  All of these photos were taken in the last ten days or so.

Honesty - which does grow like a weed.

Delphinium

Wallflower