the bathroom is done (mostly)

So the bathroom is done. Phew. The tile is done, the epoxy grout is on, the botches are painted over. I missed one chunk of grout between a couple key tiles and i'm pissed. I had to use 4 tubs of epoxy grout at 25 bux a piece, and possibly might need to get one more just to fix this little issue... i'm sure i can find a cheaper/smaller replacement.



I guess i'm pleased with the results. I had to fix my toilet hose as it managed to develop a leak during the big toilet move. I also replaced the toilet seat with one thats a little better suited to the slope of the floor, now when unfamiliar guys go in to pee you don't hear a SLAM 5 seconds after.

I'm a little skeptical about how i refasten the counter... it just had two massive screws on either side. I put those in, but one of em stripped and its replacement is a pinch smaller. Now leaning in and around the counter produces a creaking sound i normally associate with nails... hmmm. It may not last. That and the front of it was and is an inch or two off the ground. I need to shim it better.



Thats it i guess. Ya, i'm pleased with it all, i'm looking forward to my next tiling project, perhaps some of the floor downstairs. Now i'm occupied with weekend shindig preparation. I'm finally getting around to having a housewarming, full duplex party. Then i'm off work next week. Life is hectic right now but its about to settle into a nice bout of debauchery, music, sleeping in, and painting. Oh ya.

mini road trip

My and my bro headed off to montreal yesterday for a much needed escape and road trip. It was planned months in advance when we decided we should get the pump out of town and see nine inch nails during their tour. We were not disappointed.

The show was kick ass, like really kick ass for a large venue show. Death from above and queens of the stone age openned, both were good. But nin blew the place apart... which is impressive cause the bell center is a big impersonable place.

It was a good mixed crowd, people like us and older, who were fans from the early beginnings, and new fans, young folk, who were just as appreciative. Trent played all the old fav's, did "something i can never have" which was kick ass, played burn, suck, and a bunch of stuff off the new album. All was well recieved, that guy can still perform super amazingly. I'd go see him again in a heartbeat.


I was up earlier than the rest this morn so took the opportunity to tour around town, as i've never really done that before. I really should head to montreal more often considering how close it is. Its got lots to offer, lots to see, and lots to learn from. Most of which, i've no clue about but i'm sure i'd learn bits and pieces with regularily scheduled visits.

Ok thats it for now. My cousins coming over to show me how to use this epoxy grout stuff. Luck be with me please!!!!

alexander the grout

So i've been tiling manically all week. Started laying actual tiles on sunday, my cousin came over on monday to help out, and finished off the shower today. Phew. I grouted the first half too so i can replace my toilet and pee upstairs when i put it back, hopefully tomorrow... phew, i'm tired. I'll post some pics when all is said and done. It looks pretty good at first glance, just don't get close, don't touch it, and don't pour water on it. My cousin tells me i should use epoxy grout round the shower as regular grout just won't last... i tend to believe him. We'll see what actually happens. Epoxy grout is a lot more expensive and a bitch to apply so hopefully he'll help me. Thats it. Yes, pics next post for sure.

ging can sing

Today was a day of recovery, home renovation, and mystery chinese food. It took well over 5 minues to order a 16, a 25, and a 63 from ging sing restaurant in ottawa. Never eaten there, but its the only chinese flyer in the house. I thought, what the hell. #63 is szechwan style crispy beef. Half their menu has red items with a star, but nowhere does it explain what it means. #63 is red with a star. This beef is basically like beef chips. They taste like kfc too, definitely have one of the kernels secret indredients in em. I don't know what to think about them, but i'm munching on them right now.

Thats all i've to say i guess. I'm being totally lame tonite, its 11:30 on a saturday and i'm still at home with no intentions of going out. My washroom is out of commission thanks to tiling, so i have to go downstairs and outside to pee/poo. Thats kindof a bummer. I need to make a home depot trip in a big bad way. Responsibility speeds me.


Ok, i just ate the last beef chip. Uggg... i don't think i'll get those again, but who knows, i could see myself jonezing for them at some point in the future.

if i could, i'd get lost tonite

Saw joel plaskett and pa perform at capital music hall. His pa being there was definitely a welcome surprise. Pegged from the beginning, his father ripped and tore the plaskettesque guitar solos throughout most of joel's 10 or so numbers. I don't know why, but i think joel is amazing now, so original, he seems to carry this impression that if nobody was in the crowd he'd be performing the exact same way. The guy loves music, loves playing his music, and while i'm sure he adores the attention, that ain't why he does it. And wholly crap, he just keeps getting skinnier.



What else... katheleen edwards was the headliner. I didn't stay for all that. I was with 2 friends so they were cool, i just had to get outta the tight quarters, the beer-getting-and-washroom-going-unfriendly surroundings. Damn i hate capital music hall for that. Unless you're next to the bar or can, its kinda unpleasant. You have to cop eight or nine feels unintentiallly just to get outta the place. Its horribly laid out, and if 900 is capacity, its too much. Great for a rock show though, but this wadn't no rock show. Ie i saw ministry there, and motorhead, and for both, it was perfect as you get a 100% greater people density towards the stage because of all the well intentioned pushing and shoving.

The rest of my nite was of course super. Fox for drinks with locals, then with girls... i was playing darts, eyeing friends on the pool table, and deking into and out of the main bar waiting for them. The folks on the pool table were like "stop acting like you've got something better to do". And then 2 girls arrived. And then all that was answered. Aloha later, hello goodbye, good luck mr. chavez, andre the giant has a posse, and i don't feel too good today. But i must tile. And tile i will.

my maple

This is my maple tree. It sits on my front lawn. I've been watching it patiently for weeks waiting for its green leaves to turn some sorta different color. I woke up yesterday to this... whoa. I'm very happy for this, this bright vibrant, happy changing tree.


Minor work has begun downstairs. I did some floor mopping, some drainage pipe mapping, paint peeling, and smell searching tonite. I can't figure out this smell. At first glance it seems like its just must coming from the basement. But then i spend 5 min in the basement and come up and there it is again, in the kichen. Its definitely in the kitchen, i'm hoping it was residual dog pee on the floor and the mopping will ease it. I'm skeptical. It could be sewer gas coming from the sink, but i don't think so, its not that nasty nor localized... hmmm. The only thing i thought was the floor, so i'll have to wait and see. Any suggestions??

all mine

My house, for the next month, is all mine. My tenants left yesterday, and both downtroden floors are mine!!! The main level though, is fraught with issues. I'm going to be a busy camper... lets see, where to begin:
- plaster seems to be falling off the walls in spots
- holes in floor of main living room
- possible mold behind paint in back bedroom
- grody but functional bathroom
- light switches in the weirdest of places
- no shoe molding anywhere - in the front bedroom i may need 2 inch mouldings to cover massive gaps
- practically missing walls behind fridge n stove
- all the floors are really gross
- the fridge is loud
- random water drain pipe sticking up 2 feet above the floor in strange place
- strange smell, could be mildew, could be dog, airing it out tonite and put the dehumidifier on
- all the windows are shite (but i knew that)
- all outlets are at crotch height
- yadayada...

I really shoulda known all this, but i didn't do a thorough inspection of that unit when i purchased it. O well, serves me right, and i wouldn't of done anything differently. I'm just a little overwhelmed now. I've got 3 weeks to get my pad in shape for moving, have a party, then paint and get downstairs in shape for me to live there. And i'm tired already... but excited!!! But tired... o ya.