Bubble Wrap?? General Chat

I'm guessing she sees me as a necessary evil servant...

Tornado-dog has been getting a bit pushy with his "hurry up" barks. The other day, I got up and said I have to pee. He immediately ran to the bathroom. I went in to do my business and he starts barking from the back door. I yell at him that I'm going as fast as I can.

He comes to the bathroom and looks at me expectantly. Then he gives another "hurry up" bark. I tell him "I'm going poop and it will take as long as it takes. I may tell you to hurry up and go poop, but once you start going I let you take as long as you need. I expect the same from you."

He looked at me, said "aroooouuuuoooo" and laid down in the hallway to wait.

You must have reminded him that he needed to go too. He sounds a real character.

It's common that he gets to go outside after I use the bathroom. I was more surprised at his behavior when I told him to stop hurrying me. I swear he understood it in full and that "aroooouuuuoooo" was him saying "OK, OK, you're right, I won't tell you to hurry up anymore".

Tornado-dog is still working on his polite requests. He just gets so excited to go out. But then he wants in just a couple minutes later and he doesn't have to go potty.

He's a big brat.

Meanwhile I got estimates to remodel my bathrooms. Good pricing. Less than what I expected. I'm waiting to hear back from my money guy that this is a good time to pull the money out. If yes, then I'm going for it.

I had everything picked out for the rooms, but the contractor recommended I go with a stone surround in the downstairs rather than a prefab due to the window. He said the prefabs will start leaking around the window frame and the stone are similar in price and just as easy to install. He said he'd send me a couple links.

While I was waiting I looked up stone surround companies in town and looked at their online offerings. The prefab I wanted is crema bordeaux granite look. I can still use that upstairs with the bath since there is no window. I found the crema bordeaux in real stone but then I also found rainforest marble.

I want the rainforest upstairs and the bordeaux downstairs... Which would mean going stone with both.

He sent me the links - one for doors and one for surrounds. The stones for surrounds on the website are whites, blacks and blahs. If I get the go ahead I have to go to the store and see if they have additional options.

I don't want built in niches in the shower, I'd rather use my tension shelf. It looks good, the shelves are adjustable and I can remove it to clean, etc. I do wany a bench but not an integrated on because it would have to go where the door will be making getting in and out awkward. Finally found a stand alone I like - $500...

My flooring in the upstairs will need to be replaced. The linoleum I have has been discontinued so I have to go with something else. My current is throughout the house except the living/dining room and downstairs bedroom with are two different hardwoods, and my down bath which is tiled. I like my tile floor but don't want tile elsewhere. So that's a trip to the flooring store to select flooring.

I was able to confirm my bathtub choice and it will be fine upstairs. My chosen vanities and faucets are all good.

I found a shower door that I liked but will visit the shop he sent the link to and see what they offer and prices.

Repainting is expected to be needed in case of marring, etc. Upstairs is fine as it's an available color. Downstairs I used a Ralph Lauren metallic paint mixed with water and washed it on the textured walls. I love my walls after 25 years. I want them the same. But that paint isn't made any more. I found a couple metallic wall paint brands - one even made the Ralph Lauren. But they say theirs is formulated differently and may not work and they are expensive to buy. A second brand doesn't recommend diluting their paint as much as I intend but "in theory" it should work. They do sell sample jars. I'm waining to hear from a third company. Then I have to paint one of the walls white and test using the samples. If it works, I'll have them paint the walls white and then I'll do my treatment. If not, then it will get painted the same as upstairs. I'm really hoping it works.

Then in the midst of all this, the dogs started scratching. First time in 27 years I saw a flea. So, I'm waiting for their Rx flea med and then I'll treat them and the yard and the house, then repeat the latter two in 14 days, and we should be good for another 27 years...

But of course, I know it's the dratted rat bringing fleas over. He and his partner are getting bold. I've had to stop feeding the birds and squirrel which has disappointed the cats and me. The rat has now taken to eating my potted plants on the porch. I've lost almost all of them. Grrrrr. So, I'm putting pudding laced with poison safe from secondary poisoning out hoping they will eat it.

And, Thursday, Loonie2 goes in for his echocardiogram and Panther for her annual. Hopefully they won't find any serious heart damage... During the exam, the vet said he may need meds for life to keep him healthy.

I'm tired. But nervous about Loonie2, irritated about the rat and fleas, excited about the potential remodels, and tired from it all.

That all sounds very elegant Toed. I think you are brave choosing to completely re-model. My bathroom is quirky. It has one odd, (but toning), wall tile which celebrates an international football competition and is dated 1979! Just the thought of moving stuff in preparation, having workmen invade my space, and then the inevitable cleaning, patching and replacing stuff afterwards, makes me feel exhausted.
Last week I had new double glazing installed in the upstairs bedrooms, one of which was my OH's den - it is stuffed with gadgets, craft materials, computer and photographic stuff. The units are full of Winter clothing - his and mine. The best of it I could donate to charity, but what to do with the rest - a skip?
I've chosen plain glass this time, in a mock light oak frame externally, and white internally, quite a change from the current overall dark mahogany with leaded panes.
I have a lovely builder but my arthritis hasn't been good lately and my hands, wrists and toes are getting knobbly and painful. I'm going to try to move a mattress today - and dreading it! Because of this difficulty, I decided to have the work done two windows at a time. This makes the materials more expensive, (to do with setting up machinery), but it will be easier for me, and will suit the builder too.

Good luck with the vet check.
We had problems with a rat - or two - a few years ago and found that a couple of traps, well placed on the rat run, were a more decisive solution. Less chance of harming anything else too.
The petals keep vanishing from my daisies, I think it is small black ants, which are a continual pest but have been worse than usual this year. They live under the block paving and their constant mining even makes the drive uneven. I treat the exit points but it only moves them along a yard or so!

I love the idea of that wall - a little time capsule.

Fortunately I spent time doing a deeper clean and rearranging furniture for easy access to the bathrooms for the leak repair. So, it won't take much effort to get ready for the remodel - just move the cabinet and stools by the front door to across the room so they have space to maneuver the bigger pieces and tub.

I'm also going to do them one at a time. Downstairs first and then the upstairs. And the layout is staying the same in both so it's just a basic pull and replace job. Only one wall needs to be opened in each bathroom - for the new shower/bath faucets.

My remaining rats avoided the humane traps I set up. They'd rather eat my plants. These two avoided my first round of poison - I found a couple dead young rats but these two never went near it. I'm hoping that having eaten my plants to the ground that they will be more interested in the pudding this time.

Oh I feel for you with the arthritis! Have you tried compression gloves? I get arthritis in my fingers and I've found if I wear the gloves to bed, they don't hurt as much during the day.

Your windows sound lovely! I'll need to replace about three of mine at some point has the outer glass damaged by a neighbor kid with a bb gun. But that's low on my list. My next job is to repair my brickwork where the mortar has deteriorated. Finding a brick mason is difficult - most can put up new brick but few have the knowledge to repair old brick. But those are a while away.

Sadly it's not my time capsule. It was placed by a previous owner who competed in a German Lads and Dads comp. I did think of covering it with a dog tile but decided that it was part of the house's history. As it's written in German it always gets a comment.

Ha ha. I didn't mean humane traps! Of course Chas was alive then and I didn't need to touch the ghastly bodies.
Yes I have compression gloves but my wrists are bad too, and they make them sore after a while. Also my thumbs sometimes lock - really lock, have to use the other hand to force them to move. I have exercises to do, and a host of kitchen gadgets - which means that I no longer have to stop random strangers whilst carrying a jar of pickled beetroot!

My brickwork has degraded mortar in some areas too. As it is the rough, rustic brick it is difficult to re-point neatly, so nobody really wants to do it. Unless something dreadful happens it will just have to see me out.

Even with regular traps, the rat has to be interested in taking the bait. And so far, these two have been haply to seat anything else. They also have managed to avoid Tornado-dog and the neighbor's dogs as well as the stray cats.

I have the jar opening issue sometimes - so far the banging it on the counter has worked. I do those exercises when my fingers go stiff. I also used to curl my wrists while I slept which will make things worse. I used wrist braces until I was able to break that habit.

I have the one hole where the mortar has completely deteriorated in the front of the house and the arch over my side gate is starting to fail. Other than that, it's mostly a loose brick in the trim portions. I have a quick set mortar so will probably try to reset the loose bricks first and then see about doing the hole. But the arch definitely needs a pro.

Today Panther had her second ever annual exam. As I told her would happen and as happened last year, the Doctor declared her absolutely perfect! The word sensational was also used.

She was very good for the appointment but was very happy to be back home.

Looney2 had his echocardiogram. He has hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. He starts taking atenolol tomorrow morning for life.

Fortunately we caught it early and the prognosis is good with medication. He currently shows no symptoms.

He does need to have a second echo done sometime in the next two months.

His report does say that he was a good boy for the test (no sedation).