Well the cat won. As you know our cat, Trigger, has diabetes. We don’t know why but after five or so years he peed on the carpet for the first time ever. From day one, he has always used a litter box. We don’t know if he just couldn’t make it to the box this one time, or what. Since his pee was already there we battled him over the next three weeks of using the same area of carpet multiple times as his restroom. We tried our normal discipline routine. We tried new forms of discipline. We even took him to the vet to check for a urinary tract infection. No dice. So after three weeks of battle, Trigger won.
What did he win, you might be wondering? Well he won a new wood floor. I have a low tolerance for cat pee smell, but Holly is even worse. Last week we pulled up the carpet in our living room, hall and yanked the linoleum in the laundry room. Over the weekend and after work this week we have been laying our new oak wood floor.
Now I helped Dad lay his laminate floor some time back. I figured my extensive knowledge and practice would pay off. I also knew I could call on Dad to return the favor and help. Sure enough Dad and I laid the hardest part, full of notches and un-straight walls, over the weekend. Mom was a trooper and pulled all the grass and weeds from our flower beds! Holly and I have been working to finish the remaining area by Wednesday.
Why Wednesday you ask? Well Holly and I have initiated a summer barbeque series at our home. Our first one is a ‘Flip Flop Party’ to be held this Wednesday. I really thought we could finish the flooring over the weekend. I didn’t count on the extensive notching needed to get into the laundry room. My expertise failed me there.
So here we are. Trigger likes the new floor. My knees and back hurt. Holly is a handy flooring assistant.
6 comments:
So cool that y'all did this yourselves! Seth and I are going to do that project soon.
I hope Trigger doesn't pee on your new hardwood though...
You're young, therefore you have plenty of time to gain expertise. In a few years you can come up to Chicago and help us whenever we're able to re-do the entryway in our house. :-)
Have fun at your parties, and I hope the weather holds out and doesn't get too hot for you. I also hope Trigger's Ok...
I'm bummed I have to wait another week to see the floors!! Since you guys are pros we'll hire you to come put them down in our new house!
I need to train our cats to pee on the carpet so I can get hardwood floors, too ;-)
I'm impressed by your do-it-yourselfness (if that's not a word, it is now).
I think Justin may be downplaying the amount of work we've done in the last 6 days. Just putting down wood floors doesn't cover the half of it. You start by removing the baseboards, pulling up the carpet and padding, ripping up tackstrip, sweeping, removing any lingering caulk or nails on the walls or floor, then you lay the floor. Then, you scrape the caulk off of the baseboards, put them back up, recaulk, fill the nail holes and repaint them, then move your furniture back.
Oh, and in the meantime, deal with no washer and dryer, and stepping over all the furniture that is now in the breakfast/kitchen area without stepping on the cat...
But it looks beautiful and I'm so glad we did it!!!
H
As they say in Europe, I better Que up. That means I am getting in the work order line for the Noble & Noble Flooring Co. We will be finishing our basement someday and will need your help as well. :-)
I wish Jelaine and I could have summer parties. Maybe next year.
Kilroy was here!
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