Tag Archives: Master Shower Renovation

DIY Master Shower

We had plans to replace our Master Shower well over a year ago. We purchased the tile then and waited for the right time to begin the project. Our hard well water didn’t do any favors to the floor of this one piece shower insert and it was frustrating to try to clean it. Dear took the old shower stall out and it was hauled to the dump. We envisioned the project being done during the summer but that didn’t happen.

Each step along the way took lots of planning and tweaking.

The floor tile went in first and then it was covered up to protect it during the rest of the project.

At one point we didn’t think we had purchased enough of the 12 x 24 tile sections and we returned to the tile store to see what options we had. We found these decorative 8×8 tiles and added some of the floor tiles to frame them and get a 12 x 12 format. (Did you understand that?).

Greg’s left hand only works at 30% since his stroke so this project was a lot more difficult than the last shower tile project he completed at our old home in Kenmore.

 

Time to apply the grout.

Time for fixtures and safety bars. Another nerve wracking endeavor to cut the holes just right and get them into studs.

Success!

Vanity kicks in now because my shampoos and other product stick out like a sore thumb on these pretty niche shelves because of the color of the packaging.

All that is left for this project is to touch up some of the walls and do some paint touch up.

I’m enjoying our new shower and thankful that Dear persevered during this very tough project. There were times in the process that we both just wanted to walk away.

Our Father’s World Hodgepodge

Thank you to Joyce for the Wednesday Hodgepodge Questions this week.

1. This week’s Hodgepodge lands on National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. Is yours in need of a cleaning? Will you get that done today? How often do you tackle this particular chore?

I would say in particular the freezer sections are in more need of cleaning than the refrigerator sections. We have two Refrigerators. It won’t be done today. No regular schedule for cleaning this appliance.  The question that comes up when I do tackle it is, ‘Why did I buy that only to let it live in my refrigerator past it’s enjoy by date?!’

2. November 15th is also National Philanthropy Day…tell us about a charity (local or otherwise) you like to support when you’re able.  

Our church just had it’s campaign to fill Shoeboxes in support of Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child. I like to participate in that.

Our local church is generous in it’s support of missionaries world wide and we like to contribute to that effort. Our tithes and offerings to our local church also fund generosity to our local community. Right now in the month of November we have teamed up with Colville Toyota and offered free oil changes to widows and single moms.

3.What in nature inspires you and why? 

So many things I could mention here. We are so grateful to have been able to be out and about in the midst of God’s creation enjoying his handiwork with our oldest son and dear DIL this past September.

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork”

On our trip and walks about the United Kingdom this past September our daughter in law would quote that regularly.  Laura has ‘eyes to see’ and we get inspired to see when we are with her. Greg and I would want to sing This is my Father’s World.

1 This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas–
His hand the wonders wrought.

2 This is my Father’s world:
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.

3 This is my Father’s world:
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King: let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let earth be glad!

4. What’s something you own that makes you feel cozy? 

Cozy is my happy place! Being in my home with nothing on the agenda makes me feel cozy. Soft comfortable clothing makes me feel cozy. My Ugg slippers make me feel cozy. The older I get the more comfortable clothing I buy. Life is too short for tight underwear!

5. Who did you thank today? Who thanked you? 

My mind went right to ‘Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts, Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

I thank my dear hubby in the morning because he graciously makes my coffee for me.

A bloggy friend, Dianna, thanked me on Tuesday with this post.

I’m working on the Hodgepodge on Tuesday morning. I’ll wait and see if anyone else thanks me today and add that later.

Our granddaughter Addy thanked me for coming to her basketball practice on Tuesday evening.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I’m very thankful for my hard working husband. He is working most days on completing our master shower renovation. A complete re-do on his own. Demolition, prepping the walls meticulously, cutting when needed and attaching tile on the walls and floor. Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning each day after his days work. All of this with the handicap of his left hand still being numb and having no sensory feeling from his stroke a year ago. Soon I’ll be able to share the before and after of this project.

Thank you, Greg, for your perseverance.

Those Were the Days Hodgepodge

It’s time again for Wednesday Hodgepodge and Joyce is challenging our brains to remember high school among other things.
Happy Flag Day for those of you who live in the U. S.A.
1. What does productivity look like to you? 
We are retired so our putting in effort for a yield is different from the true definition of productivity. Right now our weeds are the most productive thing staring me in the face because our weeds are taking over and they are being much more productive than me. On the positive side of things our Clematis and day lilies are being very productive, too, thankfully. I can look above the weeds in some areas of the yard. 🙂

2. What was your fondest (or one of your fondest) memory of High School?

In the Spring of my first year of high school tryouts were held for the different cheer squads. We had Yell leaders, Song Leaders and Flag Twirlers. Historically Juniors were Flag Twirlers and Seniors were Song Leaders or Yell Leaders. I wasn’t great at twirling a flag so I made the bold move to try out for Song Leader. We had grueling tryout sessions where we learned the routines that we’d have to perform in front of a panel of teachers who would narrow down the field to perform in front of the whole school and then put the vote to the student body for the final team and alternates. I remember how hard it was to walk up stairs after those training sessions. After the first tryout I made the cut and then the decision went to the student body. When the votes were counted they put up a sheet of paper with the results in the main hallway at school. I was thrilled to see my name on the list as one of the six! There were also 2 alternates. My future sister-in-law was one of the alternates. The other Song Leaders weren’t as thrilled as I was that I made the team. Oops. Lest you think I was sooo popular with the student body let me explain that I had a brother a year ahead of me and a sister 2 years ahead of me who were popular and our family name was well known in school so I’ll give lots of credit to that fact in my success in getting the popular vote! 🙂

My Junior year with the other Song leaders who were Seniors.

In this photo my future sister-in-law is behind me. This was our Homecoming rally and she is wearing a homecoming corsage that my brother gave her.

You had to try out every year so in my Junior year I tried out and made the cut again for Song Leader in my Senior year. This photo above is in my Senior year with my good friends who moved from being Flag Twirlers (as Juniors) to Song Leaders (as Seniors).

We’d probably lose 3-5 pounds every Friday night from all the aerobics.

3. What did you do the summer after High School? 

I worked and got ready to go off to college at the University of Redlands.

4. June 14th is National Strawberry Shortcake Day…are you a fan, and if so will you celebrate? How do you make yours? Have you been strawberry picking? If so what do you do with all those berries? 

We enjoy Strawberry Shortcake with sugared strawberries that have made a little of their own juice and we’ll have them with different bases like angel food cake, pound cake, or our Russian Easter Bread, with whipped cream or at Easter with Seernaya Paska (a sweetened cheese).  I have been strawberry picking but didn’t pick more than we could enjoy within a couple days. In California when we lived in Camarillo we had Strawberry fields close by and what a treat it was to go and buy baskets of fresh strawberries to enjoy. So good and sweet unlike some of the grocery store variety.

5. What’s something you always splurge on? 

Besides our kids and grandkids? We’ll always splurge on Birthday and Anniversary meals and/or nights away during those events.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Our master shower project is underway.

Happy Flag Day everyone! Our flag is waving!