I'm Molting....no shower for me.

Yesterday I spoke too soon. 

The bathroom isn't ready for a bath or shower. At this point I'm wondering if Wanda and I will be at a motel this week end. We are not going through another one sans shower.

Last night I was giving some thought to using a dry luffa and exfoliating but we have enough dust and small debris lying around the house. I don't need to add dead epidermal cells to the mix.

Shawn (the contractor) and the guys that are working here have run up against issues every step of the way, they take it in stride. "It's an old house, we expect these things and we'll make it right," they say. Meanwhile I feel terrible. What does this say about me? The contractor gave me a quote and I feel guilty he may not be making enough on the job. 

Yesterday they put another coat of texture on the walls and began work on the floor tile. Naturally the bathroom floor is very uneven so it needs to be leveled. And take a look at the corner tiles against the tub. The cut and fit of those had to take some time. We're going to pay what we pay. I hope they can get in and out of the back "toilet room" (Hope you're happy Wanda as I preferred en-suite) in a few days to make up for some of these problems.

And I've not once heard any bitching or grumbling about the extra work. I've not heard one word about overages or unexpected expense. The workers are totally professional. I'm certain it has something to do with Wanda's cookies.

By 6 a.m. this morning Wanda baked 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies. She made the dough last night. This is the second batch since the guys began the job. In between the two she's baked Eric's Maple Snaps and banana bars. Like a mom sending her little one off to school with a lunch sack she sends the workers home with bags of goodies. I know they'll miss her on the next job.

I think I told you Wanda and I went to Home Depot over the week end for the "toilet room." We bought a toilet, vanity, top piece with sink, side splash and fixture. We brought the fixture home. We left instructions for a will call as Shawn was going to pick up the large and heavy items.

Yesterday I called Home Depot to arrange the pick-up. It went something like this:

"Hi. I have a will call order I'd like pulled for my contractor"

"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah blah."

"Great, if you can have that ready he'll be there in the morning."

"Blah, blah, blah...we're low on stock so I'll have them do it now."

"Thank you very much."

Thirty minutes later the phone rang.

"I'm calling from Home Depot. The guys went to pull the order and your vanity and side splash are damaged. They are the only ones we have. You can go to another location or we can order new ones for you. It will take about ten days."

"@#% *$%$ it." 

I guess we should have checked when the fellow that was helping us the other day said, "No problem, we have plenty of stock."

It's not a major deal. It's a coincidence that Wanda is working a half day today. She'll be home by noon thirty and we'll head to Home Depot and get something different. There were several vanity combinations we liked.

When I was working people came into the E.R. and one of three things happened. We sent them home, we put them in the hospital or they died. It was consistent, we could count on it. If I had to deal with these construction issues every day I'd take the gas pipe.

I shouldn't comment on the Bruce Jenner news, but DAMN.

The man is my age and a Gold Medal Olympian. I just read his bio. He was married three times and has six kids. Think he's had such a wonderful life? 

Drug store giant CVS Caremark will stop selling tobacco products October 1st.

CVS sells $1.5 billion in tobacco a year but says selling cigarettes while promoting wellness doesn't make sense.

KTVU, a local station reported the story on the morning news and asked viewers to respond on its Facebook page.

Will you stop, start or continue to shop at CVS because of this decision?

Do you find that a very stupid question, or is it, once again, just me?

"I always buy my smokes at CVS. I guess I'll stop going there after October."

"I'm going to go five miles out of my way to shop at CVS because they don't sell tobacco products."

"Will CVS still sell rolling paper? What was the question again?"