At least the water's on....

I promise you this project started with building a wall in the basement.

Right now, my kitchen looks the set of Extreme Home Makeover right about the time that the designers start fighting and the lead carpenter verbalizes his greatest fear - that they're never going to get this done.

Closing up one window to make room for moving the fridge revealed some weak 2x4's, which lead to prying off more drywall, then tearing out the box-like structures above the old cabinets, and doing a home grown leak fix that included rubber tubing, automotive house clamps and a bolt (no kidding). I went to bed last night filthy, tired, and with the water main shut off.

This morning started with a quick phone call to another Gun Clubber for a word of advice and moral support. By 8 AM I was at Westlake Hardware, talking with Ralph. Ralph knows where everything is and makes me feel like I can build my own house. I bought some plumbing stuff (I know there are legal names for these things, but I don't know what they are). I took my...stuff...back to the the house, capped off the busted pipe, and cranked the water back on.

It was then that I noticed that the main water shut off valve was leaking like the Titannic. After funneling the run-off into a trash can, I conceded that I was not about to make my noon podcast interview. Instead, I called the home warrantee place (where they know me by name and inaptitude). After dispatching Danielle to call the city water department, I shut the valve off at the street. The plumber came late in the afternoon and fixed it.

Kelsey and I snookered Jason Wenth's truck for a Home Depot run, returning with a truck bed full of drywall, backer board (1/4 inch), wall studs, electrical outlets, light fixtures, wire nuts and drywall screws.

Tomorrow, I'm going to the office. I desperately need the rest.