Friday, July 26, 2019

Well Hello Muscles!!!

My day began with a spectacular sunrise, in fact pretty epic in my book!  Just what I needed to get my act together and try my hand at handymanning.  I don't think that's a word.  Anyway, at 5:30 in the cool morning 80 degree weather, I gathered up my tools.
I refitted each tile and measured out the spaces.  Nothing fit like the day before.  I was very careful to keep all the tiles in order, but when it came to getting them flat against the wall, they were all wonky. I spent another hour hammering and chiseling away more of the old grout.  
See all those grey spots on the white above?  That's where the old mortar was sticking.  No wonder they were all coming off.  Just as an FYI, did you know that thin-set mortar will remove your fingernails in about 10 minutes?  I guess men don't have to worry about that.

No, it is NOT as easy as they make it look on YouTube.  That stuff was thick and really hard to spread.  In no time, it was all over me, the steps and the dogs!!  Yeah, that one spot is a little off kilter.  I just couldn't get the old grout out of the channel without fear of breaking the tile.  

All those pieces laying on the steps are for the top edge.  The problem is each one has about half an inch of hardened gunk on the back that I can't remove without breaking them.  Today I'll go see if I can find something to use as a cap.  At least it's a lot better than it was.  Whoever did this originally had about as much experience as me!!
Two hours of being bent over hit me between the eyes this morning when I tried to get up.  Good grief.  Hello there muscles, you unused weak little critters you!!  My muscles are so sore it hurts to touch them, let alone move around. 

Trying to distract myself from the pain, I went out to the garden and collected all my vegetables.  People are posting tons of pictures on Facebook of their productive gardens.  Mine ..... not so much.  Here's my garden bounty, at least those that the birds have not eaten!!
I might as well toss them to the quail.  These aren't the ones from my back yard, but another group growing up in the FRONT yard.  There are 13 babies, all of whom have survived.  
On a side note, the score is Nancy 2, Spiders 0.  I walked into my kitchen and straight into an invisible web.  Don't you just hate that?  I grabbed my swiffer sweeper and prowled the kitchen until I found the culprit.  

There's another one on the ceiling of my bathroom, but I can't reach him.  No way am I getting up on a ladder swinging a broom.  They would just laugh when I fall off.

I did finally go on a short road trip.  Not exactly short at 70 miles away, but it was interesting to see the big little town of Willcox (with two l's).  Pictures tomorrow!!





12 comments:

  1. Looks like you did a very nice job with your tile work.
    Take care of those sore muscles and you soon be raring ro go again.

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    1. Well I don't know about a nice job, but I suspect it will stay stuck for awhile!! Now if I can just find a cap for the top.

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    2. You might get a cap at Home depot or Lowes or maybe some limber trim would work too.

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  2. Replies
    1. Thank you ... it's SO much harder than it looks. At least it will stay stuck for awhile.

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  3. Can you take one of those small tiles to Home Depot and buy new ones the same size? I'm totally impressed that you took this project on.

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    1. Honestly Allison, I didn't think I could do it. Not the best of jobs considering what I had to work with, but it will do. That's just what I'm doing ... looking for tile for the top cap.

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  4. Good job as a beginner but at least you are trying which is better then most. Experience is learned by the mistakes you make. As Allison said you can replace the Tiles that would not clean up and then install those. A trick I just remembered seeing Pros doing it. On Vertical Surfaces they lean a board straight up with a heavy weight to keep it in place for a couple of days so they all stay in place.
    Be Safe and hope you Enjoyed your side trip.

    It's about time.

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    1. TOTAL beginner Rick. If I had a smooth surface to work with in the first place, I think I could have done better. I'm pretty sure it stuck .... that mortar was like my mashed potatoes!! It stuck to everything!!

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  5. Hey, I have NEVER tried to put down tile like that...did a few which lay on the ground, but not on a wall...good job.

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    1. You definitely need a flat surface, which I did not have. It was fun to try for the first time. Maybe I'll tile the patio ..... or NOT!!

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  6. I am totally impressed, Nancy! Well, knowing you, I'm not surprised at all that you would take this on. Good job!
    Yay to the score on spiders. I'm so jealous of all the quail! I love them so much!!

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