Bathroom renovation - the upstairs edition

One of the reasons why James renovated the downstairs bathroom - other than it just needed renovating - is because the shower in the bathroom upstairs also leaked. Sigh. Based on what we have seen of the bathroom plumbing done by the rehabber, if this house had a third bathroom, that shower would have also leaked.

We, of course, failed to take "before" photos but we did take a "in the process" photo. When James tore out the ugly plastic shower surround, he revealed an former Pepto-pink color scheme:

If you were not already sick when you walked into a bathroom with those two colors on the wall...

With the help (and tools) of our excellent neighbor and plumber, Ben, James redid the pipes and connections to the shower. We had kept a handle set that we purchased but did not use in the Georgia house, and James was able to install it. I much prefer having a separate handle for hot and cold water; it makes hotter/colder adjustments more precise and allows a strong shower even at cool or tepid temperatures:

As with the downstairs shower, James installed subway tile on the shower walls:

The tile is white, although it does not read white in the photo.

James also took the sink off the wall and reinstalled it properly, then used the same color and texture of paint that he used downstairs to freshen the walls. He installed one additional towel bar but we kept all the furnishing and linens the same. If you visited us before, you certainly recognize the same shower curtain:

Although not nearly as dramatic as the downstairs redo, the upstairs bathroom now looks wonderful and the shower DOES NOT LEAK. Never underestimate the importance of a properly plumbed bathroom.

Knitting anniversary

Five years ago today, in the home of a woman whose name I no longer remember, I learned to knit. I was a member of a group of moms* who participated in various types of activities and outings, and several women had expressed an interest in knitting. One of the members knew someone who not only knitted but agreed to teach us, and she organized a time and hosted the class in her home.

There were six or seven of us on that Sunday afternoon and although I don't remember any of the other students, I will always remember the teacher, Hannah. She was kind and she was patient in her teaching, but she had two guiding principles for knitting from which I quickly diverged: use aluminum needles and buy the cheapest yarn available. It did not take long for me to realize that I hated the feel of both aluminum and acrylic, and when I decided that I liked knitting enough to stick with it, I purchased better needles and far better yarn!

Hannah showed us how to do a simple cast on and had us practice it several times, then taught us the two basic stitches: knit, and purl. We sat around the living room trying out our new found knowledge, working to get the hang of knitting and laughing at our mistakes. A few members of the first class reconvened two or three weeks after the initial meeting, but I was the only person who had continued to knit after the first few days. Hannah was pleased with my progress - several inches of garter stitch - and showed me how to bind off.

In the five years since my introduction to knitting, I have learned to appreciate good tools and materials. I prefer to knit with bamboo or wooden needles, and I adore knitting with alpaca, merino wool, and other fine fibers. With the basics learned and learned well, I can now expand my knowledge by viewing videos or reading instructions. I have completed over 130 different projects, many of which were gifts. I have learned that many people simply are not knitworthy, but that many other people are. I enjoy the process of knitting, and I enjoy having a finished product. Knitting has opened up a whole new world of fiber crafts and fiber fanatics.

Five years ago, I had no idea that knitting would become one of my passions. Thank you, Hannah!

*That group, the Fun Fayette Moms or something of the sort, taught me that being a mother is simply not enough common ground on which to build a friendship. I am reminded of that fact quite often.