A day of Firsts

As most of you probably know, I have been working at a friend’s place, helping him do some remodelling.  We started out with his bathroom in the basement.  We started out just needing to build a shower.  That turned into a complete remodel.  We finished the shower, and proceeded to install new ceramic tile, taking out the original ugly clay tiles that were in there.  In order to install the new tile, we had to remove the toilet and vanity.  He decided he didn’t want the blue toilet in there anymore, so we decided to get a new one.  Since he was getting a new toilet, he decided to get a new vanity, too.  With all the construction, he had to paint in there as well, so the whole bathroom got a fresh new updated look. 

We then moved to the main floor bathroom.  This bathroom, in the beginning, started out to be just putting in new ceramic tile on the floor, as the previous owner had put ceramic tile directly on top of the plywood floors, thus, within a year, they had all popped, due to the movement of a wood floor.  He had also expressed “concerns” about the pink toilet, sink, tub, and medicine cabinet.  He didn’t think they looked too masculine.  Although he is gay, he still wasn’t thrilled about having a pink bathroom.  So…  yup, we started in on that.  We had purchased a new toilet and tub when we were buying for the basement bathroom.  The old toilet came out.  The old tub came out.  The old vanity came out.  The old medicine cabinet came out.  He installed the new tub mostly by himself, as this was during the time when I was spending most of my time in Baltimore with my ill-fated “job”.  He also found and installed the new ceramic tile on the floor, and one wall of the tub surround in matching, yet smaller ceramic tiles, to the floor tiles.  He was anxious to get the floor done so he could get “at least” the new toilet installed.  With the new toilet installed, we kinda “took a little break” from that.  His basement needed work, too.  The walls were a medium brown panelling, and he had those ugly 12 inch square foamy/cardboard tiles on the ceiling.  The ceiling tiles came down first, then the panelling.  Of course, since we had the walls down, we decided to put in all new electrical in the basement too.  Last week, we were getting ready to put the ceiling sheet rock up, but before we did that, we had to pull all the staples from the old tiles.  So, I spent many, many hours, reaching above my head, pulling staples.  One day, after pulling nails for hours, my back kinda seized up, but it wasn’t “too bad”, I thought, so I just kept on working.  We put sheet rock in a couple areas of the ceiling, where we were putting up some recessed lighting which needed the sheet rock in place first.  We installed three lights in those areas as well. 

My back continued hurting, throughout the rest of the week and weekend.  Monday, when I was talking to him, he told me to go to his chiropractor.  I decided to go ahead and go, to get rid of the pain, and perhaps be able to start feeling better.  So, yesterday, Tuesday, I got up and made an appointment.  I went in at 11:30, and snapped, crackled, and popped.  I came out feeling a little better, but it didn’t seem like it had made all that much difference.  (today I woke up, and it feels “better”, but still not as much better as I thought it would, but I have a followup appointment tomorrow, so hopefully that will make a bigger difference.)

I dropped off another saw at his house, then came home, and took my car into the shop.  The inspection ran out last month, so I figured I had better get it in and inspected before I got a ticket or something.  I’ve had a problem with the left turn signal, so I knew I had to get that taken care of before the inspection.  Since I am taking it in, I figured I would also have them install a new window regulator and motor on the passenger side, cause that was acting up lately.  Then I’m having them put new windshield wiper blades on.  Today when they called, they said there was an oil leak that would cost $20 to repair, and a power steering leak.  So, I told them to go ahead and do it all.  I figured, I might as well get it all taken care of now, while it was in there!

After taking the car to the shop, VL picked me up.  We went home and waited for Ox to get home from school.  I rode along to take the boys to their father for their Tuesday visit.  On the way home, she asked if we should just stop and get dinner, so we stopped at Ruby Tuesdays and had dinner.  After that, she asked if she minded if we stopped by the gym, that she wanted to sign up.  Of course, I didn’t mind, as I really had no where to go.  LOL  While we were there, however, I got to feeling guilty, fat and bloated.  So…  yup, for the first time in my life, I joined a gym.  I really need to lose this excess weight I’ve been putting on.  You might see in the pic of me and KK in the previous entry, I’m holding in my gut.  (I can’t believe I’m actually SAYING this, but to me, it kinda looked obvious, anyway)  LOL  Now, all I have to do is actually GO and utilize that gym membership.  Of course, I have to wait until my back feels better before I can really go in and start working on improving myself and my self image.  I teased VL that I was going to be a GOD by the time I was done!  (wishful thinking on my part, I know)

So I was thinking about it, and realised that I had accomplished TWO firsts on that one day.  I’d gone to the chiropractor for the first time in my short life, and I had also joined a gym!

Not bad for a lazy person, huh?   😉