Let me just put this out there — honestly, bluntly — house projects are a usurper of confidence, riddled with unknown optimism killing obstacles.
I hate publicly admitting that, I do. Blogs I read most? DIY. My brain falls into the trap of feeling fully capable of attempting a little fix-up or putting an anchor in the wall…then, knee-deep in the project, some inexplicably frustrating mishap (possibly mistake? Possibly not) occurs.
This is why it has taken a year to work on the bathroom. Every single project has been an issue of some sort — LITERALLY EVERY DAMN PART.
Our last check-in, I had just put the laminate tiles down. It was far from perfect. Yes, anything’s an improvement (seriously…check the links at the bottom of that post to see what we started with), but with the uneven floor, they didn’t line up as nicely as I’d like. Let’s just say that I’m too much of a perfectionist to see things done improperly — one reason it takes me so long to get off my arse to complete something. (I hear this was a trait I share with my dad. Thanks for that one, Dad!)
The ceiling was a bear to deal with and still “cracks” here and there. The wainscoting was the wrong material and the guys had to install it by not pushing the grooves together completely in places (I’m sure I’m the only one who’ll ever notice, but it’s blatant to me). Dave nearly had a fit when he installed the toilet paper holder crooked (through tile and what seemed to be cement). It just keeps going.
So, when I finally decided to hang our towel holders, I went into it cautiously optimistic. Idiot. I should do these things cautiously pessimistic — with caution, assuming that the worst will happen, since this all seems to be a mess of superstition. And, after I had successfully hung the first two, I should’ve known better than to pat myself on the back. Stupid.
I decided to hang the third and final hook to the back of the door. It went on great, then when I opened the door, what did I see? Two screw tips piercing through the stained wood. Argh! So, what would’ve been a 20 minute project turned into 45 minutes and probably a month or two shaved off the end of my life. (I was just that ticked off.) But, finally, after finding two tiny, mismatched screws that would work (after a couple unsuccessful attempts), I’m okay. It never ends, though — I’m going to find some putty matched to those small holes to hopefully deter anyone from noticing the boo-boo.
I also threw my little painting up (not like…puke…or something) while I was at it, trying it both horizontal and vertical. Still not sure which I like, but I can at least take some consolation in the fact that I know the accessories I’ll be using will tie in the turquoise and coral so it doesn’t look quite so harsh. And at least the man of the house likes it, which I give him mad credit for. I know pinky-orange splotches aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.
So, what’s next? Hanging those gosh darn shelves over the toilet, ironing and hanging the shower curtain (who am I kidding? I’m going to re-clean and dry the thing to get the wrinkles out), organizing the built-in, accessorizing, and possibly sewing a curtain for the window and the bottom of the built-in. And later on, I hope to attack the bathtub and shower surround, but that’s a whole different battle…and possibly a different war altogether.
What about you? Am I the only one who would be a much bigger DIYer if not for all the stumbling blocks? It wouldn’t annoy me so much, but it just seems to be EVERY SINGLE PROJECT! Like someone, somewhere, is laughing their butt off at the continued bad luck. And, really, I do my best to find myself in a positive frame of mind before even attempting anything, as with most things — “You can do this! It’s an easy little project, and it’ll look great when you’re done!” Ugh. Naive.
I hate to be negative…I do! I read so many uplifting blog posts touting the fact that, YES, we all can do this! That’s probably why I’m so down about it. I am woman, hear me…fail. Miserably. I guess I disappoint myself sometimes…I guess we all do…and y’know what? That’s okay.
It’s coming along, isn’t it?
SIDE NOTE: The title of this post should really be “Hangin’ Round” after the Monkees song, but I wasn’t quick enough to put 2 and 2 together. Ya live, ya learn.