Waiting for mud to dry

This week has been a vacation from my job, but it has not been a reprieve from work. There was a "soft spot" on the tile in our master bathroom for a couple months. A couple weeks ago that soft spot became a hole and the hole became a project. Like all fun projects, the scope increased geometrically.

The logic goes something like this.

1. You cannot salvage all the tiles, no matter how careful you try to be.
   
   1. You can find coordinating tile, or . . .
      
   2. You can re-tile the entire shower.
      
2. You cannot successfully remove tile from sheetrock.
   
   1. You can "surgically" cut away the bad, or . . .
      
   2. You can re-rock every wall holding tile with new mildew and moisture resistant sheet rock.
      
3. All walls have some tile. If you intend to re-rock all walls then . . .
   
   1. This provides a one-time opportunity to replace the bathroom linoleum floor with ceramic tile.
      
   2. It also provides an opportunity to tear out the acoustic tile panels on the ceiling that the former homeowner used to cover up a disintegrating "cottage cheese" ceiling.
      
4. If you have the sheet rock off the walls then this provides an opportunity to . . .
   
   1. Raise the shower head 12 inches (this requires an additional 10 square feet of tile).
      
   2. Insulate a wall behind the tub that was stripped of insulation during a room addition by the previous owner (no wonder that wall felt so drafty).
      
   3. And to add a larger electrical box and an extra outlook next to the vanity.
      
5. Since new sheet rock must be painted, this provides an opportunity to choose a coordinating color scheme for the rest of the master bedroom.
   
6. Items out of scope:
   
   1. Bedroom carpet
      
   2. Doors and trim
      
   3. Lighting fixtures
      
   4. Tub and related fixtures
      
   5. Toilet (although the toilet has to be removed to accommodate tiling and painting)
      
   6. Sink and vanity . . . for the time being.
      

With family coming into town today and others coming next week for Thanksgiving, I feel a little time pressure waiting for mud to dry on the sheetrock. As I wait for mud to dry, I am thankful for a vacation and the opportunity to work with my hands. I am thankful for having previous experience on various projects many years ago. I am thankful that Claire and Gabby have been willing helpers. I am thankful that Lisa (always a frugal shopper) has run many errands and has displayed incredible patience with me.

I am thankful for our home. I am thankful for family. I am thankful for the many blessings that have brought me where I am today.