...clearing the decks for action

of course... there is no "start day" in sight...
...yet...
but yesterday... the first of the things I ordered online...
for the bath redoux... were scheduled to arrive...
and a secure area for storage was needed...

if my several "redo"/contractor experiences...
[kitchen redo, new roof, new heating/AC, landscaping, painting, etc...]
have taught me anything, it is that planning ahead...
is vital to my mental health...
and the successful completion of my project...

my home "improvement"/repair efforts have also taught me...

a project schedule or calendar is a fluid thing...
[this includes start dates, completion dates and project duration...]
there will be "unexpected delays"...
it ALWAYS takes longer than you planned for...

products commonly "in stock"... won't be, when you need them...

you ALWAYS need more than you thought you would...
[this includes ALL supplies "provided by homeowner"...
and of course, MONEY...]

ALWAYS open and inspect ALL shipments upon arrival...
especially... if the box is "damaged" or dented...

delivery persons ALWAYS drop off heavy packages ...
in super stealth mode...
and push them up against the door...
making opening the door from the inside to retrieve them...
a "challenge"...
not to mention the "fun" of wrangling them inside...

"pick your battles"... decide what IS...
and what IS NOT negotiable...

try to be flexible... but don't be a wimp...

being "nice" [friendly] and "considerate"...
of all workers on site...
can be "money", later on...
[a couple of boxes of donuts, a few pots of coffee...
a few cans of soda... can all add up...in your favor...]

staying "out of the way" is essential...
but stay "around"...
if you are unobtrusive...
most craftsmen enjoy an audience...
and you can learn something...

ALL valuable items need to be stored INSIDE...
away from the harmful elements...
meteorological, human & critter...

EVERYTHING must be "cat proofed"...
[ie. not stacked too high... no open boxes... breakables protected...
everything securely "covered" or boxed...]


[Thomas, Lucyfur & Sneaky Pie... illustrating my previous point...]

so last week...
I arranged for Coit to come and pick up my rugs...

I'm having them cleaned, sanitized and "Scotch guarded"...
also "stored", until the demo is over...
with it's dust and excessive foot traffic...

they needed cleaning & sanitizing, "after Rob"...
with his "puppy pad" problems and litter box issues...
I had been "spot cleaning" them...
but now that no one, is NOT using the litter box...
they deserved the full treatment to clean and freshen them...



as it worked out, with Robbie's passing, early that morning...
I had time to clean up all the "puppy training pads"...
move furniture and vacuum before the Coit guy got here...

of course... while the Coit guy was here...
Gracie & Sneaky Pie made GIANT pests of themselves...
rubbing & nuzzling his face as the poor man was bent over...
trying to measure the rugs...
further reinforcing my notion of complete "cat evacuation"...
during the first few demo days...

I've seen a few people successfully manage to work around
Gracie & Sneaky Pie in full-blown pest mode...
but for most... it is impossible, as well as annoying...
and we don't want people who are being paid by the hour ...
to be annoyed... or delayed...

almost as soon as I had uploaded these pictures...
I heard someone at the door...
I got there in time to see the UPS guy leaving...
[I wonder if he should have gone to Beijing for the Olympics...
being that speedy...]

I brought in my first delivery...
2 envelopes and a box...
[checking them off of the list
that I had put in the "deliveries" folder...
and, yes ... I AM that anal, er, uh... "prepared"...]



the box contained the chrome-look, steel accessory set...
a waste basket... tissue box cover...
soap pump and tumbler...
very shiny... VERY cat-proof...
[YEA ! ]



in one envelope, were the "knobs" for the built-in drawers...
both styles are chrome...
one is the "pyramid" style, like the drawers in the hall...
the other is a "hex" shape that would "echo" the floor tile...

I only needed 3... and they were NOT expensive...
which is why I got both styles...



the 2nd envelope contained the solid brass,
chrome plated switch plate covers...

I needed a GFI and a double outlet...

I also got a single switch and a 2nd GFI...
just in case...



so, following my own advice...
I put the accessory set back in it's box...
and closed it securely...

I then put both envelopes and their contents...
into the covered storage box...
leaving Sneaky Pie in charge of "security"...

this morning.... the storage box was laying on the floor...
so I checked out the contents, secured it...
and left it on the floor...
next to the other box...
which had NOT been violated...

I guess it passed the "cat test"...