Saturday, May 10, 2025

The Day that Goes Wrong

We had quite a day today. We managed to continue working, but everything that could go wrong seemed to do just that. 

I built the cabinet for the bathroom. It was IKEA, Godmorgan. We got it, along with the bathroom vanity a couple years ago, when they were being clearanced out. We got the vanity, the sink, and the cabinet for $360. 

Bonnie wanted to know about the set up under the sink, so I took this picture from my old post. It's from IKEA's website. We bought it in white, of course, but it has drawers underneath.


So Tim was working on plumbing, and I was in the livingroom putting together the matching cabinet, listening to a true crime podcast. Those things are addictive. Or maybe it is just me. I don't know. But I was listening to a podcast and assembling the cabinet. I'm really impressed with this furniture. It is so perfectly engineered. Everything fits together as it should, and it comes with a 10 year guarantee, and honestly, in 10 years we will be looking at 80 and won't much care. Anyways, I've gotten myself all off track. 

So I was putting together the cabinet and feeling as if I understood why kids love Legos. 


  

When I was finished, I cleaned up the bathroom light fixture to install. Tim was working on the bathtub/shower controls and he tested the shower and bathtub to make sure nothing leaked. When he was satisfied, he went down to the basement to turn off the water. I gathered up all the drop cloths and rags that we'd been using to sponge down the tile in the bathroom, and headed out the front door to hang them to dry. I heard a commotion. Tim had turned off the wrong water control and we had water spraying all over the bathroom. He tore back down to the basement and turned off the correct switch this time, and came back up the stairs. I was sopping up lots and lots of water. Even worse some small parts on the water valve had shot out. We found everything save one small spring. I think it went down the drain, actually. 

Tim was very frustrated. The good news is that although it was a lot of water, we got it all up and no damage was done. I said, "Well...I needed to get the floor mopped anyway."

We hung the cabinet, but it took frustratingly long time because it was being hung in an awkward space to the right of the sink, on a short wall. If we had not been rookies, we would have known to hang the cabinet before installing the vanity. Live and learn. 

Tim had to buy a new 'cartridge' for the bathroom valve, whatever that means, which irritated him.

We came home and worked to get some preparation done for the move, but  we both felt like we accomplished very little of our to-do list and we were a bit tired and cranky.

After supper, we heard that a boy was walking along the bank across the river from our house. He fell into the high river and was swept away. They mounted a water search and rescue, but he has not been found and now it is dark. 

The day before Mother's Day, and somewhere in my town a mother is not celebrating. 

Our irritations seemed quite ridiculous in light of the tragedy. 


21 comments:

  1. The story of the little boy is heartbreaking. So awful and so sad.
    Thank you for the hint on mounting the wall cabinet first. I just texted it to my husband to read in the the morning.
    I listen to crime podcasts too. My library has started a crime podcast club and I am doing my "homework" listening tonight. When I opened the email I found we have five podcasts on the same crime to listen to for this week's meeting. I think that is a little excessive, lol.

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  2. How sad for the little boy. Maybe a sign could be placed on the bank? Sounds like you got lots done in spite of testing the shower. Linda in Kansas

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  3. Just one little spring, and of course you had to buy a new cartridge. That's sad about the little boy being swept away. Just hope he turns up.

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  4. Yes when something involving a child lost that way, it puts what we consider a disaster in perspective, so sad.

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  5. That poor boy's family. So sad.
    Your bathroom is really coming together now, despite the little adventures along the way.

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  6. One of those days.. frustrating for some, terribly sad for others

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  7. Terrible news for the family losing a child like that. Your bathroom is looking very neat and sharp.

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  8. It takes just one thing to put the day into perspective. So sad.

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  9. Poor boy and mother. There is a memorial by a whitewater spot near our little bridge where this happened to a girl a few decades ago, I think.

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  10. That's a sad story about the boy. Now his family's life has become before this day, and after. Life changing tragedy.

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  11. Some days are like that. Just, nothing goes right. This is why they invented the word "cluster**ck.
    Such sadness about that boy. When I see an accident that's occurred that has obvious casualties, I think of how whatever that person or persons had planned for that day which may have seemed so important, are now nothing. It does not take away our minor frustrations or even major frustrations but it does put things in perspective.

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  12. Oh, that poor boy and his poor family. Things like that really do remind us how small most of our daily irritations really are.

    Happy Mother's Day to you, Debbie!

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  13. Mothers have the greatest joys but also the worst nightmares.

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  14. Sorry to hear about that boy. Yes, things like that always put life in perspective quickly.
    Happy Mother's Day!
    (I do love IKEA, obviously--ROFL!)

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  15. That poor, poor family. Mother’s Day will forever be tainted for them unless by some miracle the boy is found safe.

    It is amazing to me how much more practical drawers are than cupboards in kitchens and bathrooms. No more stuff getting lost in the back!

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  16. Wow, the end of your post is such a gut punch (and a reality check).

    Ceci

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  17. Sorry to read about the young boy being swept away.

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  18. Sad, awful, sad. I feel so bad for that child's family. Their lives are changed forever.
    If you ever build another house, you'll know the proper sequence for vanity, cabinet. Not that you're likely to do that. That is a great looking vanity.

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  19. Thanks for showing the cabinet. I especially like that you can clean under them. I also think that lower space makes the room look bigger. I’m so sorry for the young boy’s family and for everyone in the community who mourns his loss.
    Bonnie in Minneapolis

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