Stare At Stairs

One other thing I forgot to mention but made me feel quite uplifted about meeting this Max guy:  the compliment he gave me.  He told me that he has met a lot of do-it-yourselfers, but that when he first met me and saw my work he thought I was a professional contractor.  He said that the logical way I think when it comes to installation and my attention to detail makes me someone who is better than even some of the contractors he's met that's been working for a long time.  He said I should do this work part-time to make some good money.

If only.  I did have a big head after that though.  Have I actually found a passion?  (I'm on and off with that thought)

Pic of 95% completed staircase:

You can say I'm getting excited for this to all be done and to move in

Stairway To...Almost Being Done

Staircase is 95% done, but fully functional!  Just gotta do the finishing touches.  Nice guy that Max who did it.  He even charged me less than I expected.  Sweet!  I think it was a good investment.

Now just have to finish doors/trim/everything else.  Just have to keep looking towards the future when it's done.

I'm tired, but excited I'm finally going to go back to the gym tomorrow morning

Long-A** Day

So far my Canada Day long weekend has been going great!  Well, great in the sense that work is actually getting done in the house:

-Max will finish the rest of the stair railings tomorrow.  It's looking good and more and more I'm realizing that if I did it it would have looked horrible:

-put up a closet door.  Went back to Lowe's thinking a piece was missing.  Went back home to find that it wasn't missing.  They gave me the parts off the shelf for free, but I'll return them as I have no use for them.  Oops...time and gas wasted

-cleaned all the gutters, which involved me going on the roof.  I hate going on roofs (tingly biyag; that fear I'll fall off), but at least it got done:

Notice there are plants growing in the gutter?  Jeez.  I need to get new gutters

-started putting up baseboards and trim in one room

Only problem with all of this work is:

-the feeling that I should be getting more done

-missing out on relaxing

-not knowing when I'll actually be done.  I really hope soon.  I feel terrible every day I'm not moved in, as I'm probably causing inconvenience to her.  Also Eamon is growing older and he really needs to get used to a new routine

-I'm exhausted

But anyway, I have to stay positive

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Tried something last night that was quite...interesting

Well That Was Fun, But You Still Have A Ton Of Stuffs To Do

So this guy Max, a Russian Contractor I hired to do the stairs came today. Interesting guy, very nice, very genuine.  It was good working with someone and learning things here and there.  We actually also had a good conversation about spirituality.

I think we worked something like 11 hrs. straight.  I'm not sure what I was thinking when I thought I could do the work he did by myself.  It would've taken me forever and I would've messed up for sure!

He'll be coming over tomorrow and most likely Monday again.  Dear Gawd I hope we finish by this weekend.

It'll be a busy weekend, which is a good thing so that I don't miss my son too much

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Joined a team today...hope it keeps up

Tremendous Upset

So we watched WWZ last night (okay movie save for the end) and did the Mississauga thing of eating at Tremendous afterwards.

As predicted, my body I think is getting too old for this sh*t...lol.  I feel like crap.  But at the same time, I'm feeling good, in the sense that I have a whole day ahead of me of trying to finish up in the house.

Let's gooooooooooo

Movie? Movie!

Been a long time since I've watched a movie.  Gonna go with BeeJ tonight to watch World War Z.

Then the craziness starts tomorrow when Max the Contractor comes over

Deadline Fail

Oh well...one of many timeline fails for this renovation.  I can't help it, sort of.  I feel bad working in the middle of the night with the loud tools (apparently my neighbour told me she hears my compressor).

On top of that, I am kind of tired.  But I did get pretty far for one day, so I'm going to be happy about that:

There was nothing but subfloor there before.

I mean, my carpentry skills have a lot left to be desired for, but I think I'm doing okay as an amateur.  Just gotta finish that last bit of hardwood before Max comes tomorrow to do the handrails...

*  *  *

Canadian picked #1 overall in the NBA draft?  Crazy!

*  *  *

My boy will going to the nation's capital for the weekend.  This is the first time I'll be away from him for this long period of time.  I'm sure I'll survive

Okay, Time To Get It

So Eamon and his Mom will be going to Ottawa this weekend.  This leaves me a bit of time for myself to lay the hammer down (literally) and really get popping this weekend with the house.  Hopefully the guy I'm hiring gets everything done as well.

Think positively!

*  *  *

Face-melting, shirt-drenching day today.

My students this year are pretty good and they make me laugh...hopefully it doesn't change

Now's Not The Time To Get Discouraged

Worst timing.  Gotta keep pushing on and not think about the insane amount of work left to do in the house before I get a chance to actually sit down and relax for a bit.  I just need time and some positivity

*  *  *

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etOKjD9L_S4

Mood Swing In Effect

Argh.  Hate it when I go through this.  I think it's a combination of the hot water and the frustrations I have with my parents (thanks for listening to me, the Father of their Grandchild, whenever I say something, please, go ahead, do the opposite), and maybe everything else that has me on a low right now.

Time to pick it up...

Look Past The Hurt

Look towards the future.  Don't lose sight.

Keep talking cryptically where the only person(s) who would understand, understand.

Sleep and dream

Face Melting Time 2013

So I've been writing on this site for many years, and I think every year I always complain about the same thing when it gets hot and humid here:  face-melting time!

The sheen of sweat and grime on my body never gets old.  It even gets more highlighted when I'm doing renovations.

Yargh

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrBc1CkflXM

Pain. Ting.

Spent a good part of the day (roughly 10 hrs or so) painting the spindles and posts.  Dear Gawd.

And tomorrow I do it all over again!

I don't mind too much...I'm coming up to the homestretch (I hope)

It's Crunch Time

So I have one week to get everything all set up before the guy I have hired comes in and does the handrails/posts/spindles.  I can do this

*  *  *

Gave blood again today for the fourth time.  It's becoming a somewhat fulfilling feeling thing for me to do.

BeeJ passed by and somehow ended up donating as well (less that a week in Ontario and he's already spilling his liquids for the place).  Kats was, yet again, low in iron.

Saw some of the same people I've been seeing since I started.  I come for the cookies!

*  *  *

Good convo with BeeJ today.  Definitely one of those relationships in my life where we can pick up and talk about serious stuffs even though it's months apart.  Good to have them back!

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufEejvMEP64

Fine. I'll Ask For Help.

Never much one to ask for help when it comes to my home renovations, but I think I need to all things considering.  I'm gonna hire a guy to finish the railings for my stairs (kind of important, I would imagine, to prevent from falling down).  Not going to be that cheap, but what's money in situations like this, really?

Just means I'm going to have to step it up with the other projects.  I figured I saved money in other places that realistically I shouldn't be too upset.

Just hope he does a good job (as I've been known to be a perfectionist)

Don't Lose Sight...

...gotta keep pushing forward.

I'm very frustrated with myself and my inabilities right now.  I am also extremely embarrassed of how I'm making things go and affecting people's lives.  I hate it.  Hate it.

I don't want to be a burden to anyone.  I never did.  I'm very thankful for the people in my life that is making it thousands of times easier for me.

I have to keep focussing and continue on doing the best I can...

Ketchup Time

Met with Donaldo of my Rye High days today on a short notice meet-up. Seems like we're at the same moment in life albeit different circumstances.  I always liked the dude who was always straight-up and a down-to-earth kind of guy.

After catching up with him, he gave me some pretty good advice that I think I'm actually going to follow.

Funny how things work out sometimes and how coincidences pop up in my life (as I've said millions of times)

Why Do I WSHH?

Because of videos like this:  http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh69qSIyK2aZKB8145

So damn funny.

I f*cking love you babe. 

And the follow-up:  http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh6Hp5Z19aC0s95fbp

Teddy Bear!

I can't stop watching this...lol

The question is:  why aren't you WSHHing?

*  *  *

Good conversation with a random person today.  Got me to open my eyes a bit more

Step By Step...

...literally.

I guess I'll call it somewhat of an accomplishment this weekend because I installed all the steps for the stairs.  The only thing left now is the railings, which I've contacted a pro to do (just waiting on his quote).

I also hung two doors (not the best, but I guess it looks okay for the first time doing it) with three left to go.  I realized after using it a lot this past weekend that the Dremel tool I have is very quite useful and I resent not using it earlier.  Don't know what I was thinking there.

All in all, it was a nice Father's Day even though I didn't spend a lot of time with my boy (alone time is good too!).  I got to watch a couple of episodes of Game of Thrones, got to go through a long stretch uninterrupted working at the house, and played some ball (in a BO-smelling sauna-feeling gym, but that's okay, I got some exercise in).

Special shout out to my baby's momma who makes my job as a Father a thousand times easier, even through everything we are going through.  Eamon is a very lucky boy to have her, as is Eamon's father

*  *  *

The prestigious, prodigal son has returned!  Really crazy to think that Beevy moved away 5 years ago but now are back.  Nice to have friends close by (which will still be rare to hang out with, but still).  Only person left is the Doktor, but they aren't coming back (and I don't blame them).  So it'll be nice to visit them one of these days

Faddah's Day

Celebrated early with the family because everyone has plans tomorrow.  Fun and really eventful day Eamon had today with his cousins

Crazy to me sometimes to think that I'm actually a Father.  I love being one :)