Bathroom Remodel: Chapter 6 (The Sink of My Dreams)

In case you're fuzzy on the details, let me share with you a (mostly) succinct list of just what sort of muck and mire we've been dealing with for the last few weeks:

Well first...

Way back in the early fall: I spot an awesome antique cast iron pedestal sink outside of an antique store. We both fall in love with it, look it over, think the pipes and faucets look okay, and happily pay $75 for it. We plan on using it in our downstairs bathroom when we remodel it. We learn very quickly just how heavy solid cast iron really is.

Continuing...

Dec. 17th: The Professor begins demolition on downstairs bathroom. Toilet and sink are gone almost immediately, forcing us to use those in our half bath upstairs. We face life without a shower for an indeterminate amount of time.

Dec. 31st: Shower is usable. Downstairs toilet and sink are still AWOL.

{Bathroom work continues steadily during this time. We continue to shower downstairs and do everything else upstairs.}

Jan. 17th: Upstairs sink begins draining verrry slooowly.

Jan. 22nd, a week ago: J begins coughing.

Jan. 24th: J begins running a high fever; upstairs sink backs up for good. The Professor tiles the floor of the downstairs bathroom. We brush our teeth and wash our hands at the kitchen sink, our only working sink, unless you count the one in the laundry room in the basement.

Jan. 25th: The Professor works his hardest on upstairs sink; sink refuses to respond. The Professor grouts the bathroom floor.

Jan. 26th: J's fever is at 103; doctor says it's some sort of virus. Plumber comes, takes apart upstairs sink, and pronounces its pipes dead. Fixing said pipes will cost us $600, if we use said plumbers. We pay plumbers for their time and send them on their way. We do not have an extra $600. The race to get the downstairs bathroom workable is on.

Jan. 27th: B begins coughing; J is still sickly, but fever is slight. The Professor and my dad install the toilet downstairs. They work some on the downstairs sink, but agree they need more time and parts. We continue to use the kitchen sink for all our sink-worthy duties.

Jan. 28th: B begins running a fever; J is fever-free, but very clingy and coughy and miserable. The Professor and my dad work until late (10 p.m.? 10:30?) and still can't get the downstairs sink hooked up. Frustrated with the antiquated plumbing, they agree that a professional is needed.

Jan. 29th (today): B's fever is lessening, though he is tired and cuddly; J wakes up jumping out of bed, despite persistent cough and runny nose. Baby C's nose begins running. A friend of ours, who just happens to be a plumber, works all afternoon on our sink and gets it hooked up.

I repeat: We have a downstairs sink.

It is the sink of my dreams.

All together now: SQUEEEEEEEEE!!!!