The English Maximalista

Day 1.

Dear Diary,

Started the floor tile project in our mini-bar under the stairs. The Italian rose marble we found at Restore last year is absolutely gorgeous.

The tiles have been laying down beautifully… Except I got about 1/3 of the floor done before running out of blasted tile adhesive. 

Note to self: read. the. instructions. on the bucket. SMDH. Don’t assume that one gallon will be enough, just because you think one gallon ought to be enough!

Sent Mr Maximalista out to buy two more gallons. Was dusk by time he got home, by which point I was too tired to continue. Shall continue the project tomorrow.

Had stir-fry for supper. Read Lenny Kravitz autobiography cover-to-cover in one sitting. Was VG.

*****

Day 2.

Dearest Diary,

The new tile adhesive is a different brand to yesterday’s stuff. It is stickier (on my hands) and not as viscous (on the tiles). 

I’m worried that the tiles I set yesterday won’t be the same level as today’s. Fingers crossed I can even them out. Don’t need to be stubbing my toe in there when I’m squiffy.

Breaking out in a sweat, remembering that time I broke my pinky toe when drunkenly playing with the cat…

Glad I decided to do tight set tiles, as I loathe grouting. It looks really nice — would definitely go with tight setting again, 100%.

The new adhesive is taking much longer to cure than the stuff I started out with. Don’t know why.

Leftover burgers for supper. Took Sadie to the vet for her annual checkup. Prognosis: she is still a moron.

*****

Day 3.

Dear Di,

What a week!!

Thank goodness our bar area is such a small space. I don’t think my poor old knees could handle all the kneeling if there was more square footage. Even wearing knee-pads, I am grunting and groaning like a ninety-year old, not a fifty-year old whippersnapper. I am guzzling ibuprofen like it was candy.

Going into this project, I knew the third day would be the most difficult because it was the day I had set aside to do all the beastly tile cutting.

The cuts are the biggest PIA!! Thankfully, Mr Maximalista has more patience than I do — plus the tile cutter is his, and he has experience using it — which is why I deputized him for the job.

Not including the stick-on tiles I used in my kitchen (which doesn’t really count as a bona fide tiling project, does it?), the last time I cut tiles was for a project using hexagonal ceramic tiles, two houses ago. I still have nightmares about grouting those bloody tiles.

Teamwork makes the dream work, as they say; with Mr M’s help, the new marble floor in our mini-bar looks amazing. We LOVE how it turned out, and I am super proud of our efforts!!

Went for a facial with Janelle. Had pizza for supper, with glass of vino. It’s been a good day.

*****

Next step: installing the skirting boards and door trim… which won’t be for a while, as Mr Maximalista is whisking me away next week, on a surprise trip, so I need to start packing my suitcase. Will tell you all about it when we return!

Lots of love,

M xo