Rian had called a couple of weeks ago wanting me to come to Shallowater after they closed on their new home.

Almost a year ago they agreed to purchase this home while the former owner built a new house.

I don't know if I have that kind of patience.

Of course that gave them lots of time to plan. Wednesday at 1 they closed on the house. Wednesday night they began painting and unloading trailers that have been loaded for weeks.

Rian's request for me to come to Shallowater involved tiling a bathroom. I will be honest enough to tell you that this one plus one more will make two bathrooms I have tiled or helped tile.

I arrived Thursday morning late and found a paint crew comprised of Erica and her parents. The finished product seemed to fuel them for the next room. This family is gifted with the ability to paint. Lots of patience and nerves of steel. They had a plan developed of Chet doing cuts and the girls coming behind and rolling, although I did see the girls with brushes at times and Chet with a roller. Erica's sister is a pro. She does interior design professionally, and she came in Friday to apply some trick paint that had sand and glitter. From the first coat to the finished wall was unbelievable. Obviously Crystal knows her stuff! By days end she had shown Erica a few tricks of the trade.

Many friends came by after their work day to grab a brush for a while.

When I arrived at the house Thursday, Rian had tile laid out on the floor. During my drive up I think we had talked six times on the phone and I told him the first tile was the most important one. Everything spins off of it! (Our home is tiled in every room. It amazes me that one tile is common to every tile in the house!).

Rian had talked with many people who had done tile (none of which volunteered or showed up) and many said he needed to shoot chalk lines on the the floor. I disagreed, figuring that past laying the floor out these lines would be useless when covered with glue.

We began our project and laid all the "whole" tiles we could. Then we began cutting tiles. As my luck would have it, this is a corner bathroom that sits diagonally. Of course that means we had a lot of 45 degree cuts to make. We began cutting tiles mid afternoon, and at 11 that night I made the final cut. In another hour that tile was glued.

I'm not going to lie to you, I ached all over!

By morning the rigor mortis had set in!

Friday morning we began collecting tile spacers and cleaning between tiles and tile surface. We found a couple of issues and R & R'd a few tiles and reset them.

Thursday night late I couldn't help thinking as I cut tiles and Rian layed them, how much we owe Pepa and Grandpa for the genetics we have to do projects like these.

I am not gifted with the ability or patience to paint. But give me a saw or specialty tool and I can figure out how to operate it. I also seem to have the ability to see a project start to finish.

I guess you could say we are blessed with the ability to turn a sows ear into a silk purse (or some semblance of).

Friday we hauled some freezers, toys, refrigerators, lawn implements and such until late in the day! The carpet layer was busy R & R ing carpet. I think by Saturday night all but the dining room will have the floor covered, and it will be getting wood laminate later!

Oh, I failed to mention I had taken the boys Christmas present to them. For this past Christmas we had given the boys a trampoline. BUT, their Dad preferred we keep it until they moved. Needless to say, the boys were pumped about their new toy!

Rian and Erica's new home is going to be awesome! Four bedroom, two and a half bath, gorgeous kitchen complete with bar and island, casual and formal dining room, large family room, and the back porch is huge! In my books the biggest drawback is the size of the yard. The back yard is near a half acre! Yikes! The entire lot is an acre. Large fenced back yard.

Erica is using a lot of color inside. The porch was Rian's special project. It may take some time, but it will be gorgeous inside and out!

This home is ten years old, and has had virtually no landscaping done. I would almost bet you that Rian with possibly some help from Uncle Kyle, will tend to that.

We did talk some about installing a lawn sprinkler system. I figure we could do it in two days. (By the way, they have their own water well!). I see some BIG gear sprinkler heads in their future! ARRRRRR aaarrrrgh!!!!!!!!

Today the move continues. While there has been a steady stream of people in and out of the house, today people are off!

Let the games begin!

Ouch! If I am physically able I may reward myself with a margarita or two!

Probably my biggest disappointment was the fluctuation in material we were working with. Tiles that were bowed, tiles that were not square. There are cheap materials and there are expensive materials. Sometimes expensive is not expensive, and sometimes cheap is "cheap".

Oh, for the good ol' days! Pride in workmanship!

I did run across a business opportunity while in Lubbock. I can't help but think about it! A company is wanting to expand to Abilene and is looking for someone to run the operation for them and eventually own it. The big cheese was not available so I didn't learn if there is a franchising fee or not!

Have a weekend!

FATHER, thank YOU for projects that go well. I lift up all of Rian and Erica's friends that have stopped by and unloaded something or picked up a paint brush or simply helped to clean. Bless those who brought food and refreshment by. Bless those who are helping them move. I lift up Rian and Erica and the boys new home for YOUR blessing!