Round Two...To the Wife

I am beginning to believe kitchens are like women's clothing. They get away with murder on what they charge, because women like this stuff. I found a perfectly good stainlees steel range for $450, but the wife had her eye on one for $2000. So, we "settled" at $1400. Most men would "settle" for a hot plate, and a countertop microwave.

Anyway...I am enjoying the demo more than I think I will enjoy the put back. Today, I tore out the old cooktop and cabinets to make room for the new range. Had to re-wire and install a 220V plug for the new stove which will be here Tuesday. Managed to do it without standing my hair straight up, or burning down the house. On a positive note, I am finally getting around to labeling the circuit box. I ended up turning off every item in the house in an effort to find the breaker for the old cooktop.

Some more befores and afters...

Change Order No. 1

This is why I don't hire a contractor to do this kind of work. Got the new fridge delivered yesterday, and had it placed where we thought we wanted it. Well, shit. This massive beast juts out into the kitchen so far, it looks like a wart on the rest of the kitchen. So, we figure I will be removing some additional cabinetry and placing the fridge in a different location.

I am attempting to post a few pics, showing the kitchen in its before state, and its current state, and the giant fridge.

The Battle is Joined

On September 11, 2008, I finally conceded, after seven years, one month and ten days, to move forward on the wife's much longed for kitchen renovation. She has been wanting to do this since we moved in, and I thought I had convinced her that puke yellow rubber counter tops and non-functioning kitchen sinks in the middle of the kitchen were making a comeback. But, alack and alas, she responded to my news of NOT getting the job in Amarillo, with the ominous phrase, "Sorry. Now here is what we are going to do to this house."

It began in glorious fashion last Thursday, as we spent a fun-filled afternoon, refrigerator shopping in the heaviest rainfall in the history of Lubbock. Battle One was fought to a draw, as we settled on a fridge that "split" the difference between my desired $600 model and her $2500 model. We settled at $1800.

Of course, stainless steel and granite are all we are considering, even though I showed her a nice piece of Formica that, to me anyway, had the exact same qualities of the granite. And how can I say no to a $1300 range with five burners (exactly 3 more than we use today) and a convection oven which will heat our nachos in half the time it usually takes? I have given up convincing her that yellow molded rubber and avocado were the granite and stainless of the 50's, and some day somebody will be wondering what the fuck we were thinking when we put all this stuff in.

In all seriousness, I repress the urge to push the cheapskate button every day. I want this to be nice, and exactly what she wants. (Don't tell her, but I think I may like the granite counter tops more than she does.) I am excited about the opportunity to build again. I will be doing all of the cabinet work myself.

Demo began Saturday, with the removal of the offending extra kitchen sink and accompanying cabinetry. I also removed the shelving that was blocking the view from the kitchen out the front windows. Of course, before we could begin, we had to pack all of the contents of these cabinets and shelves into boxes for safe keeping. She's such a girl. I was just going to stack everything in a corner in the computer room.

At any rate, it has begun, and I am only out $1800 so far. I have decided to shift my efforts to convincing her exposed walls and plumbing, offset by a shiny new stainless fridge are all the rage on the home improvement shows, and if we stop now, our home value could increase dramatically.

Stay tuned for how that works out.

Off to The Lake

I will be out of touch for a few days as I go off to meet my Aggie Buddies for the 31st Annual Big, Bad, Bodacious Bonfire and Cheap Wine Party at Possum Kingdom.

Although the bonfire has gotten smaller, nicer and more mundane...and the Cheap Wine is a thing of the past, I always look forward to getting together with these guys to catch up and re-live old times.

That lasts about 90 minutes. And then, they have pissed me off about something. I then begin to question why in the hell I look forward to seeing them every year. I think they do it on purpose. They enjoy it so much, I have acquired yet another nickname..."Mr. Grumpy". When they ask me why I am always in such a bitchy mood, I simply reply, "Look at the people I choose to hang out with!"

I will check back in a few days, assuming I have not been arrested for mass homicide.

Kinda Feels Like a Golf Tournament

Well, I found out today I was not the successful candidate for the District Engineer's position in Amarillo. (Yes, Elaine...Amarillo. Other than Lubbock, I can't think of a better place in Texas to call home.)

I will not deny that I am disappointed. Like anyone, I feel like I have been designated as not quite good enough. But, on the other hand, I am also relieved. I was seriously wanting the top job somewhere, but I truly want that job in my home town.

Now, it is a matter of waiting to see what becomes of my boss during the current shakeup in the MixMaster that is TxDOT. If he does not move on, I will make my peace doing the job I have done for the past 15 years. Longer than anyone else in my position at TxDOT by the way. I appear to be like a bad slice in golf. You can bitch all you want, but it just won't go away.

Amarillo by Mornin'

Well shit. Now I have done it. Last month I applied for the District Engineer's position in Amarillo. Got word Thursday, I have an interview next Tuesday for the position. In true TxDOT fashion, I will be interviewing for an Amarillo position, with my Austin based potential boss, in San Antonio. Go figure.

It has been 15 years since I had the one and only interview of my career. Could someone please tell me...are sandals, shorts and Hawaiian shirts still a bad idea in an interview?

Doesn't Make Me a Bad Person...or Does It?

Just got back Wednesday from another long anticipated two week break in Gunnison, CO. Got to figurin', I have been making the journey to central Colorado for 20 years now. The wife and her sister have never really gotten along, so many years ago, we conceded the 4th of July weekend to the sister, in exchange for a couple of weeks in late July and early August. Five years ago, I discovered the Dos Rios Open Golf Tournament around the same time, and we have never regretted the trade off.

This year, as we approached the Gunnison Valley, a call from the mother in law (aka "The Purse) informed us that the wife's sister had decided to leave her 14 year old son in Gunnison with the Grandfolk when they departed around the 4th. This youngster was scheduled to depart the weekend we arrived. As it turned out, he was there the entire time we were, and was still there when we departed.

Now, those that know me, know I don't like to complain...but, godammit, if I had wanted to be around kids, I would have had one of my own. At least I could have put him to work mowing the yard or something. I was looking forward to an escape from the BS of work, a little golf, a cigar or two, and relaxing along the banks of the Gunnison River. What I was not looking for was a new 14 year old best friend. This kid wanted to be with Uncle Bat all the time. "Where are you going?" became the grating question, even if all I was doing was shifting on the couch to scratch my ass.

To be honest, it really did not bother me much, except at night. The tradition in Gunnison has always been at 9:00 p.m., the wife and in-laws go to bed, and I get a couple of exquisite hours of "me time". I watch what I want, I think about the tournament, uninterrupted, I scratch, I fart, I basically don't give a shit about life in general.

Not this year...my new best friend thought it was the coolest thing to stay up late with his uncle. As I searched the TV bands he kept calling for me to stop on programs like "Hurl", a show that combines competitive eating with stomach churning carnival rides until the contestants, you guessed it, "hurl". I kept stopping on Discovery and History in the hopes of putting him to sleep, but to no avail.

Finally, on the 10th night of the "vacation" I thought I caught a break. He left the room at 10:00 p.m., and I thought, "At least I can get in a hour or so of 'me time'". Not to be.

At 10:45, the mother in law and nephew came into the living room to announce the kid's heart rate was bouncing along at a nice 180 beats a minute. "Have him sit down and relax for 15 minutes, to see if it comes down," said I, with genuine concern in my voice. (I really wanted to see the end of the show I was watching.) As I suspected, his heart rate had changed 15 minutes later. Now, it was up to 190 beats a minute.

So, Uncle Bat loaded up the kid and the mother in law, and headed to the emergency room. (Yes, I woke up the wife to let her know what was going on). By he time we got him in, and hooked up to monitors, his rate had surpassed 230 beats a minute. A lot of things happened, blood was drawn, test were run and a lot of nurses and doctors talked. Bottom line, we don't know what caused it, but they suspect caffeine from energy drinks and Frappucino's. They iced him down, and got his rate back under control. They told us to keep him away from caffeine, and if it happened again, to immerse his face in ice water. I asked if throwing his ass in the Gunnison River would accomplish the goal and was told yes. I kept that prescription firmly tucked in my pocket the rest of the trip.

For better or worse, I had my two week brush with fatherhood. Sweet holy Moses, I am glad I met the wife, and we both share a similar disdain for offspring. I will stick with the canine variety. A simple $500 vet bill, and we were on our way back to Lubbock. (For more on the vet bill...stay tuned.)