Measurements, Mice, Minutes, and Mountains

Size matters. 

Yep, size can be the deciding factor between stir crazy and 2006 Britney Spears crazy (Dad, just google it).  And by size, I specifically mean 3 inches.  3 inches is the total size discrepancy between a cabinet and the window.  

Not a great pic, didn't think to take one during this dark hour

I tried to look past it. Told myself no one would notice if the sink wasn’t perfectly centered beneath my beautiful new picture window, but in the end, why do a project of this size if we aren’t going to do it right [words of both my contractor and kitchen layout designer, who were just as frustrated with the delay; proof I am surrounded by the right people].  The problem with 3 inches, however, is that it quickly converts into more minutes. I find myself in a “Give the Mouse a Cookie” scenario with everything else the 3 inches are asking for.

Simple solution would be to switch out one cabinet and replace it with one 3 inches wider.  Boom. Problem solved.  But then comes the glass of milk. Too bad the space beside it would then be too small for my dishwasher. Believe me, after almost 2 months of renovations and washing my crock pot with a garden hose, I might cut someone who suggests I could just get a “mini-dishwasher.” Why can’t you just shift the cabinets down to give the dishwasher enough room and not have to change all the bottom cabinets?  What are the odds this house has a random uneven wall around our doorway [approx. 3 inches for the dramatic touch] that prevents cabinets from going past?  Well if you’ve been following this blog, pretty damn likely.  Ok, so I’ve accepted that multiple cabinets will need to be reordered, neat.  The turnaround on the new set of custom cabinets is rather impressive, I’ll receive them [and possibly have them installed] in less than 4 weeks. Not sure what magic had to be pulled for that one, but I’m appreciative.  But then the mouse needs a straw.  Unfortunately, until the cabinets are in, the stone fabricator is not willing to cut my piece of quartzite.  I didn’t realize that the slab they brought in for me from Columbus was so rare, there is a very low probability they will be able to find another white fusion to match my island and they aren’t willing to take the chance to cut it wrong, again, good people looking out for me. Once they template…another week for them to cut my slab before install.  The mirror/scissors/broom/nap/story are the backsplash/painting/hood/cooktop/sink that cannot be installed until the counters are in. And down the spiral we go. It looks like 3 inches have added 3+ weeks. My November 2^nd guess is no longer a possibility. However, the original goal was Thanksgiving, and if everything goes as schedule now, we will make it.  

Smokey and Dolly 

We had to get out of the house. Not because anything dangerous was happening in the house, but because I was becoming dangerous being in the house. Plus, the only way to get my husband to stop working is to take him to a place where his phone doesn’t. 

Fall Break.  I don’t really remember this being a big deal when I was in school, not even sure if it existed, but now that the kiddos are at a school vs. daycare, off to the mountains we went. 

My heart is in the Smokey Mountains.  Some people go to the beach to unwind, my happy place is up windy trails with unending views.  Coupled with perfect weather and my kiddos [one with a talent for one-liners], it was an incredibly fun few days.  

You know, except for our security system going off and having to have two police corporals go through our house, avoiding the construction, sweeping room by room while we have spotty service at a tourist attraction.  I was panicking, Steve sipped coffee while checking the UT score [painful].  He really figured out how to relax.  Turns out, one of our door sensors fell off the door [3M Command Strip, I’m looking at you], and then the motion sensor saw it fall.  Hence, how it looked like someone opened a door and walked into the house. Props to a killer security system [SimpliSafe, what what], they have been on top of multiple mini-non-issues [like my toddler putting a water sensor in her mouth, got a call in less than 10 seconds] since we got them in March.   

We went to Dollywood and to Clingman’s Dome, looked for bears in Cades Cove and ate too much food on the Gatlinburg strip.  I am not sure if the kids will remember the trip [or can even process the views they saw], but they will certainly remember the sweet stuffed black bears that sit on each of their beds, Smokey and Dolly.