Last year we remodeled the hideous pink and gray bathroom. The counter top was not a standard size, the floor tiles were adhered with some sort of super-concrete mixture that wouldn't come up and when it came time to install the surround for our new tub we discovered that the walls in the bathroom were not square. I am very pleased with the end result, but the bathroom project was a nightmare. Nothing went as we thought it should. I should have known that the project for this fall would not go as planned either.
Our refrigerator is perhaps living it's last productive days. My husband, Galen, and I have talked about what we would like to have for a fridge and decided on a french-door, freezer on the bottom model with water and ice in the door. We have learned our lesson on prior projects so we measured and remeasured the size of the current hole for the existing refrigerator. True to the rest of our house the existing space is about 2 inches smaller than the majority of family-sized refrigeration units on the market.
Being the trooper he is, Galen said, "Pick the fridge you want and we'll make it work". Music to my ears. We looked and looked and found the perfect fridge, got all it's measurements and went back to the kitchen. My husband and father-in-law determined they could cut out part of the (non supporting) wall and trim 1/2" off the bottom of the cabinet to allow space to easily accommodate the normal-sized refrigerator. A couple hours with a saws-all and a little drywall and they have it ready to go. Unfortunately someone, who will remain nameless, wanders in and innocently asks , "Why didn't you cut the cabinet", "We don't need to cut the cabinet because we have the 69 1/2 inches we need." "Um, boys, you need 69 3/4" not 69 1/2!" It was written down, really it was, right in front of them on the counter! Regardless of the measuring snafu they decided to pick up the fridge anyway to see if it fit. That is when the fun really began.
I can only say that I am really very thankful that I was not home to witness this 3 hour saga to get the refrigerator into the house. Nobody ever thought to measure the entryways. I did get a play-by-play via text message from my 16 year-old daughter who was the only witness to the action. While still in the box the fridge was a full three inches wider than the door. They boys removed the packaging and still couldn't get it through. Daughter gleefully reports, "They are going to remove the handles!"
"Good idea", I reply.
"It says AVOID REMOVING HANDLES right on them"!
"I don't think I want to know anymore!"
"Okay, but you are going to have to come in the back door when you get home".
Ugh. Double ugh. I was able to get through the front door when I got home. I had to trudge through what looked like a major explosion of packing material, but the refrigerator was inside the house. Bless his heart, Galen smashed his finger and got the handle of the freezer scratched up, but the refrigerator is in the house! Today, the girls were checking out the new fridge and noticed that it says very clearly on the front door of the fridge that if the unit won't fit through the door do not remove the handles but remove both doors entirely. They chuckled about men never reading the directions-- I can't imagine where they would have heard that before! (Gulp!)
We still have to address the little measuring issue that occurred earlier to get the fridge to fit, but we are moving in the right direction. Hopefully by the end of the weekend the fridge will be where it belongs. I am thankful I missed most of the drama, I got home in time to clean up the mess and kiss the wounded finger.
Things in life just don't always go the way we plan them. Some bumps in the road are so painful it takes years to recover our footing. Some bumps you just have to laugh at because it just isn't worth making a fuss over. Life is too short. God is with us for the big bumps and the little ones. I am thankful that when the going gets rough he will be there, day or night- even if the fuss is only over getting the new refrigerator in the house!
I would imagine there will be more surprises to come for whatever project awaits us in the future. God already knows what those troubles will be and is patiently waiting for us to come to Him when the time comes.
In His Peace -
No comments:
Post a Comment