Rub-a-Dub...a Chick in THAT Tub

You remember THAT tub, right???  I had the old tub for sale on Craigslist and a local Facebook group sale page and had several opportunities to meet weirdos interesting people.

Sunday was the best!  A friend gifted several day lily and monkey grass plants for the new place from her own garden, so the Bobcat and I spent the morning temporarily planting them.  I hope it rains enough to keep them healthy until I can find a more permanent home for them.

While digging in the dirt, another tub-interested party arrived in their big ole' Jeep.  They seemed normal.  I was skeptical, but paraded them through the house to the tub anyhow.  The husband was fascinated with the house and we all know I love a fellow rehab geek!  He and I continued to bro out while his wife decided if the tub would work for her.

He called his buddy with a pickup and she asked him to run her to the ATM for the cash I requested.  Yes!  They were taking it!  No more poop tub!  What?  You'll take the toilet too?  Sure, I'll throw it in for free.

This couple was an awesome hoot!  He asked if I would take his wife to the ATM while he and Bobcat used his Jeep to pull out a shrub root or two.  Uh, yeah.  Have at it, dude.  I liked this group so much!  His buddy and buddy's wife showed up and we all went at loading the tub and toilet in the truck.

We ended up drinking beer on the porch, laughing it up and planning the exterior paint job that his buddy (tub picker upper/professional painter) could do for me.  We joked about loading up the girls in the back of the truck in the tub and sending them down the road like that.  Then this happened:

Ooooo, gurl!  She classy.

What a sport!  She hopped right up there and posed for me.  I can't wait to hang out with these guys!

FOLLOW UP:  This week, Nick and I decided to turn this mess...

...into a NEW bathroom!  YES! Two bathrooms!!!  That door is from the back bedroom and it'll have a full shower, toilet and sink.  Perfect!

I plan on keeping that door and frosting the glass for a kitschy retro look.  Here's how it looks after Nick's demo magic:

Look 'ma!  I got a straight roof line!

The footers and foundation should be started Monday.  All the plumbing demo is done.  Stay tuned for more!

Salvage Says What???

Do you guys shop construction salvage?  I'm talking Craigslist, Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Salvation Army...these places are GOLD MINES for inexpensive, quality, used architectual elements, cabinets, lighting, furniture, you name it!

Here's the poop holder cast iron claw foot tub I'm selling on Craigslist.

Fecal Free $300

I drug two girlfriends to Habitat for Humanity's ReStore on two separate days this week.  I needed two 30 inch matching, 1920's period, doors for my new seven foot closet.  You read right.  Seven glorious feet of floor-to-nine-foot-ceiling, closet.  In my bedroom.  In the Highlands.  Boom.  <insert your extreme jealousy here>

Nick, the contractor, had asked me twice if I'd been by the house yet.  That's so unlike him.  He never gets sups excited or fired up.  Ever.  What's up with that?  Leave me alone, Nick!  I'm TRYING to shop...gah.

After a near death, Highlands driving experience, my friend (remains nameless) and I, in her trusty pickup toted home my new treasures: two doors $25 each...with hardware!

This is why Nick is pseudo-Chrissy excited!!!

Framing for the NEW pantry.  Icky fridge used to be here.

Guest room closet; waaaay bigger than the previous one.

Angelic new bedroom closet & fab doors to boot...he's modifying the opening for the doors, don't be skeerd.

Framing in bathroom.  Look at that chimney!

What a delightful surprise!  Speaking of surprises...I have one for you all!  Check out my post tomorrow.  It may, or may not, also involve fecal matter.

Crappy Scrappers & Just Plain Crap

In the dark basement corner sits this little gem:

Giant furnace oil cistern--full of oil

I placed an ad on Craigslist in hopes of getting some toothless aggression, scrap lovin', hustler to get it out for me.

Boy, did I luck out! Like the unwritten rules of Craigslist dictate, first come, first serve.  The first kid came with a rust bucket pickup.  Alone.  Without tools.  The conversation went as follows:

Me:  "Hi there!  Do you have help coming?"
Scrapper:  "I'z real strong.  I got dis.  Where's yo' drain?"
Me:  "My drain?  For what?"
Scrapper:  "I'z gots to get dis oils out."
Me:  "You...want...to put furnace oil down the drain?!"
Scrapper:  "Uh, yeah."
Me:  "Get out." (Okay, so I may have said, "Go get something to drain into and dispose of this oil and tools and help.  Call me when you're ready."  Get out would have been a better choice.)

Another sketch guy showed up to "check out this job".  He, at least, had a plan of attack to return later with the right tools and such.  This time I begged my friend and her husband to come wait with me while he crept around in the basement.  He was late but was kind enough to text me every mile he got closer in traffic.  Seriously.

I'm three miles out...I'm a mile out...Traffic is bad...I'm a few blocks away...I'm 'bout pulled up...I'm in front of your house.

It was a different guy.  I still haven't figured out how I crossed wires and forgot the second weirdo, but there was this man with his three helpers, ages 13, 11 and 7.  I admire your use of child labor, sir!

He started by draining the oil and asked if I needed anything else hauled away.

Well, don't mind if I do!

We found cooked spaghetti on the wall behind this medal delight!

CSI: Louisville...dun, dun, dun.

I guess the cloth was a modified humidifying device?

Those kids were Hauses!  Dad ran around and they jumped when he barked.  They even swept up the crumbly messes left when they pulled out the A/C unit.  I'm impressed!

When the truck was full and the oil was still draining, he asked to come back the next day.  Sure, why not?  He clearly had his crap together!  See you mañana, sir!  He lifted the hood, wire started his loaded down pickup and drove away.  This was Wednesday.  He never came back.  <sad face>

Anyone need a furnace oil cistern?