I’ll spare you a detailed description of my search for a cabinet. In brief, I tried the nicer cabinet vendors and they were aloof and expensive. I considered building my own vanity since I’d seen some pretty talented women doing just that on the Retro Renovation website simply because they couldn’t find the mid-century style they wanted. In the end I went to the nearest big building supply store and ordered everything from the nice man at the desk there in the kitchen and bathroom planning department.

Once everything, vanity from one manufacturer, countertop from another, was ordered and — gulp — paid for, I had to wait.

Then, the vanity was delivered on a fine October day in a big box and a few little boxes. I’d been told the counter makers would come to the house to measure their template only when the vanity was firmly installed. Um, what does that leave out of the picture? Perhaps what a gal’s to do without a sink in the meantime?

Anyway, I started tearing out Old Ugly that very day.

I had to call someone to help me remove the vanity, though, and luckily found a very skilled handyman who did the job. He also promised to come back and install my sink once the countertop was installed.

He also helped me actually unbox the new vanity, but wasn’t able to help me install it since he had another job to rush off to. He said he could come back a few days later, but I really didn’t want to spend any more money and instead spent days trying to figure out how I would do it myself.

Sure, I could put a hole in the vanity floor for the pipes to fit through with my drill attachment, but how to then LIFT the vanity up and over those pipes, two of which stuck up about two feet in the air, all by myself?

I really did spend days trying to think inside the box, outside the box: how does a weak(ish) woman lift such a bulky object straight up TWO FEET into the air and then back down carefully? HOW?

The countertop template people came out and measured. I had been told it would take about ten working days for it to be made and delivered once the design was approved by the store I’d ordered it at.

I figured that would be two or three weeks if I got lucky.

A week later I got a call and was told the laminate I’d chosen had a SIX WEEK LEAD TIME. My alternative choices, too, since — I’ll surmise — they are all retro style laminates that no one but crazies like me want, hence are not kept in stock.

ARG! My first visitor was supposed to arrive Monday! She said it’d be no problem to use the kitchen sink, but I thought it was a problem.

I looked around me and thought up another mad scheme.

I called the handyman and proposed he help me carry it through.

He agreed and it was done.

But WAIT, you’ll say, if you haven’t fallen asleep.

What about the countertop?

Wait for it!

 

Of course, one of my next posts will have all problems solved and you’ll see my new countertop!

The beautiful old blue tub will have to wait in the garage a year, maybe two or three until I have the $$$ saved up for the complete renovation. In the meantime, I have lots more work to do around here. Tomorrow a builder is coming to save my porch (that thing again!).