Day whatever of our house remediation project and we await news from our contractor as to when he can start work on our project. He is currently substantially rebuilding a house for a friend; so there is some concern if and when he can fit us in.
The phone rings and Khun Somchai advises that our friend is currently scouring Thailand unsuccessfully for appropriate roof tiles; so he can start tomorrow on the destruction of our house; what she who must be obeyed calls “Phase 1”. I am hoping there is a phase 2 or else we will be living amongst rubble. He advises that he will take two days to remove the kitchen and the acres of tile that are to be replaced; which means that Saturday will see the contractor in full demolition mode in one part of the house; whilst the relatives are in adjacent rooms dismantling furniture and packing the fridge to send to the post office. While this mayhem is unfolding, the village committee will descend upon the house to discuss some of the more adventurous projects I have proposed to them as being condusive to the atmosphere of the village (I have doubts that the lighthouse will be approved). I foresee a perfect storm of shit on Saturday afternoon.
After congratulating ourselves on a speedy commencement to the project, we realise that the removal of all the tiles will be swiftly followed by the laying of new tiles; and we haven’t bought them yet. So it is off to Boonthavorn which used to be the place to go for tiles. We head upstairs to the tiling section. “What do you want?” asks a disinterested assistant. We tell her we are keen to procure a million square metres of her best tiles and she points to a corner with a manky selection before wandering off. There are a row of lights above the feeble display and we ask the disappearing assistant if they could be turned on. “They don’t work” she explains proudly and suggests we personally drag any tile we are interested in to another part of the shop in order to evaluate it. We use their toilet and leave.
On the way to Home Mart we stop at another place which is also called Home Mart (but owned by someone else my wife explains, who knows these things). It’s a bit shabby, but there is a tile that the management likes and, thanks to an assistant who is the precise opposite of the waste of space we met in Boonthavorn, they will be on a lorry to us on Saturday afternoon; ready for Khun Somchai to put them in the wrong place on Monday morning. Result.
Then it is off to the lady who is designing our new kitchen which will feature an island with a sink. My wife comes up with these ideas without actually thinking through how the water will arrive in the sink, and how it will be expelled after use. After some prodding she realised that Khun Somchai will need to dig a trench in the floor and lay some pipes before cementing tiles on top; which means we need to take some decisions on kitchen design.
After tile purchasing and kitchen designing it was off to the house where it seemed like a very good time to take our first dip in the pool. So we did, and it was pretty bloody marvellous. Surrounded by flowers in a completely quiet environment (apart from SWMBO splashing about). Almost worth the price of admission.
So tomorrow Khun Somchai arrives and the destruction commences. I remain cautiously pessimistic.
Comments 🔗
2014-07-03| Chang Noi saysDid they not tell you that tomorrow never comes?
2014-07-03| genuinej saysThis “project” is showing early signs of becoming a saga. It may help you to keep us amused and entertained for months.
2014-07-03| Andrew saysOh Oh…“Village committee " - …this spells many further amusements for us…probably not so many for Spike…although the late night pool parties will undoubtedly make up for it…
2014-07-04| BlogDaz saysHope the move and the refurbishment goes swiftly for you, and that you soon feel settled enough to take to the streets with your camera……..and furnish your blog with some more amazing pictures…..lol