The old claw foot bathtub weighs as much as three pregnant elephants. When the plumber told me he and the carpenter would carry it upstairs by themselves I cringed. I didn't mean to! I do have confidence in their ability. They are big strong guys, but hey that old iron bathtub is heavier than it looks.
They asked their friend to come and help; A man of a certain age… when I greeted him at the door he shook my hand and nearly crushed it to smithereens. "Welcome to the team." I smiled as I rubbed my hand behind my back.
French Husband and I scrapped the paint off the old bathtub down to the bare iron. Though on this side, the side that will face the wall, the side that is evident to you I didn't bother to take the old paint off. Mr. Exact (aka French Husband) is embarrassed by that fact. Mrs. Approximate (that is me) grabbed his face and kissed it a hundred times and told him to sweetly to shut up.
Sometimes you gotta tell a man like mine that it is perfectly perfect to be imperfect. Especially when it comes to NOT scrapping off the side of the bathtub that will be facing the wall.
Okay, as you see there is not a guard rail, no wall, just a free open staircase. I also have no small children. It is a sheer drop from one floor to the next. But it is sure handy when you have to carry three pregnant elephants up or down the stairs.
The carpenter has a doubt. He is thinking, "That dang Americaine and her crazy ideas."
Flip and slip. The bathtub is inside.
Note:
To answer the some of the questions asked in the last two posts:
1. Where am I going to put my towels, toiletries and stuff like that? I'll find a small armoire or chest of drawers to put on the side. I am not a girlie girl when it comes to toiletries. I have very little, and do not like clutter.
2. The blue tiles were admired by many. I am sorry. Chelsea was sad too, she wanted me to keep them for when she has a house someday. But well that didn't happen.
3. The other bathroom is grayish brown.
4. Funny you
should mention the charcoal drawings that I have in the other bathroom…
When I bought them, years ago at a brocante in my little village, I also
bought three drawings of nude men from the same artist (1920 Sepyr) I have been
thinking to put them in the new bathroom.
Sacha about died when I told him of my thoughts.
Thanks for encouraging me 😉
5. The exposed facade must be covered. It will keep the house warmer. (If you must know the truth French Husband has to have his way sometimes…but only sometimes.)
6. My Wedding ring… I have looked in my gloves, the dryer, under the bed, in the bed, in the washing machine, in the drain pipes, in the laundry hamper, in my pockets, in my purse, I have licked the floors clean, and gone through the boxes I had put in the closet. I have not yet prayed to St Anthony. Because I believe I should give it my best shot before I pray to him.
7. For the first 15 years of married life we had a bathroom smaller than a broom closet. It had a small sink, a mirror, a towel rack and an old washer tub. The bathroom was about five feet by five feet counting the space where the tub sat. When we bought this house the bathrooms felt like mini castles. I love every inch of them.
8. Don't tell anyone but I am not going to paint the tub. It looks good as it is.
Okay tomorrow I promise not to talk about the bathroom… nor my ring.
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