Preparation

One of the first things people ask me about my trip is - "Do you have any idea how to do house construction?" The answer is a big NO! Still, one has to try to help, even when that person is not so good at the task.

But I can also prepare by "practicing" at home. We had a few tiles loose in our shower and the wife decided they needed to be fixed ASAP. Since I have a bit more time on my hands, I thought I could take it on. The wife thought this was a terrible idea (see first paragraph) as I would surely mess it up. Shockingly, I ignored her suggestions and comments and pushed ahead. Pulling up the loose tiles revealed even more loose tiles and well, the project grew. Some seriously cracked grout further complicated the efforts.

Still, I pressed onward. I decided I needed colored grout - and the local hardware store did not carry it. I found a tile store and managed to get the correct (I prayed) grout. With all the right pieces, I was ready to do the work.

Using a grout rake, I sanded down some of the grout that was cracked. I replaced the loose tile with tile cement and let it sit for a night. Then I mixed the grout (with the expert help of my construction specialist brother-in-law from the ski slopes - B Square Construction for those of you in the Frederick Maryland area) and started to fill in the areas needing it. Following the cleanup, I had an anxious 24 hours of waiting until the grout had finally cured.

And the results are now visible (left). The repaired tiles and grout are shown with some of the existing tiles. It is a decent effort that even the wife appreciated. Someone who had no clue would never know which tiles I had replaced.

So armed with my skills as a "tiler", I am now fully prepared to head to New Orleans and build a house!