tiling has begun

 I kind of want to cry, but not for the reasons I wanted to cry earlier. 

I got up to go to the bathroom and I peeked in the back entryway of my kitchen (it has two entryways opposite each other on the end closest to the south side of the house - one would face west, the other east. (I think they originally had doors on them, back in the old days - there are spots where hinges went, I presume there were lots of interior doors so rooms could be closed off in the cold because this house used to just have little gas heaters in each room)

Anyway, they were putting down tile.

I am so relieved. This may actually end some time.

Also, the helper-guy just brought in the second box of tile - I bought six, but it seems likely they will only need five; Martin suggested I get six in case I ever want to take the ceramic tile out of the little laundry area (a former entryway) and replace it, though I suppose also it's helpful in case any of the tiles were damaged (one of the boxes Dana and I looked at, that had been opened, one of the tiles had a chip out of its side).

I just....all the feels. I can't quite believe this will be done with soon. Knowing Martin, if there's any way he can totally finish today, he will. Not sure if they bought the bullnose or whatever it is they will use as a join between the tile and the floor in the adjoining rooms, that will probably be the last step. But they've at least got the tile down in the stove area, and I know they patched the giant hole in the floor. 

No more mice, I hope. Good grief, a winter without mice - or at least with very few mice- would be so wonderful. 

I'm just so TIRED. I realized I feel some of the same emotions and having some of the same mental issues - flakey memory, difficulty controlling my emotions - that I felt during grief, and then during the worst of the pandemic. I suppose it's stress and also maybe lack of being out of the house doing things, and lots of sitting around waiting. Hopefully it will get better once all this is over and once I start teaching again. This past month has been A LOT. But yeah, it's been a month- a month and 2 days ago the Dumpster showed up, and one day short of a month ago they started the siding demolition. It feels MUCH longer than that (and probably for y'all reading this, it feels longer). 

Update: Box 4 of the tile has just been brought in the house. The room looks like it's maybe 2/3 to 3/4 done. Martin is cutting white bullnose trim to install in the thresholds between the kitchen and the other rooms. Hopefully they have no reason NOT to get it done today.