Day 9: Tile-Laying Machine!

The credit union that I work at was closed to day. Actually, I think all banks were closed... but I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about me - surprise! =)

So I had a day off in the middle of the week and I was originally going to get my house picked up and do some other stuff, but Bonham is working on a HUGE tile job for a very pushy investor (he's not really that pushy... it's my father-in-law. Hi Robert!) and he pays very quickly when the job is done (right, Robert?) , so I wanted to help Bonham move it along.... and Bonham likes my company! Normally, when I go help him with a job, I stand around and hold tools or materials until he needs them and then I hand them to him or I clean up behind him.

But today Bonham said that he was going to teach me how to tile. I figured that he would let me lay one piece and then ask me to clean something or go get something.... so I didn't really pay attention when he started working. I watched him, but it was that mindless kind of watching where you're thinking about a million other things and wondering, 'when's lunch?' and 'what if I need to use the bathroom?'.
Well, then he gets up and said, 'Put your knee pads on.'
'Why?' I said.
'Because you are going to lay tile and your knees are going to hurt if you don't'.

For those of you who have never laid tile, your knees will hurt even if you do where knee pads!

He told me to lay these 3 pieces of tile and he would be back.... I was shocked and confused. When I came back in, I really hadn't done anything. So I asked him to show me one more time.... and this time, I paid attention very carefully....
Have you ever watched your husband or dad do something with the greatest of ease and you think, 'okay, I've got this!' and then you try it and it's so incredibly hard and you just feel awkward? Well, that is how I felt. I finally got the hang of it and I tiled the majority of a kitchen floor. I probably laid about 50-60 square feet of tile. And it actually looks pretty good. Bonham even told me that I did better than a friend of his (who will remain nameless for my protection). Let's just say that this friend considers himself 'handy' and he is a guy, so that is even more cool that I can do guy stuff better than a guy.

I like being a girl, but there is something really cool about being able to do physical labor/guy stuff with your husband. Bonham is on his own tomorrow... it's back to work for me! =)