Where's Bob?

There he is! He's taking a sledge hammer to the kitchen tile. For three days he tortured his ears, breathed cement dust, scratched himself with broken tile, nails, and chicken wire. Why? The house is going on the market and an updated kitchen will pay back the cost five-fold, or so he's told.

What a mess! There is a fine layer of dust throughout the house now - not the usual furry kind, but gritty cement powder that defies vacuuming and sweeping.

Bob had company, too. Rocket and Nick stayed for the week. Nick had a job painting elsewhere. Below is Rocket on his favorite perch. From here he can see to the kitchen and down to the front door.

Rocket, doing his cat imitation.

Below, is the kitchen tonight, a scene of multi-tasking. It will be even more fun when he has to remove the sink tomorrow. Bob is now onto stripping wallpaper that has melded with the skim coat of drywall mud behind it. NEVER, I repeat, NEVER put up wallpaper!!! You or one of your survivors will pay dearly someday.

Plans call for granite counters and new sink, recessed lighting, cabinets professionally painted white with new hardware, new flooring, new counter depth refrigerator, and no wallpaper.

So poor Bob will not be hiking, doing night photography, consulting with Obama, or his other usual hobbies, although he will get some relief on bird rescue days. He is getting an education, though. To be continued.