October 9th, 2007

So we've had this problem with cracking grout around the bathtub tiles. I thought that it was the result of my inexperience from grouting it a couple of years ago, so I got out my knife and started grinding away at it so that I could re-apply and re-seal.

But, no.

Water had gotten in behind the tiles several years ago, leaving the glue rotted and leaving black mold. Ew, yuck. So I had to remove tiles, scrape down the backing (which was dry, thus meaning that the water incursion had stopped a long time ago) and then re-gluing, re-tiling, re-grouting.

The whole thing took a few days because glue needs 24 hours to dry, grout needs 24 more hours to dry, and the whole thing needs about 24 hours to dry first anyhow. So by the time I was done and we could start taking showers again, 4 days had gone by. And, as always, the whole thing cost a lot more than the $10 in grout that I was hoping to spend.

But it had to be done: Water damage to the unit below ours would be our responsibility. And the guy living downstairs is plain and simple bonzo big-time crazy. I mean, sometimes he comes and bangs on our door just to tell us that he knows we are part of the Irish Gang and that he worked with me years ago in a lumber yard in Hong Kong, and that he knows we are all conspiring against him.

Oh, and then there's that time burglars broke into his condo and rearranged his Franklin Mint collection of plates ...

So, you can see why I would be a bit obsessive about keeping water from trickling down into his place. I really want to avoid contact with him!

Well, anyhow, the shower is sealed again and it looks nice and clean and solid now, so I am happy about that. :-)

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