Most Valuable Tool

Although our renovation project is not yet complete, we have come far enough along that it is time to celebrate the award for the Most Valuable Tool.


I have a lot of people to thank for helping me during this project. Only some of them are tools. Okay, just kidding. The awards for knowledge, labour, effort and strength will be celebrated in a different blog post. This one is about inanimate objects and power tools.


While I am a great proponent for the having access to the right tool (in the right place, at the right time) for each task, there has to be something said for the tool that has made the most difference in the project. Recognition is awarded based on the following criteria:

• Greatest impact on the final outcome
• Most efficient use of my time
• Least extra special skill involved in learning to use the tool properly

Before we get down to recognizing the top contenders, let's pay homage to all the little tools out there, that get their little day-to-day uses and get taken for granted. Is there a light switch in your life that you should be thanking?

In this reno project, those little tools are the screwdrivers, hammers, levels, drills, sanders, pliers, even the toolbox itself, along with paint brushes, drywall spatulas, and saws.

Thanks to all the little tools. Yes, you made a difference. Couldn't have done it without you.

But now, onto the real reason we're all here. The coveted Most Valuable Tool award.

There is one tool, which is always there for me. Whether it be all-purpose camping repair, automotive repair, house repair, etc., the list goes on and on, this tool is always reliable. However, I am surprised to note that during the last 3 months of house renovations, duct tape has not been required! There is no special recognition at this time for duct tape.

Now that we've got that shocking surprise out of the way, I will announce the third runner-up. The newest tool in the collection, making a very quick job of the baseboards, and showing potential for a multitude of other jobs in the future, but requiring a fair bit of effort to get to know how to use really efficiently and effectively, the miter saw. In second place, being recognized for very efficient work, being very easy to use, diversified uses, and having great impact on the overall project, the crow bar.
Let's take a look back at some of the work of the crow-bar. You can see how influential the crow-bar was on the floors, as well it had a lot to do with the absence of the old kitchen cupboards from these walls.

And now, first place, the winner of the Most Valuable Tool in my 2009 kitchen renovation project. This tool required no special skills to learn how to use. In fact many people along the way used this tool during this project. It had a HUGE impact on the day-to-day project. It was used at almost every stage of the project, through the demolition, the electrical cable pulling stage, the floors, the door, the drywalling, the lighting, the cupboard installation, the counter top installation, and the plumbing. This was a tool that was there alongside the workers and the other tools each and every day. This tool made it possible for me to work, and was very, very efficient. Ladies and gentlemen, the Shop Vac.

The Shop Vac would pick up anything, not just dust, but industrial, construction and demolition dust. Nails, screws, chunks of drywall, you name it. If I couldn't pick it up with my hands, I sucked it up with the Shop Vac. I had to clean out the filter a few times in my backyard, and each time I remember thinking I'd rather have all this crap out here than in my house, under my feet, and up my nose.

Let's take a look back at how dirty and dusty this project has been, and how much this vacuum sucks.

The Shop Vac has been responsible for picking up after pretty much every other tool listed in this post, and I think it has been the most important tool I have had around the house for the last 3 months.

(To all of those readers who thought I was going on about beer: Beer is not a tool.)

Weekend of visits and meetings and connections

Big thanks to D for helping with our kitchen stuff this weekend.

Hello to J and baby A, who stopped by to say hello.

As mentioned, R&G from Montreal made us laugh.

Welcome back to W, who flew in from the prairies. She said her arms were tired.

Shout out to D and B who are going to figure it out. You got my prayers.

And all of the above was only Saturday! No wonder this reno is taking so long!

Granite counters

The thing about granite is that it is a natural stone. This means that it has veins and collections of particles of various other kinds of natural materials and precious metals scattered throughout. This is part of what makes it so appealing. I like that it depends what angle I am looking at it from, and which light is on, for me to see a variety of different things. It's not your basic formica counter.

Looking at a 45 degree angle with lots of light, it reflects almost like a polished mirror.

Looking more from a 10 to 20 degree angle, you can see deposits of copper, and the interesting veining.

And then taking a few steps back, it becomes one basic colour, and lets the rest of the kitchen colours compliment it.

R&G+1

We had a wonderful visit from our friends R & G who were in town for the weekend. Of course our home is not quite yet ready for full on hosting, but we were able to sit in the sunny backyard for a couple of hours with some cheese and crackers, and catch up. The thing I like most about R & G is that when A & I are with them, we laugh a lot. I really appreciate that about them. I wish we could see them more often.

G is 7 months along, and looking wonderful. In this photo you can see how I draped a weed from my lawn on her pregnant belly, just because I am a strange creep.

The conversation inevitably turned to bacon, because R is just as passionate (maybe more so) as I am about it. I miss bacon. I will soon be cooking bacon in my new kitchen.