This is no saga by any stretch. I know enough to know that. But I'll still tell ...

I ordered the mosaic piece in mid to late September. I was told six to eight weeks. It was more like ten. Yes, it's Italian, so what?

The week the pieces arrived, I finalized the design with the in-store designer.

She had recommended a person to install her design since we hadn't been happy with the subcontractor who did our bathrooms, laundry room and fireplace.


I corresponded exclusively with the wife and, after the mosaic arrived, she ordered the field tile, a simple tumbled marble in ivory. It's usually in stock but this time it took a couple of weeks to come in.

So she wanted to start last week but it wouldn't be finished by the weekend. And we were having company, so we declined. Then she wanted to start Christmas Eve! I said, "Certainly you have social engagements!" She didn't answer but offered to start Tuesday - Christmas! Doesn't her appointment book have the holidays marked?

We agreed to start Day After Christmas, at which point I realized that I hadn't paid for the field tile yet. And the tile store was closed until Day After Christmas, when they planned to pick up the tile "first thing." But people aren't as diligent as they profess, and I was able to slip in a payment in time. And, of course, they can't pick up tile and begin setting it the same day. So they came "first thing" this morning, 9:30, to begin setting.

There was a problem with the ivory 2 X 2's: they didn't fit without cutting. "Looks great on paper," the guy said. It's a remarkable thing, the designer's CAD produces drawings that don't work in the real world! But instead of using the ivory stone pencil to border the mural, he used the Ambrato stone pencil which is thinner. Everything fits nicely but he'll be short materials when it's time to run the border along the counter-length.

So I let him know that and he said his wife will pick up some more. Cha-ching. Why are they always sloppy with the expensive stuff?!

Incidentally, the sample of faux finish on the hood is a copper-like, metallic look that we'll probably do darker, to match the oil-rubbed bronze fixtures.

More tomorrow. Maybe he'll seal it on Saturday and have a Happy New Year.