Adventure Achieved!

                              Columbus 1

Kortney Columbus

1-16-17

Adventure assignment

Put My Fingers Where?

Friday night as my husband and I were getting ready to button up the house for the night I asked what his plans were for Saturday? He looked at me with this mischievous grin and chirps, “You are going to help me tile!” For real, who does this man think he married???  I smiled back and hesitantly replied, “ok why not?!” Really, I could think of a hundred reason why not but I was up for a challenge…I guess. What could be so hard about it? I have watched tons of those DIY home improvement shows on HGTV and “This Old House” on PBS. I got this!

As I laid in bed waiting to fall asleep I felt reassured that I could handle this challenge. I peacefully drifted off to dream land only to be startled awake by my husband’s phone alarm. Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a doodle-do the simulated rooster crowed beckoning for me to get my butt out of my nice warm bed where my blankets had finally excepted me as one of them and wrapped around me just right. I sat up and put my feet on the floor ready to go. After we got ourselves dressed, we woke the cubs and advised them to get dressed. There was no resistance on their end since this tiling adventure was occurring at Grampie’s House! One of their favorite places in the world.

Breakfast consumed and car warmed, we were off! My Husband has let me help with what I call “accessory jobs” in tiling like briskly wiping off the grout residue from the tiles before sealing them or handing him the already cut tiles while he smeared a generous layer of thinset on the wall or floor to adhere them to. My favorite part is picking the tiles out at the shop. “So, what exactly do you have in mind for me today?”, I ask as we drive the quick 10minute trip over to our destination. “You are going to cut the tiles for me!” WHAT!!?? That means power tool everyone! “I think you can handle it,” he says sounding more confident in me then I am in myself.

We pull up the driveway of my Dad’s house. The kids race out of the car and into the house very excited to see Grampie. “Dad is going to have Mom cut the tiles”, they cheer in unison to Grampie! He looks at me as I walk in the door. “Are you really?” I look at him with slight fear in my eyes, “Marcus thinks I can handle it!?” He chuckles. Marcus was outside in the garage getting the tool I will be using set up.

Once he was ready, he came to get me for my lesson in circular wet saw usage! The saw blade itself is bigger than my head with many small sharp teeth all around it. When the saw is turned on it makes a high-pitched growling sounding that instantly reminds me that it can and will take my fingers right off if I am not careful! “Ok, this what you are going to do.” This is my prompt to pay attention now to him and not the looming fear I now have of this task. Marcus takes a “trash tile” from a previous

Columbus 2

project and sets it on the stage of the saw. Water is spraying everywhere off the blade as it whips around repeatedly in circles. He puts his hands on either side off the tile and slowly presses it toward the blade. As the blade meets the ceramic tile it chews threw it effortlessly. Much how I image it could my fingers! “Ok, your turn Kortney!” he says with a smile as he hands me a piece of tile. I cautiously approach the saw as though I am meeting a dangerous dog. “Nice saw, please don’t take my fingers,” I say to myself. I set the tile on the stage. It is cold and wet. I can feel how slick the tile is getting as the water sprays over it off the blade. I put my fingers on the very edges of each side of the tile. “You need to move your fingers in more to the center,” my encouraging husband coaches from a safe distance that I wish I was at instead! I inched them in closer. “Closer honey, you don’t want the tile to slip and fling back at you!” “You want me to put my fingers WHERE??” I shout over the growling saw as it salivates over the tile, just itching to chew threw it…or me! Marcus then showed me the laser guide. “if your fingers are outside of the laser guide you will be safe and in control,” he instructs from behind me. “Don’t close your eyes!” I hear shout. I didn’t even realize I did just out of habit, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to see what was about to happen. I nervously laughed at the obvious out cry. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as I pushed the now soaked tile in to the jaws of the saw. It made quick work of the tough ceramic surface and thankfully left my fingers well intact with my hands! I did it!! I cut a tile! I can use this power tool! And safely to boot!

               By the end of the day I was hooked! The definitive action of the saw was empowering. It was no longer scary and unknown. I had tamed the beast! I am very proud of myself and Marcus is proud of me too! Now he doesn’t have to run up and down the stairs to make each cut and we can get this job done in half the time! Yeah Team Columbus! I wonder if this means I am promoted from tile scrubber?