Depot, depot, depot....

I believe it's a truism that every project requires two trips to Home Depot. Well, doing the investment project requires many more than two.

The jetted bathtub is a case in point. On Monday I went to Depot to pay for it. Elysia told me to get the 6' one for $699. When I got there, I saw that the $699 ones were marked down to $629... whoo, hoo I said to myself, realizing the money I would save. I ordered it and found two guys on Craigs List who would help me unload it.

Tuesday I went to Depot and waited for them to pull it. I went to the truck, and saw it by the door, so they helped me load it up. On the way back to the IP, I got a call from Depot asking where I had gone. Turns out I grabbed someone else's tub, a 5' model. So back to Depot I went and swapped it for the one I had ordered. The guys had no trouble unloading it at the place, and I paid them $40 plus an old six pack of beer.

Wednesday I looked at the label and realized I had purchased the 5-1/2' model. Yikes. Kathleen helped me load it back into the truck and off to Depot I went. I exchanged it for the 6' one ($750, but with a 10% discount) and brought it home. Kathleen helped me unload it into the garage.

That evening I went to a different Depot to pick up the drain assembly, as "my" Depot was fresh out.

This morning, another Craigs List guy showed up to help me move it up the stairs. Nice guy, but he brought his 2-, 3-, and 4-year old kids. "Sitter crapped out on me" he said. So we put them in one of the rooms with Nate standing guard while we dragged the tub up the stairs. My lord, I've never heard three kids scream and cry so much. Talk about serious separation anxiety. I though Nate was going to have a heart attack. Luckily it only took 5 minutes, so the kids were out before they suffered serious trauma.

Frank the handyman came over and we started to build the frame to support the tub. Alas, the unit was missing the installation instructions, so yet another trip to Depot where some nice employee opened another one and photocopied the directions for me.

Frank and I continued to work on it... plumbing needs to be re-arranged, frame needs to be built and an outlet installed. Then the mid-April blizzard started, so I sent Frank home.

As with everything else, the tub will take twice as long as planned and involve endless trips to Depot. I can't wait to post the before and after pictures!