In a previous blog where I chastised people for forgetting to use their turn signals, I mentioned that I was going to re-train my mother on how to use hers.  I’m proud to say that she’s progressing nicely; it could be the fact that she shared this blog site with all her friends and co-workers and now feels as though she is being watched by more than just me…

But now let me tell you about my dad, (I doubt he ever forgets to use his turn signal!) actually there’s few things my dad forgets.  He is one of the most amazing people I have ever met, and I thank my lucky stars that I have such a knowledgeable, caring and driven role model and mentor.

Three years ago I decided to purchase a condo.  As it happens, the one I found that matched my price range and list of required amenities (2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, in-suite laundry, takes dogs etc) also came with a few challenges.  The condo was in foreclosure which meant some legal loopholes to jump through.  The former owner was a smoker, which meant major cleaning everywhere, removing all the carpets, washing and repainting top to bottom.  There was also the potential that I might take possession and find all appliances had been removed to contribute towards the cost of the foreclosure.

For a single woman trying to create a life on her own, and buying a condo to house a dog she had not yet laid eyes on  – the decision to buy a foreclosure AND fixer-upper seemed like possibly the dumbest thing possible.

Enter- my amazing father, practical down to his very core, who reminded me often that anything worth having, also takes work.  He also supported me emotionally and made me courageous when it came to taking on renovation projects I’d likely never have tackled on my own.  Since the initial reno-blitz (floors and painting), the past couple of years of updates have been more focused, the most recent being my bathroom counters and sinks.

My mom heard about a local granite store which was moving and was leaving all their odds and ends from previous counters they’d made.  Behind the former location, waiting to be taken to the dump were slabs of granite, quartz and other stone counter tops…  talk about goldmine!  Mom, Dad and I piled into the car and drove to the spot to rifle through to see if any pieces would work for my bathrooms.  In the end, we took home 3 pieces (man that stuff is heavy!) and dad cut it with his hand saw to fit my counters.  We used end pieces of the stone to make the back and side splashes.

After shopping around in local stores for different sink styles, I decided a bowl sink would allow me to enjoy as much of the beautiful stone as possible, and save me cutting out a huge section to place a sunken sink in (talk about waste!)  I went on Ebay and purchased two bowl style sinks, plus matching faucets and waited anxiously for them to arrive in the mail.

On installation weekend, dad had a genius plan on how to drill through stone by making a moat out of plastercine, water and his diamond drill bit.  We laughed often, I kept my friends and relatives up to date on our progress via facebook – and in the end, not only do I have amazing world class powder rooms, I have many more memories of fun shared with my dad.

Yet another example of what can be accomplished with effort, patience and love.