I’ve written before about anticipating the installation of a new stove, and nothing happens quickly over the holidays. It’s probably a good thing though, since the time elapsed has given me a chance to think (again) about how much I hate the disgusting tile on my kitchen island… right next to the awful avocado green stove.
So yesterday, I took Gamma to Home Depot to look at other tile options — thinking that even 12×12 tiles would be better, having fewer yucky grout lines.

It was amazingly inexpensive. For less than $100, I could change out the cheezy 1970’s porcelain tile for a soothing marble… so we toted it home. Fortunately, it was very warm yesterday, so we put the top down on the mustang to accommodate the necessary 10′ lengths of tile edging.

Waiting while Hubby tinkered with his lawnmower before heading out to the home of some friends for what was billed as “family game night,” I started taking up the despised, old tile.

Once I got started, it went very quickly!

Of course, home improvement is never simple or straightforward… once I got all the tile up, it was apparent that there was some water damage to the underlying particle board. That, and a whole lot of leftover adhesive.

We left it at that last night, had a thoroughly good time until about 3 a.m., then caught a few hours of sleep before getting the whole family to church then returning Alpha to UT this afternoon.

On the way home, we stopped at Home Depot again for a new piece of particle board (it’s something else really, but serves the same purpose with a smoother surface). After removing the old particle board, we noticed a couple of support pieces that needed replacing… so it was off to the woodshed for a suitable piece or two.

I managed that part, then dear Hubby decided it was time to take over the power tools.

By 11 p.m., we had the new base installed. I’ve laid all the tiles out on the surface to see where some will have to be cut around the stove opening; Hubby is asleep and I need to be, but the new tile needs to be laid before morning, so that it can cure for the requisite 24 hours before the stove is installed Tuesday morning.

His new Roto-Zip worked like a champ in cutting out the hole for the stove.

The kitchen looks like a war zone, and the kids had to make Ramen noodles in the microwave. At least tomorrow is pizza night, unless I can talk Hubby into trying the Time Out Deli instead.

Tuesday evening, I’m going to fix something really good to show them it was worth the trouble.