The Fun Of It
Saturday, May 18, 2019 at 7:17PM 
Ali likes to play so much that she gets her hair chewed. She has personality plus. But poor thing is having her first heat and she is none too happy not being with everyone. She wants to play, play, play! We get her out with the girls but she doesn't understand being isolated.
Nathan was doing dump runs with Dennis so I was answering the door, grooming, changing water dishes, going out with the dogs and keeping Ali isolated. It was CRAZY! It's a busy weekend as it is a holiday weekend. We also had to get the garage ready for the garage door installers. We still have brick we have to either move or also bring to the dump. When we had our driveway installed years and years ago, they stacked the old brick in the garage. Keeping a stack to put in water pots makes sense but a whole driveway? LOL
As we have a full house this weekend with the holiday weekend upon us, it's a FUN, FUN house. Ali had her sister here, Chloe that was here for grooming. Lexi is here for overnight. Ali was happy playing with her sisters.
I may get to plant my trug this weekend but then again with this grooming, maybe not. hahahahaha I still need yellow and green beans. I need cilantro, and I am sure much more. This is the year of buy my hanging baskets and the rest is veggies, fruits and herbs.
We have our sink ordered. It will be maybe 4 weeks. What to do with the old sink...hmmm. I want to put these cabinets in this room but Nathan says they are for a garage. I said - so... Have to save up for them and wait for them to go back on sale but this would mean everything would match. Last week they were on sale for $129 a piece and I want 3. I already have this storage in this room so this would pull it together. But then again Nathan wants to just leave the cabinets we have. I have a ton of time and I will need it to save up but I like to do things that are not the norm. We shall see. Maybe I am crazy. When I put that storage cabinet in there, Nathan thought - what! But now everyone loves it. Just because something says garage doesn't mean it is just for a garage.
We have some truly interesting dogs in the mix this weekend. Lots of playing monkeys. I love the spirit.
It may be extremely busy but now its tv time and dog snuggles. This is my most fave part of the day!
Reader Comments (16)
Go for it, they look great.
Glad you ordered the sink. The cabinets look good, they won't know they're not in a garage LOL! Wonderful gallery, the pool looks inviting. Hopefully it warms up this week and you can all swim. Nathan looks cold outside.
Despite me being in a t-shirt yesterday, Nathan had a winter coat and hat on. I am not sure what is going on but when it is air conditioning time, will he be wearing his coat inside?
I am quite excited about the sink. I am asking them to build an insert - if not too costly to lift the dogs out of the sink so I can just wash feet when needed. Thing is it can only be 3/4 of the way due to the bathing beauty. Not sure if that is a pipe dream but we shall see. I am waiting to hear. Best to have it built now so they can test it on their end.
Sink is custom size. I didn't go with a 40 wide as it would have added an additional $900 to the cost. Something about support for the cabinet and the width creates challenges with the cabinet. Their cabinets are usually 24" in width. So, we went with 36". I lose 4 inches in width with this tub I have now. I gain 4 inches in height on sides. I lose 2 inches in tub depth but I like that better though Nathan doesn't like it with Inula. It means less lifting. I had a 12" before and I like that depth. As I said I like it other than Inula. You aren't lifting as much. I find the 14" puts more strain on my back and its lower. The backsplash so the dogs don't wet the wall is 41.5 where front is 36". My cabinet portion is 18" height by 36 inches wide. It sits on a 6" base. Nathan said I best like it as I am stuck with it. LOL I hate the faucet that came with the plastic tub. I have no shut off so between washing and rinsing I have to get the right temperature. So, I am looking at faucets that I can use my spray unit on. Looking at your unit in Huntsville, I was quite pleased with the quality.
This was a very hard purchase and I waffled back and forth due to cost. The need of a cabinet base and a longer unit than their stock sizing created challenges. Do you know when they delivered to your home did they bring it inside?
Thanks re: the cabinets. I think so too. I think it will pull all the steel in together and look more attractive plus they are the sturdiest units around. The quality of the Mastercraft storage is wonderful.
I think the cabinets are very functional, sturdy, easy to maintain, provide lots of storage options and look modern inside the home. Custom SS can cost alot more.
They left the sink on the front deck by the mud room door which is where the sink went. You will have to take a pic of the whole room when finished :-) You will be happy with it.
Anne:
Was it in a wooden crate? I am excited as anything that makes my work easier is a bonus. Just wish they were local. Looking at the ones at Rens etc and seeing yours, I imagine it will be worth the investment.
I like the look of those cabinets! That room will be so functional, no paint to chip and on the reviews they have actually been used in kitchens, smart idea along with that work bench. So happy for you!
I said I was looking to replace my laundry tub, yup, I got one too, 24 in without cabinet. Funny thing just before me another woman ordered one too, must be people want more practical laundry tubs than what you routinely see.Tom said he would get me a rolling shelf unit, industrial type, for all the towels, laundry stuff,etc.since laundry room is so small.
My dream would be a SS kitchen, restaurant style,, but I would need a bigger house first! 😂
It wasn’t a wooden crate, we seem to remember a normal packaging, cardboard? It’s been 8 years so they may have changed the way they deliver. Either way, they stand by their product.
Marianne:
Yes, custom stainless steel seems to be pricey but the gauge can vary. These units really have a thick gauge. I think they are worth it and with me already having a unit to match them in that room, it makes sense. Nathan tends to think if something says outside or garage it's not meant for the home. So when I brought the unit home that I have - he went what? Then he saw how functional it is and how sturdy it is. I won him over with that but haven't with the cabinets as he said - do what you want. I know what that means. HAHA
Anne:
Interesting. They said it comes in a wooden crate and you need a crowbar to open it. hmmm Good to know they stand behind their product.
Dorothy:
Did you get the laundry sink or the dog sink? If you went with the stock, yours must already be on its way. I am jealous. Custom is 3 to 4 weeks. If I went with a 40" wide with a cabinet, it would have been 4 to 6 weeks. I asked why. It seems they have never done one that size with a cabinet so the sizing of the doors and the distribution was a concern but yes they could do it. I find I use too much water in a 40" inch sink so 36" is fine with me. I had a 24x24 with 12 inches deep when we started this journey. For your size havanese, it is perfect. What faucet are you going with?
My laundyroom is small too. I wish it was much larger.
It's the 24x25 laundry sink. H20 had an American Standard Quince high arch single pullout kitchen faucet on sale. I checked that the pullout will be long enough for washing. Tom says he'll do the installation, I hope the plumbing won't be too difficult.
Those fancy coiled sprayer faucets cost big bucks and H20 staff said the replacement cartridges are expensive aswell, whatever, I don't need that.
Sink can't come fast enough, both faucet and seams on sink have been leaking (just bad design) and I too have had a tub underneath to catch the water. And drywall, yup, some damage.
Hmm I think I want a regular faucet with a threaded area so I can attach a hose with a sprayer. I never find the sprayers have enough length and pressure. They all seem to have the miserly minimize your flow to save thing going on. I am still exploring. Remember whatever faucet you get, it is useful to have a shut off on the sprayer especially if you have a bathing beauty like I do. You see this is my process. I add water to the bottom just far enough up to get the pump working. I add my shampoo and conditioner TOGETHER. I like to leave my water on with a shut off so I don't have to get the right temp again. I wash the dog with the bathing beauty. Shut off bathing beauty, open up and let the tub drain. Then rinse dog. The faucets they have at Ridalco you can get cheaper elsewhere but the coiled ones are junk according to many a groomer. They all prefer the hose for pressure with a faucet without a sprayer built in but for the occasional groom a built in may work for you. I know it doesn't for me as that is what I am working with and I am unimpressed. It takes me twice as long to rinse and they do not get a massaging effect like I do with an end that I had. I like the dogs to get a water massage as it seems to relax them before drying. My needs are different than yours, I am sure.
The wet drywall, consider doing a backsplash for your needs if your sink doesn't have it builtin. Our whole cabinet was rotted. It fell apart when it was removed. Who knew. Our drywall was intact. Go figure. After 30 years we realized the builders cut corners and didnt tile the floor under the unit we had. I shouldn't complain when it lasted that long.
Just so you know I ran a bathing beauty in the corner of a 25x25 sink and I had enough room for the dogs. I look forward to more room as I do get larger havanese that would appreciate the room and then there is Inula. For your 2, it is more than enough room.
The bowl or pan to collect water is a crazy system but if you are only doing 2, the concern is less. I literally, at the end had to empty a large bowl in the MIDDLE of grooming and after. I had to do this 6 to 8 times a day times 2. Then add washing and I had to empty for that as well, as i am sure is happening to you. It's not bloody fun so I feel for you.
When is the sink coming to you? Did they have it in stock?
We have a handyman that will be installing ours. Nathan would be dangerous. He's great on computers but fixing things.... well that is downright scary.
Lots of info, Darlah😃.
I'll see how the faucet works, might do for me. I usually don't bath both same day, Leo is a bigger stinky poo and with all his hair, surely nothing to compare to your bathing.
I do first a quick foot whitening wash, no sidewalks here so their feet get grimey with the auto exhaust on the roads, then a full bath, rinse and then I do conditioner and final rinse. Then damp dry with hard towel, spray on detangling spray and try to comb out prior to drying. I give a heated towel to snuggle in for a bit to stay comfortable but no rolling allowed. Interesting you put both shampoo and conditioner together, like human 2in1.
I don't think I had a major problem with the drywall till I put a hose with a sprayer on. The valves as I was told couldn't take the pressure demand. So I was careful to keep it lower, still did a fair job. So it just leaked back and down the wall under the sink, away from full view. I keep the dehumidifier on to dry it out along with my laundry handwashing, soon to go outside with nice weather.
I didn't have problem with laundry, my washer outlet is directed into an inlet that goes directly into plumbing, no leaks from there.
None in stock but should be coming maybe 2,3 weeks now.
That bathing beauty system is very enticing, I know you have a homemade version on your bathing video, still Tom's concerned about electrical safety.
Dorothy:
I am throwing out ideas for you to ponder. Needs are different for someone who grooms daily and one who does not but still some things are nice to have.
I have a faucet american standard that came with this plastic tub with a sprayer. I do not feel as if I am getting enough pressure to rinse so I placed a Sav-u-fur nozzle on my bathing beauty to test it and now I know I need a hose unit. LOL
I used a garden sprayer at one time and that worked out well but they don't last. They also leak even with washers.
The bathing beauty is amazing. One day when I didn't have it as Nathan was at a show, I freaked out. I realized it is IMPOSSIBLE to distribute the shampoo and conditioner with your hands. Even if you use an applicator bottle, it doesn't come close. I have no issue with electrical safety. There is a built in GFI for protection. Here is info on it. I have had mine for close to 12 years now.
I only mix shampoo and conditioner with the bathing beauty. I use a sliver of the shampoo and conditioner compared to doing it by hand. If doing by hand, I do the shampoo with whitener feet, shampoo rest, rinse, conditioner, rinse. With bathing beauty, one step. Plus it massages them as it is a hydrosurge. I take extra time to put it close to their skin as they enjoy it and I can then make sure I am reaching all the hair even on a thick coat. Not necessary for you but for me a must. I know I am saturating their coat evenly. Less rinsing using it compared to by hand.
We paid our half on May 15th for our sink so I don't expect mine till mid June. Maybe the cabinets will go on sale by then.
When you get yours, please share. I am excited for you!