What I am about to tell you could be described as: TMI

Disclaimer: this post contains a few naughty words. Read at your own risk.

We have been in our home for 1.5 years and during that time we have had issues with the master bathroom shower.  We sealed it after noticing that it smelled like Nutty Putty cave, we pulled apart the seat and rebuilt it after it busted its seams due to leaks, and I have cleaned  it with all sorts of various cleaners due to the grout looking dirty and the red fungus mold stuff that grew rampantly at the edges. Lets just say that this shower has has been nothing but a pain in the ass. 

Because of all these issues, it was no surprise when Nate saw mold. 

He then removed the offending tile and found it was covered in black, slimmy, mold. He pulled off the neighboring tile, and the next tile, and the next, until he was 4 tiles high and had removed the tiles from the entire perimeter of the shower. He also removed the backer board and the sheetrock before he was finished with the demolition.*  

In addition to the mold growing rampant behind the tiles, the backerboard, sheetrock, and  2 X 4's ect., during the demolition, ants (strangely enough) also became part of the equation. Ants? I know! It was strange.

We decided that the ants must have found the warm, moist environment suitable for baby rearing and moved on it, chewing up the 2X4's that support the exterior of our home, two stories above the ground. 

 

* the above photo is not the final demolition.

Essentially, whoever had built the shower, did not know what they were doing. Yes! This would be a great job for Holms. The person who built the shower did not properly install the tiles (they pratically fell off) he, at times, did not even use backerboard (I did not know backerboard was optional) and he built the shower in such a way that the water (instead of going into the drain) went in to the floor  (see figure 1).

Figure 1: How not to build a shower unless you want to make a great environment for mold, ants, and requiring a full demolition of the shower. (This diagram should not be used to build a real shower)

We feel very sad (and then pissed off.. and then we get sad again).

We feel sad because we have been on a real emotional ride (and we seem to still be riding). 

Lately its been a shit fest of bad luck. 

Months of bad luck. 

Or bad Karma.

Or God just hates us.

(What ever your preference.)

 Our luck, has been so epically** bad that our insurance agent knows us by  name, we have questioned our "goodness", and wondered about (once again) the sense of humor of that great man upstairs. Our luck has been so epically bad, that I made a list (see list 1:  "The epically bad luck of the Branch family").

** considered one of the most over used word of 2010 but after much consideration, I feel it is appropriate to use it here.

Photo 2: Nate watching his truck get towed

List 1: The epically bad luck of the Branch family 

1. Our truck was broken into and $3K of items stolen.
2. DEC: The tire fell off of the truck, while driving and on our way to go Christmas shopping.  This wreck caused wheel and body damage, and allowed me the experience of observing a tire fly through the air. (see photo 2)
3. DEC: The same day the tire fell off the truck, I was hit in my car while waiting to turn out of the Shopko parking lot. During the accident, I was so overwhelmed with life (already) that I literally just covered my face with my hands and waited for them to hit me.  Thankfully, no damage was observed. My car is a tank!
4. JAN: The same day we finished fixing the truck from the last accident, Nate was rear ended while sitting in the left hand turn lane at a stop light. 
5. JAN: Nate was rear ended (again), in my car, exactly a week from when the truck was hit. At a stop light also. Damage to my car was minimal at $300.00 for a new bumper. The only damage (we thought) was two impressions from bolts on the other car's license plate holder (My mom calls them dimples) in my bumper. The offensive car felt much more damage. Once again, MY CAR IS A TANK!



Photo 3: tarped deck




6. FEB: Nate started noticing a ringing in his ear that was most likely caused from whiplash in the second rear ending accident. After going to a doctor we learned the ringing could be permanent.
7. FEB: The deck off of the master bedroom is leaking in the garage. This was supposed to be our project this year, but with all the rain we have received the "leak" became a river and we had to remove all the sheetrock in the celling of the garage and wrap a tarp around the deck so it can dry out (that is a long sentence). I get the lovely job of making sure the snow and rain does not pile up on the tarp (the tarp currently has a foot of snow on it). This issue was supposed to be resolved before we moved in but it was most likely just covered up with a new piece of sheetrock. We (sarcastically) love the previous owners. 

And now I get to add to my list:

Number 8: Mold discovered in the master bathroom shower. (I could also add that our computers both broke***during this same time frame. Hence all the late posts after promising I was going to be a better poster)

Of course, Nate and I accept our luck and try to move on with as best an attitude as one can muster after being beaten down so many times. And so, with the latest series of luck, we decide to move downstairs  before starting the master bedroom / bathroom remodel  (I may be a little bit excited about this). 

But, before we can move downstairs we have to remodel it.

To be continued.....