We Ordered the Tile!

This is headline news for us, the Late Adopter Poster Children. We tend to make decisions very slowly. Or rather, I make them quickly and often, and Barry makes them slowly but usually only once.

We finally settled on what you see here: Black and white hex tiles on the countertops, (1-inch - I don't think I have them quite to scale in my very poor Photoshopping) American Olean SatinGlo Hex. Then the backsplashes will be 3 x 6 inch subway tiles with a black rule running around 3 tiles up from the countertop, then more subways running right up to underneath the red cabinet tops. Then there will be black tiles edging the countertops, and black edging around the window opening as well.

Home Depot had everything in stock except for the hex, which is special order, but they were able to match the best price I found online for this tile, but of course we don't have to pay shipping if they order it for us. There were much cheaper options; it's about $6.60 a square foot. But it's what we love, and the rest was not bad at all, so we're still within our budget. So far.

Papa and Mama Root gave us a Home Depot gift certificate for an anniversary gift and we used it for this purchase. So, Mama and Papa, thank you for part of our countertops. :o)

On the way home, a big doe panicked and dashed across the highway. It was raining, so Barry did what he could to lose some speed without losing control, but we still hit her. Hard. She slammed off the front of the car and was thrown back across oncoming traffic. A pickup truck going the other way somehow avoided hitting her too. The Jeep took some serious front-end damage. Barry is afraid this may be it for his beloved Cherokee; it's at Kious Kountry in Waukon right now, waiting for the adjuster to have a look. But once again, all of us were safe. Nobody was hurt. Master K's glasses got knocked out of whack when he banged into the window on his side, but he himself was fine. And we were able to limp the Jeep home without a tow. The engine seems to be running fine, and the doe didn't take out the radiator this time. But there is a lot of body damage. She was running so well, lately, too! And we had just put on new tires. Bleah.

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Update! Todd, our adjuster with Progressive, just called and said they are going to start repairs on the Cherokee. He said the damage estimate is very close to the value of the car, but as long as they don't find any surprises, it sounds like Kious Kountry can squeeze it in under the value, so we're going ahead with it. I'm so glad.

I will say that we have had only good experiences with Progressive. We went with them because the cost of premiums was low, but the service we have had has been unfailingly excellent.