At least SOMETHING is finished

I received a phone call early yesterday, and the next thing I knew, the pergola crew showed up and finished that job. It took most of the day, and was completed in the rain, but at least it is DONE. The sales rep is coming Friday for a final "walk through" and presumably to collect the final payment.

The thing looks massive to me, much more so than the free-standing pergola that was there before. In fact, the whole project is bigger than expected. There is a whiny part of me that is a bit put out that I did not get exactly what I asked for, but seriously, it is just a deck. Once the surface is populated with the usual collection of potted plants, patio furniture, and grill, I'm sure its overall gestalt will return to the lived-in look I am used to.

Same day the plumbing guy banged on the door. He was passing by and decided to stop and take care of the bathtub spout and the grout for the vanity backsplash (he had used clear grout, which disappeared and made it look like there was no grout). We also discussed the scratched floor tile. I have only one extra tile left and the flooring is no longer in production. I've come to the conclusion that this guy is not that experienced in all facets of home remodeling (earlier he confessed that this job was the first time he had installed crown molding), so I'm reluctant to waste my last tile on his education.

Still no resolution on the kitchen counter. Still waiting to hear from the manufacturing rep. I am prepared to shed tears to get what I want.