Thinking of Poppy...

Poppy was my great-grandfather. He was well known for his inability to say a complete sentence without adding a curse word or two into the sentence. If you don't believe me, ask anyone in my family, and they will tell you that it is indeed fact. He never asked for a cup of coffee, he asked for a cup of #$%@ coffee. Even when Poppy was in a good mood, he would curse.

Why, you may ask, am I telling you about Poppy and his language? Cause the following picture was taken yesterday during the "installing the french door" experience. Look closely at my mouth. Poppy had taken possession of my tongue and I was in the middle of 6-7 curse words in a row when Michael TOM took this picture:


I try to watch my tongue, and I am not known for using colorful language, but that &^%$ door was ^&$(%@# pissing me off. It was only supposed to take about 2 hours start to finish. Taking out the old sliding door took up the first 1 hour and 45 minutes. So, I adjusted my schedule for it to take a little bit longer and promised myself to accept the change with a positive attitude and watch my language. (I swear! I did try!) But 3 minutes later, another "Poppy Sentence" rolled off my tongue while moving the new door to it's future location. That &^&%* was heavy! And I was already sore. It was justified.

Michael TOM and I push the new door into place, check to see that it is level, which it was, and then pushed the doors closed to see how beautiful it was. The doors would not shut. Neither of us could figure out what was wrong to make it not fit. It was like the doors were too big for the frame and we would have to shave about an inch off the side of one of the doors to get them to close. Several more "Poppy Sentences" were shared with anyone and everyone within shouting distance. This never happens on HGTV or on that show "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" when they do it.

Did it get any worse, you ask? Not just yes, but #$%@^ yes!!! Look at this next picture closely. Notice the 2-3 inch gap above the door? There isn't supposed to be any gap.

Boy, I spoke every curse word Poppy taught me and even made up some of my own. At this moment in time, I threw my hands in the air, called the store I bought it from and asked if someone could come to our house and finish installing it TODAY!!! After the friendly associate finished laughing, he said "no" but suggested I buy a smaller door. I do believe I blacked out at that moment, I am still unsure if Poppy took over my vocal cords and spoke some words of ignorance to the kid on the other end of the phone before I hung up.

Michael TOM called his father and within 5 minutes had a confirmed appointment with their handyman who would come over first thing this morning.

Ruben, the angel sent from "home-improvement" heaven, rang our doorbell at 9am. Three hours later, our door was perfectly in place with no gaps anywhere around it. Ruben never once asked what the hell I was thinking when I put in the door, and for that I gave him a little extra money.

But Ruben did say 27 "Poppy Sentences" before he was finished.