the process

10 years of marriage has started to rub off on me. "i'll post photos later tonight" really means whenever i get around to it. around to it = now.  so here's a step-by-grunt account of the concrete counter going in yesterday. when they come out with EmotionVision, i'll add it to this post cuz my anxiety level was through the roof!
The Prep
after much standing around, head scratching & looking all serious-like, Tom prepped the sink opening on the cabinets by making notches for the crappy clips that will hopefully certainly hold the sink in.

he then cut the "channel" where the front lip of the sink will rest

And So It Begins
6 guys, including an Elvis impersonator, start hauling the slab out of Tom's truck. i think Elvis will be performing at Summer Camp this weekend kids!

suffice it to say, this mother is heavy. 400 pounds of concrete + rebar & wire mesh for support.  then begins the easy part, getting it up the stairs!

see how easy? they even had a guy to spare so he just hung out in the sink!  next, get it in the door.

and by door, i mean my awesome double slider. we've apparently got this door for more than the view it gives us. it's our only means of getting lots of stuff in & out of the house!
now all you gotta do is set it down.  oh, and without bowing any of it please, so it doesn't just SNAP IN TWO!

yes, this is where Elvis was especially helpful! and this is where i got really nervous cuz i could see the island flexing. it probably was not a sign of good faith when i asked Terry if this thing was gonna go through the floor.  he assured me it would not. but if it had, our boat would be on par with the Powerses! they have a shower in theirs, & we'd have a kitchen sink in ours.
but they're not done! after setting it down & everyone releasing a collective sigh, they had to tweak it to get it positioned just so. this was pretty nerve racking too as you can't just lift a corner and slide it very easily. you have to be very purposeful about where you pick up on this thing. this is where it could have all gone wrong! and yet? it did not!  they got it into position.

and to get me out of the bathroom & into the kitchen (for washing dishes that is), Terry & Tom installed the sink & my fantastic faucet!

i actually got to use the sink last night & guess what? you turn a knob & water comes out! goes down a little drain! GENIUS I SAY!! although it will be quite the habit to break me from washing the lettuce while i shower. that was rather pleasant in a not-perverse-at-all-way!
there are still some minor tweaks to do though. as nice as the sink basin is, it came with crappy clips that gave Tom a fit while installing. so we're going to have to do a little work under the cabinet to make sure this thing is supported well enough to hold Nacho's weight while bathing.  also, we can't get anything on it for 3 weeks while the concrete continues to cure. thank god Ikea couldn't care less about the environment because i have enough cardboard to cover the entire island & deck if necessary - those hippies eyeing it for tents this weekend will be disappointed!
But Wait! There's More!
that's just the island counter top. we still have the wall counter tops to be installed. those will be bamboo.  Tom told me last week that he thought those could go in as early as this weekend, but i'm thinking middle of next week at best. so hopefully i can structure things at work enough to be there for some of that install so i can get pics.  after that, we move onto the dining area!

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