Jack the electrician is a great guy. I think we bonded over the pot lights.
I deferred to him for just about everything. “Leave the professional things to the professionals,” is what I always say. He totally knew what he was doing, which was a big relief, because I totally didn’t.
We measured, we debated the placement, we talked pros and cons, I held the garbage bag while he swept up the chunks of drywall. All in all it was a pretty positive experience. Even though I felt some pressure because I was ALONE and making all the BIG DECISIONS (with Jack’s help, of course.) I had images of Mark coming home from work, and asking me why I did it this way or that way. I prepared my answer:
“JACK AND I TALKED ABOUT IT AND IT MADE SENSE AT THE TIME SO STOP ASKING ME SO MANY QUESTIONS.”
I learned a few things about our home. Namely that drilling holes for pot lights is not like shooting fish in a barrel. It’s a small adventure in itself. You drill, find out what’s under there, if it’s good or bad, and if there’s a joist then you have to alter your plan and work around it. Then there’s my math/measuring phobia. Jack is old-school. He measured confidently, with an old-fashioned retractable measuring tape no less, not one of those new-fangled LASER things. No siree. Jack doesn’t wear protective eyewear when he’s drilling either, and I couldn’t let that one slide without comment.
A photographer was just here, fully intending to get some action shots of Jack drilling/wiring/working, but missed him by a full hour. Jack was speedy and efficient, even with our chat about his three kids, Fargo, and Forrest Gump. [Edited to add: this is not to say that his children are named Fargo and Forrest Gump. We talked about movies too.] The photographer had to settle for shots of dorky ol’ me with unbrushed hair and a nose that’s seen more tissues than Tammy Faye. At least I wasn’t alone. Mark was posing for pics with me.
So the holes are drilled. The wire has been pulled through. Next: furniture gets towed away Friday or Saturday, and on Monday Enrique will do the first phase of the floors.
