The life and times of an English Airedale Terrier puppy

Monday, January 08, 2007

DIY with Dad

Another day another job to do. I don't know whether I mentioned it, but we moved to this house just after mum & dad got me in September 2006. As I was still a youngish pup then, they left some of the Do-It-Youself jobs to spend time playing with me & getting me settled, what great parents! However, they (read mum) REALLY hated the carpets that were downstairs in the house. Despite getting them cleaned when we moved in, they were still really stained (as you can see in the photo below) & had lots of cigarette burns on them. Nice! And no, the stains on the floor weren't to do with me!

Mum & dad worked hard to paint when we moved in as it was really grotty with yellowing glosswork & lots of marks on the tasteful peach walls. Well, OK I can't exactly see colour, but I certainly heard mum moaning about them enough. Dad knew how much mum hated the carpets, so they went to the sales after Christmas to buy the new floor. A big improvement I think you'll agree, and great fun for sliding around on!

I helped dad lots when he was laying the floor - picking up bits of offcuts of wood from the floor, running around with the dustpan & brush, burrowing around in his toolbox. Us Airedales are just so helpful. It took us 3 days to do the whole floor. Here I am posing after it was all done.

Well this weekend it was all go again. Mum hated the kitchen lino nearly as much as the carpets, & once the wood floor was done she said the kitchen looked even worse. Dad agreed it made sense to get this floor done at the same time so it could all be finished. Either that or he was scared of mum nagging lots!
This is what the old lino was like. It was pretty dirty & old fashioned looking. Did somebody say "Doofus face"?

Dad ripped up all the old lino. It was really brittle from being laid for so long. I am helping by sitting on the pile of lino to squash it all together. Note my lop-sided sitting position which I do most of the time. I noticed Lillie was doing it on her latest photo, so maybe it is an Airedale thing. Is that right Sunshade, Maggie, Bogart & Faya?

After lots of fiddling around with the new lino, making sure it was all lined up & fit neatly under all the counters, we were done. How much better does that look? It's like a whole new kitchen! Mum & dad even got special non-slip stuff so my bowls would stay put. You guys!

Showing off my hard work.

Later that evening...all that DIY is hard work for a little guy. Plus mum & dad let me have the lampshade off for a couple of hours & it was so good to relax. I am still a bit swollen from my op, but healing very nicely.

Dad also laid new lino in the bathroom as there was stinky dark blue carpet in there. He's such a clever dad.

There was just one aspect of the DIY jobs that I didn't like - Dad's scawy drill. I hate that thing. I think I need to spend less time with Flakes, as if you listen to my bark, it sounds suspiciously like a "meow" at the end, eek!

So that was my busy weekend, phew!
Licks,
Oscar x

15 comments:

Simba and Jazzi said...

Good work there. Nice of you to help out.

Simba xx

Bogart H. Devil said...

Excellent work there... I hope your mom and dad appreciate how good you are at carpentry!

Love,
Bogart

The Airechicks said...

Oscar:

You are such a handy Airedale ...I think you and Dad might just have the makings of new TV show....

What a team you two make....YOur Mum must be so proud....

You're looking WONDERFUL postop....

Fu Fu said...

Hey Oscar, you did a great job there. So nice of you to help out.

~ fufu

Boo Casanova said...

i love the new flooring much! mom prefer wooden flooring like yours. but most apartment here comes with broken marble. i heard my hooman saying something like the even the future house would have marble flooring too. :-(

i can't believe you show off your *ahem* private part just like that! btw, did you take a photo of your jewel before it was gone? mom did and now i treasure it like gold!

wet wet licks

Boo

Molly the Airedale said...

What a good helper you are Oscar! - not like me always getting yelled at- sniff, sniff. Mom did finally forgive me. Hey, I sit like you! Mom tells me it's not a very lady-like positon but it works!

Love ya lots,
Maggie

Buster the Wired Fox Terror said...

Amazing you can do so much so soon after the big operation!

I sit like that too!

Bussie Kissies
Buster

Oscar's mummy and daddy said...

Simba - I am just such a good son, as are you I'm sure

Bogart - I didn't even tell you about holding the ends of the planks of wood steady in my teeth whilst dad was sawing them!

Butchy & Snickers - Mum is on the hunt for some of the non slip rubber!

Lita & Trish - I can hear the roar of our TV show fans now - "Dad & Dog the DIY Duo"

FuFu - thanks for the compliment. Next time you need a house building you know where to come

Boo - As you live in a hot place I bet the marble floor is nice & cool to lie on. Nope, no jewel pictures, sniff

Maggie - Hey wonky bottom girl, seems like it might be a terrier wide thing according to Bussie & Butchy & Snickers.

Buster - Well seeing as I'm still only allowed the stupidest short walks, gotta find some way to keep occupied

Licks,
Oscar x

Marvin -The Hollow Hound said...

Hi Oscar, so pleased you are getting better and you managed to get your stylish lampshade off for a while! Get well soon buddy!

ooooh and Jeannie says she likes your Mum and Dad's colour schemes and new floors. We have similar in some rooms, but I slide all over the place on them.....my back legs give way when I try to "Sit"! Everyone laughs!

love and licks Marvin xxxxx

Sundae said...

Oscar,

I must say you're really a good boy to help your dad out with the laying of the lino. Mom never likes us near when she does DIY stuffs.

Sundae

jaffeboy said...

Well done Oscar! To think that you are still recovering from the op, U sure helped out alot!

Unlike Kaylie, all she did was bitch around during her recovering period.

Faya said...

Quel courage ! Tu es vraiment un garçon super ! Bisous

Joe Stains said...

oh your floors look great! we have that wood floor in the office and we slide all over the place!

Chelsea said...

You really ought to have your own home improvement show.
You seem to know what you are barking about.

xoxoxo
Chelsea

Sunshade said...

OMG... you got a Grinch Machine toooooooo..... yes you gotta scare the cr*p out of it!!!

I definitely do that lazy sit!!

Love nibbles,
Miss Sunshade