Tools, tools, tools.

I love tools.

I don't know where that came from, my huge affinity for them.  I'm like a kid in a candy store at the hardware store.  Mike knows it too, which is why he rarely goes with me.  Or if he does, he literally holds my arm, toting me around, making sure I don't leave his side.

Many years ago I remember shopping for my first cordless screw gun.  My mom and I went together as it was going to be a gift and she wanted to know which one to get.  We went to a certain hued big box home improvement store and meandered towards the glorious power tool section.  It was all a-glow....Anyhoo, a salesperson approaches us, practically blocking our entry and asks what we're looking for.  

"A cordless screw gun, " I say, trying to contain my excitement.  

The guy says to my mom, "oh, for your husband?"  There was a weird pause.  

I asserted, "um, no.  For me."  He said, "OH," looking me over.   "Ok.  Well, we have these lighter, easier, smaller, light-user models over here...."  

I didn't follow him and firmly said, "No, I'm looking for a real screw gun."  He seemed confused and befuddled, muttered something to the effect of "they're over there" and walked away. 

Needless to say, my mom and I were quite put-off.

Jerk.  Girls use tools too.

I'm on my third DeWalt cordless screw gun since then.  That first one got stolen and an actor broke my second one.  Actors....Needless to say, I keep a hawk's eye out on my tools now and don't loan them to anyone anymore.

Over the years my tool collection has ebbed and flowed and is by no means comprehensive nor do I always have the best or the right tool for the job.  Though my brother-in-law buys lots of tools and gives me his old ones which is great because he buys good tools!  At Christmas I had a whole discussion with him about tile saws.  I'm weird, I know.  My friend Eric always says I'll make a great husband someday.

So right, yesterday we left off with bad tool karma, everything getting stuck and jammed and me being sad but determined.  Today was a new day and guess what my friends, we have success.

Mike's friend Chris suggested I go back to Home Depot with the stuck hole saw part and play a little dumb girl, "...the Milwaukee rep said....," which I did and it worked.  Hey, don't judge -- sometimes you gotta do what works, ya know what I'm sayin'?  I actually didn't play dumb, just a bit of wimpy girl and the sales associate got the parts separated using channel locks which is great because they didn't sell a separate chuck piece.

I popped over to Menards and bought a set of channel locks.  Heh.  I also snagged a back up corded drill just in case.

And I'll be, those channel locks are awesome.  Got the chuck unstuck on the drill easy as pie.  We are back on, people!

Yeah, so onto hole #2, the bigger one and what a train wreck.  I clearly did it all the wrong way.  I should have not only put a pilot drill bit in the hole saw but I should have started with the bigger bit, cut a good portion of the way through on the under side, then flip it, line up the pilot drill bit hole with the smaller bit and cut the smaller hole.  Everything would have lined up and I wouldn't have bashed my hand a bit.  Mm hm, sometimes this is how I learn: do it wrong to learn to do it right.

The key, folks, is to indeed have the right tool for the job (channel locks, my new BFFs) and ya know, maybe study up a bit beforehand.  I can be stubborn with that just jump in and do it thing sometimes.  But hey, the faucet hole is done, the faucet fits, will tighten down, and it's ready to go.  I just need Mike to look at the stain job, see if he likes the color and then it's final assembly time!  Woo hoo!!

Oh, and if you're wondering why I'm going to all this effort for a particular bathroom vanity, here's why:

Real practical, that glass.  Not.  Plus we were not big fans of its style nor it's, um, "quality."  Sold on Craigslist for about $150 (edit:  actually we sold this one for $225.  I'm confusing this sale with two other vanities we sold. Yes, two more.)  More on bathroom vanities another day, for sure.

Oh and hey, heh, by the way, I just sold that kitchen faucet on Craigslist today too.  Pays for the new master bathroom vanity light I just bought, yesssss!