Pantry Progress - Or Not

Getting this pantry finished in a timely manner has been more of a challenge this week than I expected. I feel like I'm back in college again, dreading a group project because I'm the only one who cares enough to not wait until the last minute. Which means I just end up doing all the work to make sure everything looks perfect when turned in. 

Am I the only group-project-hater out there?

I haven't had to do all the work on the pantry, but I have had to wait for other people to fulfill their obligations. And I've been a baby about them not meeting said obligations. 

Boo frickin' hoo.

The Ideal Schedule

Saturday: Shelving Guy comes to cut out the old pantry and prep it for Drywall Guy. I call Drywall Guy to schedule him to come early Monday morning.

Sunday: Enjoy a day of rest by attending church. Dream of my pantry during the Sunday School lesson.

Monday: Drywall Guy shows up early and completes drywall and mud in just a few hours. He laughs at all of my jokes but works hard and does a great job.

Tuesday: Thanks to fans on the mud all night, the drywall is ready for the texture layer by Drywall Guy. He shows up at 6:00 AM and is finished an hour later.

Wednesday: Shelving Guy shows up bright and early to install shelves on three walls in our laundry room. This exposed shelving will now make up a huge pantry that makes my heart go pitter-pat.

Thursday: After the shelves are up and caulking around the edges is dry, it's time for Hubby and I to paint like the wind. It takes just an hour with both of us working hard. 

Friday: Because the paint dried overnight, this day is spent carefully putting together the new pantry! We get to decide what-goes-where in this new huge storage space. This may very well be my favorite part, thanks to being borderline-OCD.

Saturday: Just one week after the project begins, we are finished, in a clean house, with a huge pantry. Dinner guests arrive for a full-house tour but get some stinkin' awesome Pantry Envy as a result.

Being the optimist that I am, I should have known my ideal schedule wouldn't have gone as planned. Here's what really happened, so far.

The Real Schedule

Saturday: Shelving Guy comes to cut down the walls of the old pantry. We're off to a great start! I call the Drywall Guy to schedule his visit early Monday morning. He says he'll be there.

Sunday: No change...enjoy church and get excited about this new pantry addition to our home!

Monday: No show. I wait allllllllllllllll day at home for the Drywall Guy. He doesn't show up, and I am too chicken to call him until the next morning.

Tuesday: I wait until a hospitable hour of 8:00 AM to call the Drywall Guy. He says he can be to the house in just an hour to check things out. After finding out that he needs additional parts, he leaves and says he will be back that afternoon. I wait alllllllllllllllllll day at home for the Drywall Guy to return. He doesn't. I seriously consider skipping Drywall Guy and just have Shelving Guy install a panel to cover the open holes. I baulk because I really want it to look nice, and drywalling is the best solution to that. I am reminded of patience by my ever-patient Hubby, and I fall asleep wondering if we will ever hear from Drywall Guy again.

Wednesday: At 6:30 AM, the doorbell rings. Surprise...Drywall Guy is here! He works on installing wood to attach the drywall, then adds the pieces of drywall to cover the holes. To avoid being in his way, I don't get many "during" pictures. He muds the wall and then leaves, with the promise to return early tomorrow morning for a second coat of mud. If the first coat it dry enough. I feel like an idiot because of my ignorance in drywalling techniques...what second coat? I admire the stinky-because-of-mud walls for the rest of the day. He did a great job, and it looks amazing!

Thursday: Per his request, I call the Drywall Guy at 6:00 AM to let him know that my fingernail test passed, and that the wall is dry enough to do a second coat. He says he is on his way. I wait for three hours before leaving for a day with my sisters. I have a little Cabin Fever going on since I've been trapped at home all week. I love being home, but it changes my outlook when I have to stay home! Thankfully, Hubby is working from home and can answer the door. Around 11:00 AM, Drywall Guy shows up. He spends five minutes applying a second coat of mud to the walls, then leaves. Fans remain on to dry the mud for the next day.

Friday: Drywall Guy arrives around 8:00 AM to apply the first coat of texture. I am bummed yet again that more than one coat is necessary. Luckily, this stuff dries more quickly, and Drywall Guy arrives two hours later to apply the second coat. He then cleans up his week-long mess and leaves me with beautiful, sticky walls ready for shelving.

And that's where I am right now. 

If a miracle happens, we will be able to have Shelving Guy arrive on Monday morning to install all the shelving. If all goes well with that, Hubby and I can paint on Monday evening. Then I can begin putting the pantry back together on Tuesday. And that's all if I don't get called to leave for work, which is a constant threat possibility.

I shouldn't hold my breath for this...since everything else has taken so much longer than I had hoped.

Though it's been frustrating waiting for others, I am glad it's been done right. I know it will all be worth it in the end. I am so excited to get over this group assignment and return to my solo projects instead!