Hear That? It's a Sigh of Relief

I almost hate to write this post, because I don't want to jinx anything, but I'm pretty sure the plumbing nightmare is over. Oh sure, they still have to refill the six-foot-long trench in my front yard and they still have to re-plaster and paint the hallway closet. And fix the hole in the wall under the sink. And fix the stucco outside the utility sink.

But besides for that, the pipes are fixed, the toilet is back in its place, the shower isn't leaking, and the bathroom sink is open for business.

These pipes were supposed to connect.
Ummm, I'm not a plumbing expert, but I can see that there might be a problem here.

Today the city inspector came and signed off on the plumbing. That means we can close the floor and pretend those stupid pipes don't exist. It also means that the rest of the project can take up all of our time and worry, which is just as it should be. Actually, things seem to be going really well (again, why am I jinxing things?). The exterior walls have been covered with a black paper moisture barrier, the interior walls are being insulated, and the plasterer is ready to go as soon as the walls have been OK'd by the inspector. Wow, it's almost time to choose paint colors, not to mention ordering the bathroom tile and countertop, and the hardwood floor. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Here's the bad news - now I don't have any excuse not to do laundry. Oh well, nothing's perfect.