Really, NOT a fine line between clean and filthy

Last week, my apartment complex finally broke down and accepted the fact that my shower needed to be updated to a surround, rather than having tiles.

I, personally, love tile in the bathroom. I think they are lovely. Especially if the tiles are lovely tiles. Go figure.

But these tiles while not ugly, were very plain, and old. Combine that with the fact that the grout was NEVER sealed, and you might get an inkling of where I'm going with this. Every time I showered, the grout would get wet and absorb the water. The tiles at the bottom of the wall (along the top of the tub) would come loose from the wall and move away from the wall. Guess what happened there... Yeah, water got in.

So I kept reporting loose tiles and finally they said that they would remove the tiles and put in a surround. (I honestly wasn't asking for that, I just wanted to have them repair the wall, replace the tiles, and seal the grout. However I can definitely see where a surround is much cheaper. You can buy an inexpensive vinyl surround for well under $100.)

They assured me that this would take just a couple of days and be zip-zap all done. I wasn't so sure, given that I had seen bowing in the wall behind the tiles, and I tried to mention that. But I was told no worries, they would take care of it and I would have a shower by Sunday so I could get ready for work.

Thursday (day from hell at work, trust me, making as much "happy noise" as possible does NOT make people happy. And it's not professional to have people throwing "30-second dance parties" or playing whatever music they want at volumes that I wouldn't do at home by myself, or banging cow bells, clapping plastic clappers, or shaking maracas. NOT PROFESSIONAL. Ahem, anyway...) Thursday I got home to find that my shower walls had been removed. Because (shock and amazement...) there was severe damage to the walls behind the tiles. Shocked face (spoiler alert... SO not shocked.) So gee, shock and amazement again... this is going to take longer than 2 days. I point out that this is a problem, because I have to be able to shower for work on Sunday.

They come in and spray mold killer on Thursday (because shock... there's mold from all the water.) Friday, they come in and hang new drywall (regular drywall, not the water resistant kind) and mud it up. Saturday, they come in and put up the surround. That then gets 4 2x4s and 4 tension shower rods to hold all the walls in place until the adhesive dries.

I HAVE to have a shower on Sunday, so I end up going to work and showering in the locker room there.

However, here's the problem... My work doesn’t believe in cleaning. Their “cleaning staff” never vacuums. NEVER. Our trash is removed once a week, only. Kitchens get trash removed daily. Flushing the toilet = cleaning the toilet, and wiping down the counters with a paper towel = clean counters. I had to use their shower yesterday for work, and even though they are supposed to have soap in there, there is none. There was decaying hair and a bandaid in the drain, there were dirty handprints all over the walls and the shower curtain, caked on dirt on the counter for the vanity area and the mirror was so dirty you almost couldn’t see yourself. THIS is why I don’t want to go shower there again.

I get home yesterday from work... and there is no change in my bathroom. There is still no caulking in the tub, the wood and the tension bars are still there. I was told that it would probably be okay if I took a super fast shower in it, I could just remove all the bars and wood and stuff... and I nearly lost my jaw. Do they not understand what caused the trouble in the first place? IT WAS WATER GETTING BEHIND THE TILES. If the surround is not sealed with caulking... here's a tip... WATER WILL GET BEHIND THE SURROUND AND CAUSE THE SAME PROBLEMS!!

So here we are, on Monday. 4 days after my last shower at home. My bathtub is filthy. There is mudding compound, drywall dust, wood chips, and dirt in the tub, there is mudding compound and drywall dust caked on the floor, and still no caulking in there. I have today off from work, however I have to leave to go run errands and take my car back to the dealership for repairs from the last time they did repairs. I was supposed to go to a friend's house tonight for dinner and television, and I'm actually thinking that I am going to have to call and back out because I can't shower and even with a sponge bath in the kitchen sink (which is what I have been doing since Thursday, except for Sunday with the work shower...ick.) I don't feel clean. And my hair isn't as clean as if I could wash it in the shower. I'm cranky, and tired, and just want this done.

Oh, and since I still haven't heard from the complex about WHEN someone is coming back to remove all the crap and run the caulking... I don't know if it is an okay time to take my "bath" in the sink. With my luck... I will get soaped up and that's when maintenance will knock on the door.

I need my bathroom back. I need a way to get clean that does NOT involve water all over my kitchen. And I need a day off from work where I am not having to run all over town.

But really, it's not a fine line between clean and filthy. It's about as wide as my bathtub right now.