Our "splash back" and GDO

The Mellemas came for a visit this weekend and we were busy. Steve and Dad tiled the wall behind our oven, and while the glue was drying on that they put in a 2nd "GDO" (garage door opener). Steve kept calling the tiling around our oven a splash back; apparently he doesn't watch too much HGTV :) While the guys were busy doing that, Mom and I worked around the house at several things that I never get around to - cleaning all the windows, the china cabinets, hanging pictures, etc, etc, etc. My arms and legs are sore! Enjoy some before and after shots...

Before:

After:
It's not quite the final finished product, but you get the idea. They also tiled the area above our dishwasher, and I'll get those before/after shots up soon. We still have to do a little more grout tonight. I didn't get a shot of the GDO, but that's not all that exciting, until you use it!

Here are some shots during the tiling.

The spacers that the guys bought didn't really work, so they used plastic forks. The ghetto solution :)

Cleaning up!

And a funny story... I ran to a local home improvement store (that will remain nameless) to buy a small can of ceiling paint. When we painted our bathroom and bedroom we hit the ceiling a few times and I just wanted to cover those small spots. I repeat, the spots were small. I get to local fix-it place and look around at the endless rows of options. I decide to wait for paint guy to explain to what I need. Wrong plan of action!

Me: I'm looking for a paint that will cover up a few places on my ceiling where I just hit it with the roller while I was painting the walls.
Paint Guy: Has the ceiling ever been painted before?
Me: Well, no. But I'm not covering the ceiling, just a few places in the corners that have red and dark gray paint on them.
Paint Guy: *Grimaces* Ahhh, you're really not going to be able to match the color of the plaster. There are over 22 different types of plaster manufactured in Indiana alone and so you're going to have to cover the entire ceiling so that you don't notice the difference in color.
Me: I'm not covering the entire ceiling in 2 rooms just to cover a few small spots, we're talking less than a square inch each. I don't care if it doesn't match.
Paint Guy: *Shakes his head* You really will notice the difference in color.
Me: I notice a difference in color now, because it's bright red and slate gray! I just need to cover those spots.

Paint guy still wouldn't show me where the ceiling paint was. I left frustrated and we all returned the next day on our way back from church to talk to very same paint guy. He sold Steve the paint (Steve didn't tell him what it was for).