The Agony In The Kitchen

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​THE AGONY IN THE KITCHEN

...Continued from the previous post:
​    All right, "agony" is mayhaps a weence hyperbolic. Let's say rather that today I write from a place of superabundant frustration. 
      For those who might not have been following the soap opera of my kitchen remodel, or who by now might have lost track of the drawn-out narrative thread, here's a recap:
      My kitchen has been under construction since September 11. The end date for the remodel was scheduled for October 11.  The project flowed along until October 9, when my Brown Latte quartzite countertops were installed looking like this along the edges:

...and this along the seam between the two pieces in the sink area.

       From October 9 until November 15, technicians from the stone company - whom after a while I came to refer to as the Stone Doctors - made regular house calls in an effort to cure my countertops of whatever mysterious ailment was causing their unsightly condition. 
​        They tried alcohol rubs,

...and heat treatments,

...and special stone-healing poultices,

...and special stone-healing incantations.

      During this time the final components of the job - the installation of the backsplash and the adjustment of the electrical outlets - had to be put on hold.*
​        After three weeks the stains around the edges of the countertops miraculously disappeared. Not so the stains along the seam. Treatments for the stained seam continued for a few more weeks until, on November 15, the Stone Doctors gave up all hope of saving the seamed countertops and informed  us  that those countertops would be replaced by a new unseamed section of Brown Latte quartzite.
        In my previous post I told of how I was given the date of November 24 for the removal of the old countertop and the installation of the new and how, because this was the day before Thanksgiving, my kitchen plumbing, which would have to be disconnected for the countertop installation, would not be reconnected until the following week. I further recounted how, after the plumbing was disconnected I received a call from the stone company that the countertop could not be installed that day after all because it hadn't dried out from its cut, which was done with a water-spraying saw. I barely caught the plumber in time before he left my house and prevailed upon him reconnect the kitchen sink plumbing that he had just disconnected. Thus I just missed having to go through Thanksgiving weekend without a working kitchen sink or dishwasher.  When the story left off in my previous post my new countertop was due to arrive yesterday, December 3.
        And so yesterday morning the plumber - well, a different plumber from last time - returned to detach my kitchen plumbing in preparation for the installation of my countertop, which was due to happen between noon and 1 pm. The plumber was slated to return to rehook my plumbing on Tuesday, December 7, which would leave me for the weekend and a day without water in the kitchen. Having four other sinks scattered around the house, I figured we'd abide. 
        Noon came and went, as did 1, 2, 3, and 4 pm. By the time my phone rang at 4:30 I knew who was calling and why. 
        Yes, it was the stone company. 
        Them: "We can't install your countertop today."
        Me: "Why?"
        Them: "Well, um, your countertop got wet again."
        Me: "It got wet again? How did it get wet again?"
        Them: "Well, um, somebody laid a piece of backsplash against it."
        Me:        
      Now, I don't understand how a backsplash, though in name sounds like a wet, splashy thing, could actually make something wet. I don't even know exactly what the stone company rep meant in this case by the term "backsplash."
         The rep did seek to impress upon me that Brown Latte is such a dense, heavy rock that it just really sucks in and holds onto water. 
           Right, blame the dang rock, ​I wanted to say. But didn't.
          When will I get my countertop? I'll let you know.
           When will I have my kitchen plumbing back?  I'll keep you posted.
​          When will I be out of kitchen remodeling hell? Your guess is as good as mine.    

* Where they remain still.