Home Economics 101

Okay, so not quite your average Home Ec. class but while working with my dad this week I've found a few comparisons to all those crafty, home-y things one learns in middle school home ec., or TLC as we call it in Utah.  

The first is that cutting tile is quite like sewing, only a little bit messier and a lot louder.  The advantages to cutting tile are as follows: one - it is MUCH easier to cut in a straight line than it is to sew in a straight line.  Two - if you finger accidentally touches the cutter, it won't slice your finger off.  Now, a sewing machine won't slice your finger off either but I've heard that it can sew right through it.  Anyway - cutting tile is quite a treat and the finished product is just as fun to look at as a sewing project.

The other thing I learned in my basement home economics class is that spreading out the thin set can be compared to frosting a cake.  You get to plop this goopy stuff onto the floor with a spatula and then you get to spread it out and make pretty lines in it with a trough.  If you know me and frosting things (cookies, cake, cupcakes), then you'll probably understand that I was very excited to start frosting the bathroom floor.  Unfortunately, my dad didn't trust me to do this job (has he not seen my culinary expertise?!) since we were laying the tile on concrete.  He had to work very hard to make sure everything was level.  So, I just watched, cut tile, and cleaned things when he asked me too.

So there you have it, how construction work is simply just home economics.