The Sink Saga

It all started with a sink atop a vanity and the sink starting to develop cracks in the surface…I always describe it as the “college kid sink” all cracked around the drain. So when I saw that starting on our sink, I knew we had to replace it. First, a walk around the habitat thrift store, Restore. I saw a sink, thought it was the right size, and, bonus: it had a really nice new shiny faucet and was tagged $15.00. So we got it, loaded it in the back of the van, got home, measured our vanity base and unfortunately my “eyeballed” sink in the van was too deep, 22″ when we needed 19″. No sense in unloading it when it was the wrong size, but then we realized we still had to remove the faucet.

So, after a couple of weeks of dragging a sink around in the back of our van, John brought it in and removed the faucet. It was a single lever Moen which looked like new, and saving it redeemed the purchase of the wrong sink.

It has been said that at Nana’s and Papa’s house, there is always a duck watching you. And I think the handle on the shiny, “new to me” faucet looks like another duck. A little awkward that it ends up in the powder room where privacy is preferred.

That misfit sink was put out for the garbage. Then I ordered a new sink. On the left is the one I ordered 3 hole, rectangle, porcelain. What came was the other one: rectangle, porcelain, and one hole

I called Wayfair, explained the situation, found out that a corrected reorder wouldn’t arrive till January, so I asked them to credit my card, and then I had to start all over looking elsewhere for the right sink. I was disappointed, but they handled everything very nicely, and I was told to hang onto the wrong sink for two weeks to see if they wanted it back. It has been 2 weeks and I have a very nice 24w X 22d porcelain sink that needs a new home, along with the old sink waiting to be put out in the trash.

I went from website to website and was not able to find the right sink at the right price in time for Thanksgiving. Finally, I found a vanity complete with the right size sink, although it was not the rectangular shaped one I preferred, and both for less than the sink alone. It came. John pulled it out of the box for me, and I put it aside. After a couple of days I started the project. I pulled up youtube “how to ” videos on replacing a sink top and faucet on a vanity top. Many were women doing the demo and explanation. I thought to myself, “If they can do it, so can I”. I texted John and asked him to pick up plumbers’ putty on the way home, and he responded with an “Oh, oh, I think I know what you are up to”.

I turned off the water to the faucets, disconnected the trap, catching the water, then disconnected the old faucets and pulled the sink, faucets, old drain pipe and all.

And so with the help of youtube and the cooperation of John, my resident electrician, we now have an updated oiled bronze light fixture in addition to a new sink and faucet. We will find good homes for the wrong new sink and the superfluous new vanity.

Before giving away the extra vanity, I found a cutting board to top it, and while talking to Lucas, our youngest grandson, who wasn’t feeling well, John was feeding Nemo an orange carrot, entertaining Lucas who now asks for Papa and Nemo.

Rustic and hand made, (by me) sign complete with key

Would love to be able to turn on the light, but all you see is a big round bright glare

And we have an updated powder room for our very special Thanksgiving house guests who will soon be arriving,