I knew it was going to be one of those days, when I saw Jason tidying under the house area of the Sow's Ear. There was a bit of huffing and cursing as he was breaking up some old glass aluminium doors. I could tell he was generally annoyed at anything and everything.
A little while later I spied him measuring the fibro cladding that surrounds the bottom part of the Sow's Ear. I asked Jason what he was planning.
"I'm thinking of putting some weatherboards up, in this area," he replied, pointing to the cream-coloured walls.
"Oh? Do you have any weatherboards?"
"I'll have just enough for this section," he said.
"Okay then. But don't you have to get rid of the fibro first? It could be asbestos, you know?"
"I know that," said Jason as he proceeded to fetch his hammer from the shed, barefoot and shirtless of course.
"Are you going to do it right now? This minute?"
Jason stared at me like I was some annoying little parasite.
"Are you serious? There is no way you are going to be breaking up asbestos. What the? We've got little kids running around. What are you wearing? I can't believe it. Do you want to die an agonising death?" were some of the sentences which rolled in rapid succession from my nagging lips.
And that was it. Barefoot, shirtless Jason sighed, put his hammer back in the shed, abandoning his impromptu demolition plans and went to bed. And slept. For a couple of hours.
He's been ordered to have a break.
A little while later I spied him measuring the fibro cladding that surrounds the bottom part of the Sow's Ear. I asked Jason what he was planning.
"I'm thinking of putting some weatherboards up, in this area," he replied, pointing to the cream-coloured walls.
"Oh? Do you have any weatherboards?"
"I'll have just enough for this section," he said.
"Okay then. But don't you have to get rid of the fibro first? It could be asbestos, you know?"
"I know that," said Jason as he proceeded to fetch his hammer from the shed, barefoot and shirtless of course.
"Are you going to do it right now? This minute?"
 |
| Under the Sow's Ear, the walls are clad in fibro. We're not sure whether this section is asbestos fibro or not. We are planning on removing them at some stage and replacing them with weatherboards |
Jason stared at me like I was some annoying little parasite.
"Are you serious? There is no way you are going to be breaking up asbestos. What the? We've got little kids running around. What are you wearing? I can't believe it. Do you want to die an agonising death?" were some of the sentences which rolled in rapid succession from my nagging lips.
And that was it. Barefoot, shirtless Jason sighed, put his hammer back in the shed, abandoning his impromptu demolition plans and went to bed. And slept. For a couple of hours.
He's been ordered to have a break.
My dearest darlings. As the wife of an (old-Shhhhhh) builder, I'll tell you he lets the asbestos specialists do their thang on ANY job where it's suspected. And he's regularly a hands-on-guy. Jason is to be congratulated and you are a bloody legend for recognising the potential risk! NO house is worth getting sick / dying for.
ReplyDeletex KL
Quite right you are! It's so dangerous. My friend was exposed to asbestos and has no idea where or when..quite possibly while he was living in Quebec where they still mine it. Sadly he is very ill...on oxygen full time. As you know it is NOT something to be messed with.
ReplyDeleteJason needs a break anyway after that exterior painting he did...
Evan Almighty has hammered about 700 nails into our deck and his back is playing up but he was out there again like Bam Bam today just plugging along. Sometimes the tireder they get the harder they go.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness you were there. I tell you, sometimes men just don't think they just go ahead and do!
ReplyDeleteOh my. That's the sort of die-hard behaviour that starts a class action.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Jason went back to bed. I can see his enthusiasm for getting the job done, though there's a point where you have to get in the experts.
KL - your hubby is a smart man.
ReplyDeleteRaz - I feel sad for your friend.
Annie - sounds like your hubby and Jason are one in the same!
Deb - no thought whatsoever, just action, action!
MMMC - Jason knows all about asbestos and mesothelioma claims. Seriously, his brain is on holidays!! xx
So glad to see common sense won the day. Amazing what a smart woman and a good sleep can do too :)
ReplyDeleteLOL men aye ?
ReplyDeleteOh dear, giggle, I can just imagine him hanging his head and muttering all the way to bed!
ReplyDeleteGood on you for sticking to your guns.
I love though how you can order a grown man to take a nap. You are awesome, I hope you continue to use those powers for good not evil.
Sounds like the equivalent of "Have a Bex and a good lie down". Poor Jason, he was obviously have a moment. Did he shake his hammer in the air and curse at the renovation gods? Thrilled to hear you've had a peaceful, asbestos-free weekend. Meredy xo
ReplyDeleteSadly we renovated, well partly renovated a little cottage in the early 1990's which was just before we all learnt just how bad that stuff is....we did it without any protection whatsoever..thankfully before kids....time will tell I guess...
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting the horror that abounds today around asbestos. I can't believe the amount of healthy old people who have lived through having asbestos everywhere in their houses and garages including the pipes for drinking water or the guttering to catch drinking water for their tanks! However it is not so good for those that have been exposed to the dust/fibres through their workplaces.
ReplyDeleteWhen we replaced the asbestos on the outside walls with weatherboards- we had a skip that was lined and wore protective clothing, masks etc.
Our inside walls including the bathroom are still asbestos.
Thanks for your comments everyone.
ReplyDeleteMeredy, Jason just cursed me, the reno gods were the least of his worries.
Sharon and Kathy, Jason and I were exposed to it when we were growing up like most people of our generation and those older. I just don't want to add to the exposure...xx