Happy feet, sad wallet

We haven't walked on the shower floors yet -- but they're fun for our eyes to wander across.

Bobby D, the tile guy, put them down in all three bathrooms Tuesday. In the master bath, in the top picture, they're slate squares -- apparently devilish things to cut, because the slate has a tendency to break off in layers.

It's easier sledding in the two guest baths; the tiles are studded with aqua glass dots, and his saw makes short work of it all.

Lining up materials for the rest of the job, Bobby noticed one glitch that had an interesting solution: Our ceramic wall tile is about a quarter-inch thicker than the iridescent glass tiles we'll be using as decorative bands throughout. Arnold and Bobby palavered, then sent me on a quest for backer board they could cut into strips to shim out the glass.

(Bobby had suggested simply doubling up the glass -- but considering its price, I ruled that out pronto, as they say in Murano.)

Home Depot sells 3-by-5-foot HardieBacker sheets for about 9 bucks, but it was on back(er) order. So we went over to Manley deBoer, the local lumberyard, and picked up a sheet -- for 12 and change.

¡Caramba, what a markup!