Um, hi! I cannot make your most recent page show up, nor can I get your home page to work, but all the later posts do.

I just get a blank screen that tells me it is done loading. Strange much?

As for the fabric, this is the best I could do:

Retro Dot Snuggle Flannel

RE: the PS. Could not agree more.

I had a particular wrapping paper in mind for someone's gift, and I went to four stores looking for it before I regained my sanity.

I hope you find the fabric you want.

I pretty much second everything that CTG said.

As far as the racism goes; I think that silence doesn't necessarily condone it, I think that one should pick the hill on which they wish to die and know the right time and place to assert themselves. With people who literally hold your life in the balance? It's best to hold your tongue and soldier on. You'll find your chance to make your opinion known. In a classy way, too, I'll bet. But even if that time doesn't come, know that I, for one, don't think that a grand stand needs to be taken here. I also tend to think the world would be a better place if everyone minded their mothers when they told them to shut their mouths if they don't have anything nice to say, but that's just me.

As for your home? Good lord, it makes one wonder how it ever passed inspection, yanno? But your kitchen is already divine and I'm so jealous I could spit.

Our home is One Project a Year because we weren't smart enough to throw money back for renovations. Live and learn. Die and forget it all, eh?

xoxo

Fantastic, great progress on the house. Can't wait to see the finished product..especially the glass wall and ceiling you mentioned..

Regardless of how it tastes, the house looks lovely. I think you've made a wise decision to finish up and move on. As my mother would say when you're met with people that you disagree with, "bless them and go on." I can only hope that their time in your house helps them see that maybe their own xenophobia is wrong.

I must confess that I haven't read all the other comments, so if I'm off-topic, forgive me. The racism - you are in a relationship with these guys, so you address what you can in the context of the relationship. You can't control what they think, true, but you as a person are an influence on their attitudes because they know you and can't honestly generalize you to a "type". I don't know if remarks are being made in your presence, but you can inform them, politely, of what is unacceptable in your presence. It isn't easy and can have consequences, but I find women can get compliance on this where maybe men can't. I had to make plain to a boss once that using the "n" word in my company was unacceptable. He adjusted his behavior, and if there was retribution, I didn't pick up on it.
My 2 cents.
The house will be so great when you are done, hang in there!!!!
Suze

One never knows what lurks in the hearts of men (and women). Well The Shadow does but he's a fictional character.

Point is you could hire people all day long and get racist, perverts, pedophiles and all sorts of nastys and nver know it. Would you feel happier not knowing? I doubt it.

At least with this crew you know who and what you are dealing with and act accoridngly. Hopefully to place a positive image in fromt of them. Lauren said it great.

Do not beat yourself up over this issue. Cannot be helped and cannot be fixed by you. Just be a good example by how you live your life and impart those values to your chiidren. All four of them.

I hear you about house problems— I have yet to own a house, but I've lived in several with issues that have me hitting my head against a wall— gently— and screaming, "WHAT were you THINKING?" One of them was the house I grew up in— sub-code, but thankfully not actually hazardous once they got the roof sealed.

I'm the daughter of an engineer. Substandard work offends me. Deeply.

Sometimes it's amusing, though. There was one house which had a fake fireplace not attached to any chimney and a chimney not attached to any fireplace— in fact, it went clear through the basement floor. Don't know what that one was about.

And— electrics— Evil Rob helped his dad rewire their 1920s-era house with its all of one outlet per room. He reports that the wiring was cloth-covered copper. Amazingly enough, they managed to rewire the place without punching holes in the plaster (other than the new outlet locations.)

I'm glad you're getting the house you need, instead of the carpeted monstrosity it used to be.

First and foremost: Thank you. Do the math in your head and you'll know why. I have an idea already, but I'm going to have to read a book or two so that I can achieve exactly what I'm going for. (I was pretty sure I knew when I heard the clinking in the package but when I saw--well, there were tears.)

Now, regarding the house and the builders and all that muckity muck. Dude, I understand that you're torn but listen up: You are not responsible for everything in the whole wide world forever and ever amen. (I'll be kettle this time, K?) You can't run a full background check on every single person who is ever going to do a little bit of work for you. If you were to attempt it, you'd find yourself Amish because we've all got skeletons. (Even the Amish have them, but they're smart enough to separate themselves enough that the internet isn't a factor for those skeletons, ya know?) One of my managers is one of those nutjob whackado prolifers. He's also got the best sense of humour of all of them, is the most easy going, and has the most excellent taste in music. He's my favourite, but I really kinda hate the hell out of that prolife thing. (He refused to have anything to do with our March of Dimes stuff because there are some cases in which MoD * might suggest considering* termination. That was enough for him.)

Unfortunately, things have to give here and there. The guys are doing good work for you and that's aces. However, you're paying for that work and therefore do not owe them anything further. You don't have to recommend them to anyone. You don't have to appear in their ProActiv commercials with Jessica Simpson. You're not contracted to smile while he spews shite. It's come down to an exchange: you're exchanging your money for his hard work. That's it. You didn't know beforehand what his views were and you've already said you wouldn't have used him if you had. That's already a show of integrity on your part. You're locked in now. But you don't have to recommend him. You can end your exchange at the completion of the work. I guarantee, that will have more impact than you even realise.

As for the fabric-- do you have a photo or a sketch of what you're looking for? I have an idea. (I always do, don't I?) Email and I'll give you the cheese.

Remember too, talk is cheap. It's very easy to be an armchair critic about someone else's actions when we're just onlookers but you're actually in the thick of it all, making decisions you believe are best for you and your family.

We can all blah blah blah to our heart's content (as commenters are wont to do, heh) but the truth is, it's YOUR life, YOUR house and YOUR decisions and only you and Angus know what is best.

You guys are doing great and I'm with Isabel too; if you shun everyone who doesn't believe exactly the same way you do, how will that help anything? Isn't that kind of the same thing they are doing? Isolation is not productive, on either side. Your perceptions have been altered through knowing them and trust me, their perceptions have been altered through knowing you as well. How is this not good? :)

That being said, have you heard the good newz about Ceiling Cat? Email me! I can't wait to share with you!

I even have pamphlets!

I love the ceiling cat!

You're doing the best with a bad situation. It is understandable. Don't beat yourself up about it.

The house is coming along nicely!

The house is freaking BEAUTIFUL. Just gorgeous, and I love how you're incorporating some of the original elements in the decor.

If you can't find the fabric you want - what about painting it? It wouldn't be too hard to do, I don't think, and it would be much easier to just find the base fabric than to find the exact on you're dreaming of. (Of course, then there's that equation of time vs. money, and nobody ever has enough of either one...)

I am GLAD you have kept your builders. Don't be ashamed in telling us about your house...it's YOUR house...who cares who is building it for you as long as it is done well??

On a side note, please do not feel guilty for keeping your racist builders. You, yourself, have non-white blood in you (just as most of us do these days) and frankly, you are being a moral person with stronger character by saying, "You may believe this, but I accept you anyway. I don't agree with you, but I am stopping the cycle of hatred here and now by accepting you as you are." Liking it and accepting it are two different things.

Be proud of yourself.

Hang in there. Its tough I am sure, but you are right-there is not much you can do now but let them finish.

Being neutral doesn't always mean choosing sides. Sometimes it just is an ugly fact of life. You know in your heart you wouldn't have hired them if you knew they were racist, and you also know that you are appalled at what they believe. The truth is many people you may come across in the service industry do things you would not agree with or tolerate as a rule, but you just are unaware of it. Does that mean ignorance is bliss? Sometimes maybe, I don't know. I know you feel so conflicted because you hired them-but again, who would think to ask "by the way, you boys are not all skins are you?"(and I suppose this is part of your conflict as well-it horrifies you that you would even have to think of such things). Does it mean you should just turn a blind eye? No, but you have learned an important lesson here and as I said before have had a chance to dig down deep in yourself and find what you are made of.

The house is gorgeous, and too bad for ceiling cat. She looks quite content up there. And I second Reprodepot-great fabric at that site. I could spend all day looking at them.

Honestly, I think it might do more harm than good to fire the builders. You'd just be giving them another reason to hate Americans. I doubt that they would see your reasoning clearly and understand why you were actually firing them.

I think it looks fantastic, and I don't think you are compromising anything. You are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and this is the best decision for your family.

I am so jealous. It's coming around so nicely, well done to all! You should be proud. I think I might come to live with you. After all, the place is all bright and shiny and new, right? I may or may not bring my toddler, we'll see.

I'll be honest (preparing myself for the onslaught of horribleness) - I don't think there are many working class folk in the UK who aren't racist in some form. I live in a very working class city and am married to a man with a working class family, and I can't ever escape racism. It's everywhere and it's appalling.

Generalisation over.

Wow...that's coming along beautifully. I'm so excited for you guys!

All I can say is WOW...you and Angus have done an amazing job!

Try Esty or is it etsy? for the fabric.

http://reprodepot.stores.yahoo.net/ is a great place for finding retro material for your curtains....a quick search didn't return exactly what you are looking for, but the stock rotates in and out and I only looked through the dots section.

wow! really it's looking so good there. i know all of this will be worth it in the end.

I didn't chime in on the issue with the contractors before because so many others already had, but i think your outlook on it is the smartest and healthiest one given your options. Isabel's comments before mine are right on, Christian or not, a mantra we should all try to live by "treat others the way you would like to be treated." live your life as an example and hopefully maybe something of this experience will stick with those guys and they'll start to change.

wishful thinking maybe? Pollyanna-ish maybe? but it's a sure-fire way to be more at peace with your decision and let the rest take care of itself...just my two cents...

Helen - You cracked me up this morning with the subtle "that will be too bad for ceiling cat." Too funny. - Judi

I totally understand your need to continue. It would be foolish to stop now and look for new help with the construction, right?
Remember that it's your house and no monument of racism at all. It carries your spirits, and none of the cowboy's.
I thought about how one gets to know if the construction team is a bunch of racists. Is there any possibility to know in advance? Any kind of list you may look into, a register maybe? If not, you have no chance at all to know before the construction starts.
So keep on informing us. But I am in fact envious, I would love such an old house... And my cats would as well.
Lily

You're between a rock and a hard place with your builders. You didn't know when you hired them, and the money's forfeit if you fire them: you just have to suck it up till the job is done.

As a Christian in an unchristian society, I have a different way of seeing your predicament. Christianity has a great outlook on it, which might help you out here. You live in the world as it is, and by your own example of being different you hope to show those around you a different way of being. It isn't by shunning people that you change them. It's by building a relationship with them and allowing them to see that things can be different.

You've got a great opportunity here to make a difference. It might be just planting a tiny seed in the Cowboy's mind and you'll probably never know if you've made any difference at all. I hope you go through with the building work with a lighter heart as an emissary of racial tolerance.

After re-reading my comments from a couple of posts ago I realized that I should have read the comments preceding mine a little better, because you chimed in with some important information that I missed that might have changed the tone of my comment. I was hoping that maybe their racism was a past thing, but it appears that isn't so.

It sucks that you had to let these people into your home and your lives. Of course, I don't think you get an opportunity to interview your contractors before they start work. But like you say, they have your house in your hands, and you have no choice but to let them finish the job. Crappy, but no one ever said eating shit tasted good.