What do drywall and swine flu have in common?

The answer is a lot, if you happen to be Mr. Speedy and I.

Our electricians packed up earlier this week, leaving us with a house that was no longer a fire trap (along with a few extra outlets, too!) but also a few holes in our walls.

The hope was to get those patched up as soon as possible, so we could start tackling the mounds of inevitable reno dust and get unpacked.

But, as with all things related to home renovations, things don't always go as planned. We found a very reliable, professional and friendly drywall guy who was going to be free when we needed him — a relative miracle during the spring home improvement season! But, alas, we've hit a minor delay.

A member of the crew has the swine flu. Yep, on the same day the WHO declared the virus a pandemic, we found it affecting us directly.

Thankfully, we're a small job, and he thinks he should be able to start (and finish) next week.

But I must admit, when I was imagining all the possible things that could delay our reno plans — unexpected, emergency repairs, ballooning costs, contractors pulled away for another job — the swine flu never crossed my mind!