Mike, hope things are just busy for you and you haven't had time to check in. Wishing you a beautiful Christmas and a fantastic New Year in your new home!

I look at work parties as part of the job. If your boss invited you to his house for dinner, you wouldn't refuse, right? I go, make my rounds with the staff and any clients we may have in attendance, have a cocktail and a few appetizers and head home after about an hour or two. Although I like my work, I do not consider my coworkers "friends". And I would never take a significant other, even if I had one. As I said, I consider these events extensions of work, not part of my social life. As to too many invitations? Heck yeah. But I decided a few years ago that I would limit myself to five parties in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That is one work party and one fun party each week. If I am having a particularly stressful week, I will just not stay at the party very long.

You guys are so sweet. Thank you !! DS1 has a way about him, that is for sure. We are lucky to get to share in his success. I hope the restaruant will do well this year. We are off the beaten path and until the owner sent out a short note 2 weeks ago we were really down in numbers. People have rallied around and the figures have picked up. With all the changes in the economy aand the country it is anybody's guess as to what will happen. The menu is going to really be restructured to feature more of a Bistro feel for the new year.It will be less costly tp prepare but still very interesting in flavors. Stay tuned ! Jane you do need to get down here ! Missed hearing from you for the porch tour. Sue we would love to see you ! We used to live in B'more...I think I told you that ...back in 1973-74. Don't remember the restaurants though...we were poor poor students then LOL. Thank you chicory...I got it on the way ! Texan and bodica wish you were too !! Maybe next year. Mitch the veal melts in your mouth. The broth is based on the same starter that he has had going now for 4 years. It is so rich and savory that you just can't believe...you gotta come down. Ds1 and DIL will be in Montreal and surrounding areas for 2 weeks starting 1/1. They are visiting DIL's family. scooby I have never tried to cook either one...you are very ambitious ! I wish you could come see us . c

Most likely it's what the other posters mentioned: Floor movement. It can either be because the floor structure itself (joists/subfloor/underlayment) is not structurally sufficient for the tile you selected, or... It can be that the way the tile backer board and the tile itself was installed is unsound. The #1 reason that I see failed grout is movement within the floor. It's typically because the backer board used as an intermediary between the subfloor/underlayment and the tile was improperly installed. The common thread that I've seen in improper backer board installation is the installer simply sets the cement backer board down on the subfloor/underlayment and then fastens it with screws/nails, then tiles. Instead, thinset should be troweled on the subfloor/underlayment, the backer board should be bedded in the thinset, and then it should be fastened in place with nails or screws. The thinset isn't for bonding. The fasteners do that. The thinset fills any micro-voids between the subfloor/underlayment and the backer board. Without the thinset, there can be minor vertical movement within the installation. Rigid tiles and rigid grout tend to not do well when installed on a surface that can flex. Bedding the backer board in thinset is a part of the installation instructions for most tile backer boards. The second part, using the old grout? Portland cement-based grouts cures via hydration. They consume water and a chemical reaction occurs. Grouts in unopened packages have a typical shelf life of about six months or so. Some longer. Once the package is opened, over time and with exposure to air, the grout in the opened package can react with moisture in the atmosphere. In the opened package it may still look okay. Or it may be slightly clumped, the clumps may be easily broken up. But by having already reacted with some atmospheric moisture, the strength of the old grout can be some or significantly less that the strength of new grout. The lessened bond strength can result in the old grout cracking in the joint, or simply powdering away over time. Cracked grout can also be from too much water used when mixing it, and/or when cleaning the grout from the tile faces. The excess water reduces the strength of the grout. The cracked tile could be from one of a few things, but usually it's from floor movement with a well-bonded tile. Instead of the thinset failing and the tile itself popping loose, the tile itself fails.