Friday, January 18, 2013
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Getting There
We're making good progress. Yesterday I went to the house and removed the tape from Drew's room and had another go at removing the stubborn wallpaper glue from Meg's walls. I think I might finally have found the answer - lots and lots of moisture and a diamond blade tool.
Today we met our friend Dave (aka Project Manager) back there. Drew was a reluctant starter - he worked at the pub last night and didn't get home until 2am. Getting him moving this morning wasn't easy but I told him we couldn't do it without him for two reasons - 1) Dave hurt his arm at cricket yesterday and 2) we don't want Gibbo handling a paintbrush. He's great for mixing paint, pouring paint, moving ladders and sheets and passing the cleanup cloth but he's a bit gung-ho with a paintbrush so we try to keep him busy. Meg is at the coast so missed all the work this weekend.
We got through a power of work this morning. Dave's arm ended up being ok enough to roll so I cut in, Drew rolled my paint and Dave did the rest of the rolling. We finished the second top coat completely and then started on the second coat of green (pale eucalypt). We worked hard and fast and managed to finish the whole lot. The last section was finished in record time as Gibbo had to be back home to meet a guy who was coming to fix a hole in our 20,000gal tank. It's one from the old farm that was damaged in a storm; we'll put it up the top of the laneway as a back up for the existing concrete tank.
The dining area still has tape around the floor and windows. I'll remove it tomorrow.
Today we met our friend Dave (aka Project Manager) back there. Drew was a reluctant starter - he worked at the pub last night and didn't get home until 2am. Getting him moving this morning wasn't easy but I told him we couldn't do it without him for two reasons - 1) Dave hurt his arm at cricket yesterday and 2) we don't want Gibbo handling a paintbrush. He's great for mixing paint, pouring paint, moving ladders and sheets and passing the cleanup cloth but he's a bit gung-ho with a paintbrush so we try to keep him busy. Meg is at the coast so missed all the work this weekend.
We got through a power of work this morning. Dave's arm ended up being ok enough to roll so I cut in, Drew rolled my paint and Dave did the rest of the rolling. We finished the second top coat completely and then started on the second coat of green (pale eucalypt). We worked hard and fast and managed to finish the whole lot. The last section was finished in record time as Gibbo had to be back home to meet a guy who was coming to fix a hole in our 20,000gal tank. It's one from the old farm that was damaged in a storm; we'll put it up the top of the laneway as a back up for the existing concrete tank.
The dining area still has tape around the floor and windows. I'll remove it tomorrow.
What's left? This was the biggest job so it's a huge relief to have it finished. I'll paint the rail in warm beige and wash the ceiling. I also need to lightly sand and varnish the window surrounds; they look a bit tired and will really shine with a clear coat. I put my critical eye on (more so than usual) and decided that the pantry needs painting; I'll do that gradually over the next few weeks. Meg's room needs the glue removed and a paint job and Dave wants to spray our walk-in robe; I'd be quite happy to leave it as it is. We're not painting our bedroom or the "middle" room; they'll just get a good wash.
Then it's just the sanding and revarnishing of the wooden floor in the lounge/kitchen/dining and the renovation of the bathroom/toilet area; paint that and the laundry and we're done.
It was hellishingly hot this afternoon, the hottest I've felt in amongst a whole lot of hot days. I'm heading outside to immerse myself in the pool (it's 9pm).
Yesterday's Rain
Travelling back from the farm I came across this.....two minutes later I was on a gravel road kicking up dust.
This is what met me at home - no rain in any of it though.
This is what met me at home - no rain in any of it though.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Gone Again
Wow, where'd the week go? It just disappeared on me.
Meg left Monday, back to work in Tba.
Tuesday Drew and I went painting in the afternoon and finished the first coat of cream on the big area.
Wednesday I met with the floor sanding man to show him the job so that he can give us a quote. He thinks he can come back during the week of Feb 11 so we need to have the bathroom renovated before then.
Thursday we went painting again and finished the walls in Drew's room while a wind/thunder/lightning storm played outside.
All this occurred in amongst a horror work week of budgets, reports and deadlines. Crazy stuff.
We got the confirmation flight details for thejunket trip to Hawaii. Hanging out for that.
Meg left Monday, back to work in Tba.
Tuesday Drew and I went painting in the afternoon and finished the first coat of cream on the big area.
Wednesday I met with the floor sanding man to show him the job so that he can give us a quote. He thinks he can come back during the week of Feb 11 so we need to have the bathroom renovated before then.
Thursday we went painting again and finished the walls in Drew's room while a wind/thunder/lightning storm played outside.
All this occurred in amongst a horror work week of budgets, reports and deadlines. Crazy stuff.
We got the confirmation flight details for the
'Lil Ted
'Lil Ted was left behind by Miss C. He languished unnoticed on the floor in the bedroom where she slept, jammed between the spare mattress and the wall. When rescued, he was very thankful and sat for a while on the couch.
Today he took a drive to the local post office where he played around, trying out the padded bags to see which one was the best fit and most comfortable for the journey ahead. This one was just right.
Into the bag he jumped. He was a little frightened but very brave too. Soon he will go home to Miss C.
Today he took a drive to the local post office where he played around, trying out the padded bags to see which one was the best fit and most comfortable for the journey ahead. This one was just right.
Into the bag he jumped. He was a little frightened but very brave too. Soon he will go home to Miss C.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Painting Day 2
Not many photos today - we were too busy! Plus, half the pics didn't import from the SD card. The dining room looks so light.
Meg, Drew and I finished putting the pale eucalyptus colour right around the bottom panel. Drew rolled once Meg and I had filled the grooves.
Somehow (?) Coco painted her paw and then pressed it on the wall in the kitchen, behind where the fridge will go. I wonder how she managed that. Guess which two were involved?
The lounge room with undercoat on top and one coat of pale eucalypt on the bottom.
We ended up achieving a lot. I wouldn't say we've broken it's back but we're getting there. It's all just a process to get through, one step at a time. Drew's room has two coats and needs one more to totally hide the blue bows; the lounge is half finished with two coats of cottage cream and pale eucalyptus. We'll go down this week and give Drew's room another coat and continue with the second coat in the lounge and get the first colour coat on the kitchen/dining. Meg's room is proving to be a real challenge. The type of glue used to fix the wallpaper to the wall has left behind a residue that is proving near impossible to remove. We've tried lots of remedies and have resorted to using paint thinner and an orbital sander but even so, it's not coming off very easily.
Meg, Drew and I finished putting the pale eucalyptus colour right around the bottom panel. Drew rolled once Meg and I had filled the grooves.
Somehow (?) Coco painted her paw and then pressed it on the wall in the kitchen, behind where the fridge will go. I wonder how she managed that. Guess which two were involved?
The lounge room with undercoat on top and one coat of pale eucalypt on the bottom.
We ended up achieving a lot. I wouldn't say we've broken it's back but we're getting there. It's all just a process to get through, one step at a time. Drew's room has two coats and needs one more to totally hide the blue bows; the lounge is half finished with two coats of cottage cream and pale eucalyptus. We'll go down this week and give Drew's room another coat and continue with the second coat in the lounge and get the first colour coat on the kitchen/dining. Meg's room is proving to be a real challenge. The type of glue used to fix the wallpaper to the wall has left behind a residue that is proving near impossible to remove. We've tried lots of remedies and have resorted to using paint thinner and an orbital sander but even so, it's not coming off very easily.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Still Married....Just....
We got to the farm early and finished covering the floor in Drew's room. When everyone had arrived, we started. I cut in, our project manager Dave sprayed with the air gun and Drew followed along, rolling. Meg was on ladder duty and Gibbo was the gofer.
Meg was pretty excited.
Drew was so excited he grew a tail.
My brother came to help. His fastidiousness and height were a great help.
More organised chaos.
We let Gibbo loose with a paint brush but not for long.
Some of us took a serious approach to the job at hand.
Others did not.
Drew's room, with undercoat. Top coat goes on tomorrow.
Before.
During.
After.
Painting Drew's door.
Back into it tomorrow.
Meg was pretty excited.
Drew was so excited he grew a tail.
My brother came to help. His fastidiousness and height were a great help.
More organised chaos.
We let Gibbo loose with a paint brush but not for long.
Some of us took a serious approach to the job at hand.
Others did not.
Drew's room, with undercoat. Top coat goes on tomorrow.
Before.
During.
After.
Painting Drew's door.
Back into it tomorrow.
Soothing the Soul
The working year has not started as I would have liked; if it goes on like this I'm not sure I'll make it to the end of June.
I raced home and met the boys and we took off to the farm where we spent two and a half hours taping up windows and sliding doors and trying, to no avail, to remove the glue residue left behind in Megan's room after the wallpaper strip removal. Drew and I had to keep an eye on Gibbo; a handyman he is not. I have taken to calling him Frank (Spencer), not unkindly though. I picked up Andrew's air gun this morning and had a quick lesson in how to use it. Familial, especially marital, relations could be quite strained by the time tomorrow afternoon comes around. I just need to keep ramping up the calm button.
Once home again we all sat in the lounge room (Meg was home) and I played some of my favourite music to help ease my mood. James Taylor, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez, Neil Young, Carole King, Jim Croce, Bob Dylan, Johnny Horton, Bruce Baby and Redgum. It took me back to campfires at Greenbank and concerts in the early 80's (Willie, Redgum, The Bushwackers). I can't sing for nuts but that doesn't stop me. I remembered how important music once was in my life; how I bought my first guitar in 1980 from a pawn shop in George Street in Brisbane when I worked down there, and the banjo I bought. I really need to re-connect with all that.
My mood shifted and I smiled to myself. The painting will happen....and bugger the budget.
I raced home and met the boys and we took off to the farm where we spent two and a half hours taping up windows and sliding doors and trying, to no avail, to remove the glue residue left behind in Megan's room after the wallpaper strip removal. Drew and I had to keep an eye on Gibbo; a handyman he is not. I have taken to calling him Frank (Spencer), not unkindly though. I picked up Andrew's air gun this morning and had a quick lesson in how to use it. Familial, especially marital, relations could be quite strained by the time tomorrow afternoon comes around. I just need to keep ramping up the calm button.
Once home again we all sat in the lounge room (Meg was home) and I played some of my favourite music to help ease my mood. James Taylor, Willie Nelson, Joan Baez, Neil Young, Carole King, Jim Croce, Bob Dylan, Johnny Horton, Bruce Baby and Redgum. It took me back to campfires at Greenbank and concerts in the early 80's (Willie, Redgum, The Bushwackers). I can't sing for nuts but that doesn't stop me. I remembered how important music once was in my life; how I bought my first guitar in 1980 from a pawn shop in George Street in Brisbane when I worked down there, and the banjo I bought. I really need to re-connect with all that.
My mood shifted and I smiled to myself. The painting will happen....and bugger the budget.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
The Project Has Begun
After meeting at the farm yesterday with a friend we are finally making some headway with The Project. We've worked out a plan of action for the weekend and today (yes, the local hardware shop was open) we bought a few bits and pieces to get us started. Then we went to Twba, where the boys went to see The Hobbit and Meg and I hung out. On the way home we went and had a practice run taping up Meg's window. Tomorrow I'm buying the paint. We have a fair amount of prep to do before the painting starts in earnest on Saturday. I'm looking forward to getting started.
I'm also looking forward to the end of March - by the time we get there, all the work and moving will be done (at least I hope it will be)....and I'll have been to the Bruce Springsteen concert!
I've decided to activate my "calm" button and call on it when I need it. I hope it works.
I'm also looking forward to the end of March - by the time we get there, all the work and moving will be done (at least I hope it will be)....and I'll have been to the Bruce Springsteen concert!
I've decided to activate my "calm" button and call on it when I need it. I hope it works.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)