33 and a Third

Finished my projects (a few weeks ago, actually). Didn’t post because we didn’t have pictures! I finished the mirror and hung it. My brother looked at it and said something about stripping the paint to see the wood, which made my day, because it’s all paint. I just tried to make it look like wood. Yay, I can do a faux wood effect! Isn’t it nice?

Painting the siding was hell, but well worth it. To clarify: I only did the back side of the house. The other 3 sides are in better shape. All 4 sides of the house would have been too much for me. I rented a power washer to get most of the flaking paint off, hoping I wouldn’t have to sand afterwards. But I had to sand afterwards anyway. I did all that when Reid was away.

Siding before

Siding after

Thank goodness I waited for Reid to come home before I painted. I had to rent scaffolding, and I needed his and Michael’s strength to put it up and take it down for me. I only used the scaffolding to paint near the pool area. I used the deck roof and a ladder to paint the rest. We got into a routine: I’d start with the scaffolding 10 feet high in the morning so I could paint the upper section. Then I’d get them to take it apart so it was 5 feet high at lunch time, and I would paint the lower section. Then I’d ask them to make it 10 feet high again so it was ready for the next morning. It took 3 days: one coat of primer, and 2 of paint.

Thank goodness that’s done. I’ve been agonizing over it for a few years now.

Gee, with my projects done and the kids back in school, I guess I have to get a job now. (No, wait!! Surely I can find other projects… let’s see. I know! I’ll refinish the basement…)