September 6, 2004

  • Very, Very, Very Old House


    This was how it was midway through the weekend (kindly readers will focus on the state of the wall and ignore the Grumpy Large Bottomed Paint-Scraper, whose 6-year-old photographer neglected to suggest she engage in the standard rump-hiding subterfuges (turning hind-to-wall, holding up a drop-cloth, or perhaps just falling off the ladder altogether)). 


    The underpinings of my house -- the log cabin part -- is 145 years old.  It gets successively younger as you go outward, but nothing's much under a decade.  The cedar shingles whose hideously peeling state finally got the better of me this weekend may have been around quite a while -- maybe even longer than me -- and they're definitely way beyond hiding their age.  It's taken me several more months (well, okay.  maybe years) to get around to helping out on the makeover because I kept hoping the spouse would do it.  However, by the time he'd given the last of our multitude of outbuildings brand-new barn paint, and perched precariously on every re-tarred roof, I began to acknowledge not only that the east wall appeared to have fallen off the bottom of his list, but that he'd definitely done more than his share of ladder-and-brush balancing.


    So there I was, atop the full extension of the double aluminum ladder, paint bucket in hand.  The kids were watching from a safe distance.



    • Ms. 6:  Go Mommy!  Wow -- you're brave!
    • Me:  [contemplative silence]
    • Ms. 6:  Mommy, why are you spending more time looking around than going up?

    Really, that was the only thing that got me up those last few rungs to prime the apex.  I hate ladders.


    The final coat is waiting -- uh.  Well, not better painting weather, the likes of which couldn't be equaled beyond today's bright azure skies.  Perhaps it's waiting....another goading remark from the younger set?  Or someone to say:  "You know -- I LIKE the primer look.  You weren't thinking of ruining that nice mottled dual-tone color for something monotonously monochrome, were you?" 


    I tried out the spouse:



    • Me:  (considering the probable near-term arrival of the dregs of Francis)  It's not too dreadful a thing to let primer get thoroughly soaked, is it?
    • Spouse:  The worst that could happen is you'd have to do it again.
    • Me:  Oh. 

Comments (16)

  • LOL.. Preparing a house for paint is no easy task. 

  • I agree with Little Miss 6.  You are brave.  What a difference a coat of paint makes!  Looking good.  It will look beautiful when you're done.  ....okay, kick me now. 

  • ladders + lucky = what goes up but can't come down.

    and for you?  my oh-so-NOT-fat-bottomed girl...a little bit o'queen...

    Oh you gonna take me home tonight (please)
    Oh down beside your red firelight
    Oh you gonna let it all hang out
    Fat bottomed girls you make the rockin' world go round
    Fat bottomed girls you make the rockin' world go round
    Get on your bikes and ride

     

  • I can't quote Queen to you but as the proud owner of "a uniquely designed open sided, easy access goat barn" I can completely understand the need to enjoy the the primer look for a while. I agree with all the above; you are brave. At least with the goat barn I didn't have to climb TALL ladders ... and I only had one 2x4 dropped on my head from the roof. I'm impressed with what you've done.

    And as for the big bottom. HARDLY! I've seen your tiny self ... I ain't buying it.

  • You. Are So. Skinny. Shut up.

    Labor Day and painting projects go together like bratwurst and sauerkraut.

  • I hate climbing ladders. 

    House is looking good.

  • That is a REALLY TALL ladder! Not sure I would have been as brave as you to go to the top. I would have made the hubby do it. No, says the little imp voice in my head- You would do it just to prove something and then fall off the ladder.

  • To ask a personal question:  is your spouse handy around the house?  It seems to me, from previous posts like the plumbing under the kitchen repair and now this parting comment of his "the worst thing that could happen is that YOU'D have to do it again." (emphasis is mine) Not that there should be a division of house roles, but it's nice to think that tasks are shared and the focus on the work comes from a united "we".  Again, I apologize if this comment offends.  My own spouse was not a handy man and after we got married, I often did plumbing repairs with my father who would show me how he would fix stuff around the house.

  • 1 your daughter takes nice, "honest" pictures

    2 looks like you've done a good job so far.

    3 you wouldn't have been able to make me climb that ladder if my life depended on it

  • you ARE brave (I hate ladders too)

    I'm thankful for brick this time around...

  • Just a comment on the spouse question:  yep, he's more than handy, he's definitely the house-grounds-and-woods man chez nous.  Very unfairly for him, I just have the time and wherewithal to groan-and-moan about the few tasks I do choose to do, that's all .

  • I'm not touchin' the "large bottom" thing...wait, let me rephrase that..."I don't think you are grumpy"...no wait....can I just pass commenting on the first paragraph?

    Nice picture framing by Ms. 6.  It's all in the composition and she did a nice job with the lines of the siding and rungs of the ladder. :)

    I'm not really sure that is you in the picture anyway.  Where's that paint in your hair today?  Hmmmm?

    I have a minimum of three dozen must-do jobs around the homestead and a few dozen more oughta-do's.  Hat's off to someone who actually tackles such a job on such a hot, humid weekend.

    TIMT has struck again.

  • I don't know if it's appropriate or not, but that made me smile.

    Walk on...

  • "not touching the large bottom thing"
    hahahaa!  laughin' at wfe's comment.

    hey?

    just stopped by to say hi, Faith.  haven't seen your words around here in a while and just wanted to make sure you're ok and enjoying your "you" time.

  • I'm feeling like I want to paint our house.  Seriously.  It's that old farmhouse country blue (with white trim)... but I dream of a warm brown... like the darker shade of your native lady.  With the same white trim. 

    Hrm.  Not afraid of the ladder, but children are always a MAJOR setback in such projects.

    btw, the EU is globally recognized as stronger than the US in economics and diplomacy, both... and from what I hear, the Euro topped the dollar this week - financially, they are also coming ahead. 

  • Something tells me you secretly wanted people to zoom in on the picture.

    I unbuilt and rebuilt a whole house this summer. Painting is the fun part!

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