home stretch

June 20, 2020

home stretch

My memory is a complete blurry mess and I have no recollection of what happened when, without photographic evidence. I am going to guess that the last time I posted, it was the night after spraying my first coat. Since it was Benjamin Moore advance, it needs 16 hours to dry between coats. I woke up early that next morning and got to work. And I am so not a morning person. I did a light sand with 220 grit and thoroughly wiped everything down. This took a while since it was floor to ceiling beadboard with so many nooks to get into. Perhaps I was being a bit particular, but I wanted it be as close to perfect and as much of a professional finish as possible. I took my time. I was calm. I was patient. I really did my research. I even called a rep at BM to make sure I was doing everything correctly! The second coat went even smoother (no pun intended) and quicker. I looked over everything closely with my glasses on, using the mid-afternoon daylight coming through our teeny east facing window. I was thorough. I was confident. I was on a high, and it was not from the paint fumes (I think). I was an expert. I was building my residential painting business plan in my head. I needed no ones approval. I cleaned my tools. I peeled off the protective paper and plastic from the floors and window which was half spray painted over. I took off every bit of painter's tape. From the floors. From the outlets. From the pipes. Everything. I was done. David playing with our children in the gorgeous weather when I came out to give him the go-ahead to start installing fixtures whenever he was ready. It was time to wrap this puppy up!! Move on. Fin. Terminer. All done. I undressed. I went upstairs. I ran the shower. I got it all steamy. I got my body all wet and relaxed. Ok sorry, wrong kind of story. I was though. I felt good and proud. I was ready to start the day and enjoy the beautiful sunshine, eating lobster rolls by the water, with our friends. I am writing these short sentences to assist you in painting a vivid picture in your mind: and to prepare you for what I never saw coming. Enter David into steamy, calm bathroom.

"Liz. I am not sure how to say this."

"....what."

"Is there any way you could have forgotten to spray a second coat of paint on one of the walls?"

"No. Why........................?"

I am unable to recall exactly what was said following that. But, I distinctly remember the feeling of infuriating frustration. My not-in-the-least-relaxing shower turned into such a rush, just so I could go see the apparently unfinished-and-in-need-of-yet-a-third-coat painted walls. Except I couldn't. I was already in a rush and late to meet our friends. It sucked. The thought of all that taping and papering all over again. Of course, I rapidly remembered how our world is continuously proving to disappoint and disgust us, and so I quickly pulled myself together and mentally prepared myself to re-prep for yet the third and final spray. And it was fine. By far the quickest. Instead of meticulously papering and taping off the floor, I threw down a drop cloth and did my best to be careful and not get any over spray on the floor. This time I set up the work light and used it in my opposite hand as I was spraying, and when I believed myself to be done, went over every inch like I was using a fine tooth comb -- twice. It was done now. No matter what. The ceiling was finished after that second coat too, so I pulled that paper down. That was tricky to get covered, but not terribly difficult. Of course I there is some paint on our new and pretty tile that needs to be scrubbed off, but that's easy amd worth the time saved from not taping. Now I felt good again, and had David's highly proclaimed stamp of approval. We also vowed that no matter what, there would be no more coats. We were moving forward. Truly.