wrapping it up

it's been a "whirl week." We wrapped up the Bungalow project. I've been on this project more then any other since joining the Applewood team full time. I masked/stained/varnished windows, paint edged and cleaned up. I have a new appreciation for the amount of work involved in remodeling.

There are so many details that can go unnoticed, things that I never noticed or appreciated. Fitting base, ceiling trim, this is an art form. Measuring, adjusting, fitting, readjusting, sanding a notch. It takes patience and perseverance. Especially when working on an older home. Nothing is square. Up and down, up and down a ladder. Crouching on the floor. Thank goodness for young knees. The "art of the fit." Done right, it's a beautiful thing. ...

Masking/staining/varnishing windows. Keeping the tracks clean. Laying on varnish in broad long strokes, heavy enough to cover but light enough not to drip. The dreaded drip. Can make a person crazy. Or determined. Removing the masking.. who knew it takes as long as putting it up? Not so sure 3M tape is as good as I thought it was. Some serious shredding occurred. These are slanderous words coming from the daughter of a 3Mer.

Repairing old plaster walls. Knocking out the cracks, applying new plaster, sanding, sanding and sanding some more. Priming.

End of job painting. Final touch up. Going around and around and around looking for those last minute spots that were missed or occurred after primer and two coats of paint edged and rolled.

Final electric. Outlet covers on, fixtures hung. Electrician out the door. Headed to the cabin.

Clean. Final vacuum... still so much dust even with daily vacuuming. Picking up all protective floor coverings, shaken, folded.

All accumulated project tools gathered up, taken out to the truck to be organized and put away back at the cabinet shop. Just like a cleaning service.. you work your way out the door with the goal to leave the environment as pristine as possible. That's our goal. Always.

I felt like I was on an HGTV show the last day. It was really "all hands on deck". Everyone pitching in for the common goal. Intense. The only thing missing was Robert Irvine yelling in the background! We had the Carpenter.. but thankfully he wasn't yelling. Just pushing. I couldn't get a photo shot I wanted for a Facebook post. "It will only take 5 minutes at the most! I pleaded." No. (creative expression is sometimes not tolerated in some situations... sigh) Taskmaster.

I was exhausted at the end of it. I don't know how the Carpenter has done this for 30+ years. I think I will stick to sitting behind my computer. Unless the Carpenter needs help. I will be there... if he brings me a Dark Caribou Mocha. That helps.

~ the Artist