More painting - getting along!

My intention is to paint all the front visible areas of cream lattice, so that it looks all white from the road. The internal sections can wait till later, when I have more time. I also want to paint around the front security door that Frank put in. It's a bit of a slog, but it goes on quite quickly.

Painting, painting, painting

All the lattice. The cream stuff to white.

Finished the back side fence extension on Jan 2

Finished the rafters at the back

Looks good. Very shady. I'm hoping that by the time I paint the fence, it will looks green, tunnelly and refreshing at the same time, even in winter.

Painting the lattice at the back

Started at 3ish, and finished for today at 5.30pm. Feeling a bit nervous re school starting again for the year - there goes allmy time. Also feeling a bit burdened with having to take care of Mum, take her to her appointments and so on. It's hard and time consuming. My little Rose keeping me company. The white looks miles better than the cream colour. Freshens it right up.

Holiday paint jobs

Painted the white sections on the front awning this morning. It was a devil's job to get the blue painter's tape off - I had left it on too long and it stuck to the borders. Managed to scrape it off with finger nails! I think the white looks cleaner now, and I will need to do another 2 coats, but I will have to go over some spots on the black sections where there are smudges of white, alas.

The garden looks nice from up here too!

I still have some red paint to scrape off the outdoor seat, especially at the top, but it definitely looks much better painted in white, and pops against the black fence.

It's time to paint the rest of the rails at the top of the pergola at the back, if I can stay awake that long. It's 35C hot today. I do lioke how the grape vine has made this kind of like a green tunnel! I still want to paint leaves in various greens on the back fence to enhance the 'jungle' and cool feel.

So, the ceiling racks fell down (Dec: Mon 15, Tues 16, Wed 17)

I had a great idea of making that dark little back room into a walk-in dresser. I hung two ladders from the ceiling, so that I could hang up all my long stuff, and have make-shift drawers etc underneath for storing foldable stuff. Well, the hook tore through the plaster ceiling and one of the ladders fell down. Next problem!!

I searched for a local plasterer, and settled on Jesse from J Triple A Plasterers. He came out, had a look and quoted me almost $2000. I had to agree to it, so he arrived Monday morning 15 Dec to start fixing. I had to move everything, all the hanging stuff and everything else out of the room, except for a few things which I covered with drop-cloths. He said the ceiings had fallen from their nail moorings and were hanging lower than they should. He said it was a wonder the ceilings held the ladders loaded with clothing at all! I am grateful that's for sure. ( Just quietly, I reckon several of the ceilings probably need rehanging. Certainly the kitchen is suss). I just had to take all the clothes down and put them anyway I could find.

He proceeded to remove the ceiling in the room.

He then went off to Bunnings to get some wood to strengthen the hanging mechanism between the rafters/struts. He's been gone a long time. I hope he comes back. I have paid them a $700 deposit. Tutti came in to investigate, after I had dusted the upper beams and roof area, then swept and vacced the floor a wee bit. I think she smells mice.

So, now I am waiting for him to come back and install the extra beams. Otherwise I am left with an exposed ceiling and further jaded view of tradies.

He returned from Bunnings with some pine boards to install to hold up the ladder racks.

After he left, I vaccumed the floor again and had a snooze. It was dastardly hot (36 C) and I could hardly stay awake any more. It was difficult to sleep though, as much of the room on the bed was taken up with clothes. Tuesday 16 Dec Jesse returned with the plaster panels, and put them up.

Now he is making a plaster mix and sealing up all the edges. Then he says he will put cornice on, and sand the plaster, then I can paint it and he will rehang the racks with new hooks. Just like most renovators who remain in the house as the work is done, I will be glad when it is all over. Can't go out or do anything until he is finished for the day.

Plastering