Thirty Two
On Monday, somewhat unexpectedly since he’d said ‘Thursday’, Derek the Dab turns up and finishes the front room plasterboarding. And, even better, he supplies free plasterboard - bargain! We don’t ask any questions… He’s now finished, so we can crack on with the plastering at the weekend – too strenuous a job for an evening after work!
On Tuesday we Nitromors the pews again. We’re getting there, and there’s still no actual scrubbing or manual labour involved – we dab the stuff on, wait 20 minutes and gently lift it off. MUCH better than floorboards.
On Wednesday and Thursday we switch from DIY to cakes and complete a cake for Sheelagh’s daughter’s 40th – she’s into ballroom dancing, so we call this one ‘Strictly Cake’.
At the weekend, we plaster. The plan is to do both the ceilings (yes, before the walls, told you we’d learnt) on Saturday, then the other three walls on Sunday. We’ve sussed out the best method – we mix the plaster, then I shin up the trestles and Guy keeps me supplied with plaster while I slap it on the ceiling. Then I polish it off, and Guy cleans up all the tools. By teatime on Saturday we’ve got both ceiling sections finished, and they’re better than the back. Which was, on a second look, Pretty Damned Rough. Never mind, it’s a storage area.
We go to B&Q for odd bits that we need, then we put a coat of woodwash on the front of the door that will be in the stud wall when it’s finished… Nice easy job!
On Sunday we do the front wall, then one side wall, then the other. All before lunch. OK, it was a late lunch! ‘WE’VE FINISHED THE PLASTERING WOO HOO!’. It was a massive job to do, something we’ve never done before, and it looks ok. Ish. If you don’t look too closely. Guy says that if anyone points out any flaws in the finish we’ll just lock them in the back room for a few days… And, judging by the state of us, we haven’t got the hang of staying clean!
After our late lunch we clear up and then, by way of light relief, we mist coat the back room. Messy again! When will we get to a job that doesn’t involve mess??!
After the mist coat on the ceiling we don’t do a lot else – our muscles have given up and we’re A Bit Tired. For a bit of light relief, Guy has a haircut. We have a set of clippers, and I can now do his hair in five minutes flat. And it usually involves a splendidly silly ‘hairdresser’ type conversation…
‘Did you do anything nice this weekend, sir?’
‘Took the wife to B&Q.’
‘Ooh, that’s nice, sir, buy anything nice?’
‘Bought her some paint.’
‘Are you decorating a room for her, sir?’
‘No, she’ll paint it herself.’
All of which, frankly, makes me sound A Bit Butch. Guy goes home and I have a girly bath with lots of bubbles then get into my pink dressing gown just to prove I can do girly stuff.
Achieved: We’ve FINISHED THE PLASTERING WOO HOO! Yes, we are still excited…
Hours worked: Too many to count at the weekend. Our aching muscles tell us it was too many. However, it was worth it because we’ve FINISHED THE PLASTERING WOO HOO!
Purchases: Scrim tape, paint, rollers, sandpaper. Yep, exciting stuff.
Pressies: Serious lack of gin this week. Perhaps me staring dolefully at the empty bottle will have done the trick?
Tip of the week: Set unrealistic targets and then stick to them. Yes, you’ll be knackered by the end, but it moves the job on very nicely…
Wildlife update: Badger No 1 is back each night, and seems to be coming earlier to get to the food before the fox, the mouse is still shredding polystyrene in the outside loo, and the mole is back. BB has spent the week curled up on a spare duvet. Useless cat.
Plan for the week: Paint out the storage area (two coats), mist coat the front room, paint the ceiling (twice), Nitromors the pews, put door furniture back on internal door, make a fairy tale castle cake (remembering not to use Nitromors on it), start with the flooring.
Injury of the week: I have ‘Plasterer’s Blister’ on my right hand! Perhaps we did too much? But look on the bright side – WE’VE FINISHED THE PLASTERING WOO HOO!
On Tuesday we Nitromors the pews again. We’re getting there, and there’s still no actual scrubbing or manual labour involved – we dab the stuff on, wait 20 minutes and gently lift it off. MUCH better than floorboards.
On Wednesday and Thursday we switch from DIY to cakes and complete a cake for Sheelagh’s daughter’s 40th – she’s into ballroom dancing, so we call this one ‘Strictly Cake’.
At the weekend, we plaster. The plan is to do both the ceilings (yes, before the walls, told you we’d learnt) on Saturday, then the other three walls on Sunday. We’ve sussed out the best method – we mix the plaster, then I shin up the trestles and Guy keeps me supplied with plaster while I slap it on the ceiling. Then I polish it off, and Guy cleans up all the tools. By teatime on Saturday we’ve got both ceiling sections finished, and they’re better than the back. Which was, on a second look, Pretty Damned Rough. Never mind, it’s a storage area.
We go to B&Q for odd bits that we need, then we put a coat of woodwash on the front of the door that will be in the stud wall when it’s finished… Nice easy job!
On Sunday we do the front wall, then one side wall, then the other. All before lunch. OK, it was a late lunch! ‘WE’VE FINISHED THE PLASTERING WOO HOO!’. It was a massive job to do, something we’ve never done before, and it looks ok. Ish. If you don’t look too closely. Guy says that if anyone points out any flaws in the finish we’ll just lock them in the back room for a few days… And, judging by the state of us, we haven’t got the hang of staying clean!
After our late lunch we clear up and then, by way of light relief, we mist coat the back room. Messy again! When will we get to a job that doesn’t involve mess??!
After the mist coat on the ceiling we don’t do a lot else – our muscles have given up and we’re A Bit Tired. For a bit of light relief, Guy has a haircut. We have a set of clippers, and I can now do his hair in five minutes flat. And it usually involves a splendidly silly ‘hairdresser’ type conversation…
‘Did you do anything nice this weekend, sir?’
‘Took the wife to B&Q.’
‘Ooh, that’s nice, sir, buy anything nice?’
‘Bought her some paint.’
‘Are you decorating a room for her, sir?’
‘No, she’ll paint it herself.’
All of which, frankly, makes me sound A Bit Butch. Guy goes home and I have a girly bath with lots of bubbles then get into my pink dressing gown just to prove I can do girly stuff.
Achieved: We’ve FINISHED THE PLASTERING WOO HOO! Yes, we are still excited…
Hours worked: Too many to count at the weekend. Our aching muscles tell us it was too many. However, it was worth it because we’ve FINISHED THE PLASTERING WOO HOO!
Purchases: Scrim tape, paint, rollers, sandpaper. Yep, exciting stuff.
Pressies: Serious lack of gin this week. Perhaps me staring dolefully at the empty bottle will have done the trick?
Tip of the week: Set unrealistic targets and then stick to them. Yes, you’ll be knackered by the end, but it moves the job on very nicely…
Wildlife update: Badger No 1 is back each night, and seems to be coming earlier to get to the food before the fox, the mouse is still shredding polystyrene in the outside loo, and the mole is back. BB has spent the week curled up on a spare duvet. Useless cat.
Plan for the week: Paint out the storage area (two coats), mist coat the front room, paint the ceiling (twice), Nitromors the pews, put door furniture back on internal door, make a fairy tale castle cake (remembering not to use Nitromors on it), start with the flooring.
Injury of the week: I have ‘Plasterer’s Blister’ on my right hand! Perhaps we did too much? But look on the bright side – WE’VE FINISHED THE PLASTERING WOO HOO!
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