Grey Paint on the Cedar Shingles and Flip Flop Blowout

We had a stretch of warm weather so I was able to get a coat of grey paint on the shingles.  I was also able to get a coat of white primer on the windows and trim.  I was iffy on whether to paint the mounting blocks for the light fixtures white like the trim or grey like the shingles and now I think white is the way to go.

I was rushing around putting items back in place so I could take a few photos and the next thing I was laying on the deck with my fingers bent back at the palm of my hand.  I was a victim of a flip flop blowout.

I thought for sure that my hand was broken.  Fortunately it was just seriously bruised and swollen.

I didn't break a fingernail on the injured hand but the middle finger fingernail on my good hand hit the step and broke.

So both of my middle fingers are out of commission.  I may not be able to drive without the use of my middle fingers.  It's how I communicate with drivers who lack basic driving skills.  

Today I was able to get one coat of primer on the front and back of the secret project.  I want to get a second coat of primer on it before I paint a top coat of semi gloss Ultra White.  But the weather has turned and we are now in for several days of cold weather and rain.

Reuse Repurpose Recycle

Home Inspectors, Priming, Cove Moulding

Today was a perfect day to work outside.  It was sunny but with just a slight breeze.  You can feel that fall is just around the corner.  On one hand I love fall but then on the other hand it is just the prelude to winter which I don't care for at all.

I primed shingles today while R finished installing the last of the shingles at the very top.  We then cut the small cove moulding for under the windows.  This is an original detail that was found on some of the windows.  We decided to use the cove moulding under the windows that do not have window boxes.

The ends are cut at a 45 degree angle than the very tip is cut off on a 90 degree angle.  This give the end the appearance of a return cut.

The reason for the trim is too hide the nail heads on the top row of shingles

Tomorrow is a caulk and trim painting day.  I have just a little more priming to do but I will need to haul out a taller ladder to finish up.  It will probably take me longer to get out the ladder than to prime the remaining shingles.

My entire Thursday was spent dealing with the inspection on my mother's condo.  The inspector was very rough on the windows.  He knocked down one curtain rod in the sitting room and left another curtain all out of whack.  It was one of those inspections where he couldn't find anything wrong so he either made up stuff or in the case of two faucets....he made them leak.  

Single lever faucets should never be forced or pushed/pulled violently.  This inspector manhandled the lever like he was shifting a race car. He also held it forward until it leaked,

I've never had good luck with inspectors.  I find they want to nitpick little stuff which just falls under basic maintenance and overlook large flaws.  This inspector said my mother's top of the line Andersen windows were marginal because they were over 10 years old by 1 year.  Basically the inspector was saying that a house over 10 years old was marginal and it contents were marginal.  Just what this world needs is landfills full of 10 year old windows or worse yet....filled with houses.

Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle

Coal Chute Door Primed & Red Sink

The coal chute door is looking good. It has two coats of gray primer and is ready for the final coat of satin black.

I think we should wait until after the shingles are painted gray before we paint the coal chute door black. If we paint it black right now we will most certainly end up with gray paint drips on it.

Here is the before we did anything to the coal chute door photo.
Here is the coal chute door after raising the concrete and after sanding but before spray painting gray primer.
Finally, the coal chute door after it was painted with gray primer.
We have been using this great weather to rake up leaves. Love the trees....hate the raking.

If anyone is in need of a red cast iron Kohler kitchen sink....I have one cheap!!! $25.00

The dust and dirt is free. The entire sink and attached drain board is 43 inches wide. The red is a bright tomato red and the sink is chip free. The date stamped on the back is 11-79. FYI this sink is very heavy.

Primed and Ready To Go

That's right....we're primed......the entire wrought iron driveway gates are primed. In spite of the weather R prevailed.

It rained on and off. Did that stop R from grinding......nooooooo.

It was windy and I am not talking little breeze type wind but more like a steady 25 mph wind. Did that stop R from spray painting primer on the gates......noooooooooo.

It was hot and humid then cool and windy. Did that stop R from finishing the grinding and priming.......nooooooo.

R still needs to straighten a few bars before we paint but we needed to get this far before we stop for any given time. Straightening the bars will just take an hour or so then touch up the primer.

While R worked on the gates I was busy clearing out the brush along the fence line on the outside by the street. As I was picking up rocks I saw something round and flat. I picked it up and sure enough, it was money.....a quarter.I said to R, "Hey, I found a quarter." He said, "Good work, take the rest of the day off." It was 7:15PM and we had been at it was over 7 hours straight.

That's right ladies.....he's all mine and you can't have him.

Iron Driveway Gates

Gear Acres has wrought iron driveway gates. I do not know if they are original to when the house was built but I do know they are old. The pillars on either side are a combination of split granite rocks and brick. This is the same design that is on the outside of the chimney for the living room and the granite is similar to the fireplace in the family room. So based on those details, my gut feeling is that the pillars and gates are original to the house.Currently they are painted bright red. They were red when we bought the house. Some of the wrought iron is slightly bent. I'm speculating a late night run in with a large chrome bumper. The gates also have a lot of rust and peeling paint.Originally we had planned to take them down and sand blast them. Well, we took one off the hinges and just about fell over. We had all we could do to lay it across the garden tractor trailer. R has been grinding off rust and paint chips. He also used a come along chain to straighten the bent parts. Normally R would have used the port a power to bend them back in place but he couldn't find a good location to attach it with out doing further damage. Yesterday he spray painted primer on the gate. He is currently working on the remaining wrought iron that attaches to the pillar. We have absolutely no idea how we are going to lift it back into place. We definitely need two men and a boy for this job. Currently we have one man and a very short very tired woman.

We will refurbish the other gate while it is on the hinges. If the wind ever lets up, I am going to attempt to spray paint them. The gates one way or another will be satin black.