If you have to wait for the pilot car at a road construction detour, on a 95 degree day with no AC in your van, at least it helps to have amusing scenery. Also helps to remind yourself that as hot as you are, those guys out there in hardhats shoveling asphalt are twice as cooked. This was on a run to Northfield a few days ago, and along with amusing stuff like wondering if, to an alien, this would look like we worship odd gods, I also thought as I passed through rolling green farmland what riches we have here, despite our "tough economy". We are so much richer than we realize.
Back in Belle Plaine, my main project of the week was finishing the gift shop sign. I did not, needless to say, have any dinner guests this week. As much as I appreciate having this project in August, the slowest month of the year for me in the decorating business, please don't recommend me as a sign painter.
I didn't hate painting this, but I'm really not set up to go back into the sign business. My basement workroom is too dusty for slow-drying sign enamel, so it means stinky, lead-heavy, oil-based paint in the dining room, dodging the chandelier to flip to the second side, while also watching out for the cranberry glass in the drinks cabinet. I'm all for being flexible about repurposing rooms in my home as needed, but this stretches even my limits!
It came out pretty though, and the client is happy. If you are out this way, watch for it in front of the old brewery building in Jordan, and stop in to see all the pretties, while you're there. I'm especially fond of the black umbrella with the big pale pink flower, hanging from the ceiling...not that I'm dropping birthday hints or anything! :)
As for Belle's progress this week, I'm having loads of fun on the staircase, where crumbling rubber treads were held on with a billion brittle nails, and at least three different kinds of glue. If I would just do something normal, like have the stairs carpeted, I wouldn't have to remove this sampler of adhesive techniques. However, it wouldn't be a showcase for my offerings, then, would it?
McKinley spent most of last night supervising from his favorite spot on the center landing, while I prized out headless nails with pliers, and soaked and scraped glue until my hands would no longer grip the tools, and in fact would barely grip the lid of the Advil bottle. Ouch.
The exploits of English detective Maisie Dobbs on the CD player kept me company into the wee hours as well. I highly recommend recorded books for those like me with the attention span of a two-year-old, and tedious projects that must be finished before the fun part can happen. Four more stairs to go, so I best be off! Really, I just want to find out who the villain is, and how the intrepid Maisie, in her red convertible, using her knowledge of metaphysics, outdoes Scotland Yard to catch him.
Make something pretty this weekend, and however tempting, don't skimp on the prep. After all, no one ever says, "Gee, I wish I hadn't bothered to do such a good job on the foundation".
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