This may have been the longest gap in my blogging for a long time: perhaps since I started. I've been so occupied with changing the decoration of parts of my house so thoroughly that I've had little time for anything else. I've learned a lot though. If you remove seven doors in order to paint them it takes a long time to get to the end. I paint them in my workshop when they are horizontal. I can only do two at a time. Each door has to be sanded down and an undercoat applied and then two top coats. So that is three days for each side of each door (to allow the paint to dry between coats) and assumes that nothing poops on your paint from above (which something, of course, did). Anyway it's all over now bar the clearing up and the new curtains being hung. Hopefully I'll be spending a lot more time back in Blogland.
We have had some bizarre weather here in the UK and, although we've not had the heatwave those further South have experienced we've had some cracking days (as in Yorkshire cracking à la Wallace and Grommit) as well as some, how shall I say, less cracking days.
Some of the sunrises have been spectacular:
More soon!
Welcome back :) I'm sure it is all done beautifully and looks wonderful
ReplyDeleteWell Fiona it's been done painstakingly and I'm pleased with the result. I'd lived with the room as it was for over 21 years and needed a change.
DeleteDoors. I remember them taking a painstakingly long time. Well done.....and HELLO!!
ReplyDeleteI still follow your blog.
Just a little more silently as my life gets busier.
Jaz
Jaz it's lovely to know that you still follow the blog. Of course I know from FB how your life is going and it is one of the inspirations in life that you are doing so well.
DeleteHappy to get it confirmed that you survived the door-painting. Good to see you back in Blogland! (Had it not been for some Words exchanged elsewhere in between I would have worried!)
ReplyDeleteYes Monica I have survived. It's taken longer than I had anticipated each time I decided to do 'that little bit more' which, inevitably, led to other 'bits more'.
DeleteYour absence was noted and your presence missed, my man!!! No more of this nonsense!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAye aye Mama Lee!
DeleteYou have been busy!! Stunning sunrise photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lynda. We've had some stunning sunrises as you say but sometimes I've found doing them justice with the camera has been hard.
DeleteMinor self renovation can be time consuming but I think you get a better job.
ReplyDeleteI hope so Red.
DeleteGreat photos. I always paint doors in situ; am I doing something wrong?
ReplyDeleteOf course not Cro. I had to remove the doors anyway to cut bits off the bottoms because I've had carpets laid over my wood floors. Some of the doors were in a parlous state because when I last painted them several decades ago I painted over the old paint which had been badly done. I find it much easier to paint doors when they are horizontal.
DeleteI have to confess I haven't been in blog land to notice your absence. glad you are back, though. And, wow, look at those sunrises. Wish I had been there to see them.
ReplyDeleteWell, Pauline, I would love to think that one day you will be here again to see them.
DeleteWell done with all those doors GB.
ReplyDeleteIt always amazes me how long it takes to decorate things. What I really dislike is when everything else is ready, but the paintbrush or roller needs time to dry (I hate painting with a damp brush because of all those tiny bubbles you end up with).
Thanks Helen. I've started using mini rollers for all flat surfaces now even with gloss they are great so long as you use the right roller for the paint. As for damp brushes what about a hairdrier to speed things up? The only oil-based paint I used this time was the undercoat on the previously varnished door surrounds and window ledges etc. I've also discovered that professionals don't usually clean brushes when using the same paint but simply wrap them in a poly bag or clingfilm (which is, I know, something you may prefer not to use).
DeleteWell I never knew that. We always attempt to wash our brushes in between coats, which is fine with varnish, but such a hassle with satin paint. We shall have to try the clingfilm trick. Thanks, xx
DeleteNice to hear you are still alive Graham. I must remember to phone my tailor to cancel the new mourning suit I ordered. Damn - and there's also the hotel room I booked at The Caladh Inn. Were you listening to The Doors as you processed your doors?
ReplyDeleteNo funeral for me even when I die YP. I'll have a celebration of my life: no mourning suits and no black ties. The Doors!! Wow that's a blast from the past. The only song I can recall of theirs is Come on Baby Light My Fire. I must go and look them up on iTunes or Spotify.
DeleteI leave the painting of doors to the artist or she who knows best. Though when I lived alone then yes, I would remove them and paint them in the horizontal.
ReplyDeleteWell, Heron, I live alone so there's only me to do the painting. You and I would seem to be the exceptions though in removing the doors.
DeleteYou have had an excellent excuse for your absence.
ReplyDeleteI once took my kitchen cupboard doors off to paint (and replace the hinges). Took me almost 2 years to get around to finishing and putting them back in place.
Oh dear Violet Sky. A friend across the valley has just done the same: 17 doors. Her husband wouldn't have been allowed to leave them off though!
DeleteDear Graham,
ReplyDeleteI have done a little detective work and I believe that this is where Adrian has been staying in recent months. Would you be prepared to phone them to tentatively enquire about him? As you will appreciate I am rather too shy to do something like that.
Best wishes,
Neil
The Clink
Glassarts
Auchtermuchty
Cupar
Fife
KY14 7HT
Tel: 01337 828497
Neil I thought that you had sent a PM and I had your email address and have been emailing you updates. Apologies. Anyway I managed to get hold of the farm and have now spoken to Adrian. If you do a post similar to mine that should cover many of Adrian's followers.
DeleteWelcome back! I've missed your posts and your photos. I admire you for doing all that painting. I HATE it (and am very bad at it)!
ReplyDeleteFrances I don't mind painting but I will no longer do any wallpapering.
DeleteWelcome back from me as well. I enjoyed the photos.
ReplyDeleteThank you Snowbrush.
DeleteGorgeous sunrises, Graham! I've been somewhat absent myself... so much going on and no time (or energy) for blogging.
ReplyDeleteYes, Liz, I noticed your absence but as you often have non-blogging spells I wasn't worried.
DeleteOoh, that second sunrise picture looks as if something very thrilling is about to happen. I hope it did!
ReplyDeleteWell, Jenny, insofar as it turned into a beautiful morning it was thrilling.
Delete