Slapping the Ceilings

My last entry ended with the kitchen remodel phase one, with the promise of the popcorn ceiling coming to an end.

Following the guidance of many advisers such as Google, the DIY Network, YouTube, and an assortment of local friends willing to give quality insight, the popcorn ceiling did not stand a chance against my assault. The moistened ceiling came down like cooked oatmeal that sat out just a little too long.

One long day brought the ceiling down in a sloppy mess, dancing the furniture from room to room as I scraped the sheet rock clean. Over the next few days I rolled on the texture and then proceeded to slap the ceiling.

Yes, I slapped the ceiling alright! I slapped it good, too. The texture pattern we chose included a fanned out horse brush, which when slapped hard against the fresh texture, left a nice imprint of the bristles. Of course, one slap isn't good enough, so the brush is rotated in the air and slapped again... and again... and again. It's an entertaining exercise for about 23 seconds, then it becomes work and the thrill is gone.

The ceiling texture, primer, and paint is finally complete and I must say my shoulders and neck are feeling the pain. I'm sure I added another half inch to my collar size, making me buff from the shoulders up, which looks fine as long as I'm wearing a shirt.

Earlier this week, my wife found an older gentleman standing on the sidewalk looking at our house. Bold and courageous, she marched outside with phone in hand and questioned the attention he gave to our house.

Turns out, he built the place in 1977, and currently lives in the house down the hill directly behind us! His fondness for this house showed by his immediate recollection of the use of oak throughout the house, the large stone fireplace, and the popcorn ceilings (which he apologized for).

As only my wife could do, she turned a 'stranger-danger' situation into a friendly encounter AND an invitation to a local fly fishing club for me.

I would like to think we are getting close to end of the late night painting parties, and DIY adventures, but realistically it's nowhere on the horizon. Next step: engineered hardwood floors. My back hurts just thinking about it!