Beginning in the Bathroom

I tried to knock out as much as I could on the bathroom while Andy was away on his annual golf weekend. I had high aspirations. It’s a tiny room; how hard can it be!? Ha!

Thursday evening I mapped out my plan. Ceiling first, then cabinetry. I assembled my supplies and equipment, and Andy called.
“Why are you whispering?” I asked.
“Because if the guys know I am calling you, they will be merciless. They think I’m in the shower. You know Tom and Brad are bragging you up.”
“Tell the guys that if I am all that, you gotta maintain it.” I don’t understand how men miss that logic. “How was your day?”
“Incredible. I am having the time of my life.” [tons of noise in the background] “The guys just came in and busted me talking to you. I gotta go.” {click}

Saturday morning while Andy was having a three-aspirin cup of coffee, my first priority was the ceiling. I found a can of usable ceiling paint in the basement, so my only cost was an $8 roller kit on sale at a local big box store. I have heard many people say, “I didn’t think it needed it, but after doing it, what a difference!” Not so much for me. The ceilings in the house are generally good. My advice: if it looks like it was painted in the last year or so, a good washing is sufficient.

The SafetyGirl pink toolbelt was really handy for the overhead work. I stood on a small step stool to reach the fixture and with the belt, my cleaning supplies as well as screw driver were all there. No need to get up and down off the stool to retrieve items. The belt fit over the disposable 3M coveralls, which again were a huge help. I didn’t ruin any clothes with white paint drops. While these are meant to be tossed at the end of each day, they were so durable that I was able to use them for the entire two-phase project.

I decided to refurbish the cabinetry with a restoration kit that was left over from my prior home. The vanity was a dark wood and the kit was espresso – not much difference that I didn’t need to be immaculate with the procedure. I cleaned it, deglossed it, and then applied two coats of the espresso bond coat. I added a horrible textured silver patina and while I like the look better than if I had not used the metallic product, I was not entirely pleased with the texture and spreadability. For the deglossing, I wore the disposable gloves because the liquid was supposed to be pretty caustic. The thing I like best about the gloves is that they are breathable, yet offer great grip with the coated palms.

I purchased new hardware for the vanity from Big Box, and was hugely disappointed. Apparently the ceiling painting was just one time waster over the weekend. Some of the drawer pulls required a silicone lubricant to remove, which was another half hour. Then the new brushed silver drawer pulls fit only some of the drawers because the sink base is so old. The two sets of different sized screws that came with, were either too long or too short. I tried to use the old-hardware screws, which were the mama bear size, but they also did not work because of the mechanics of the old pulls. After much frustration, I painted the old tarnished hardware with the metallic textured finish and reinstalled them. They look better than they did, but are definitely dated. Now I have another trip to Big Box to return the new hardware. I am deciding whether I should try again on different handles and ask if Big Box will give me additional screws in the proper size. Let me know what you think!

Again I wore the disposable coveralls, which was a good thing. The glaze was very sticky and the silver paint was dark. Any miscalculation would have ruined my clothes. The cost for this task was $3, for the metallic paint, thanks to the leftover cabinet kit and the return of the hardware.
While Andy was hitting golf balls and drinking Patron, I cleaned and put away best I could. Time to start stripping wallpaper.

Saturday evening I got a text: “Call me on the hotel number. Reception here is bad.” I called and again, a whispered hello.
“Were the guys merciless last night?” I wanted to know.
“Oh yeah. They think I’m talking to Lucy. I actually did call her first.”
“Tell me about your day?” [noise again]
“Yeah, dad, tell mom I miss her too,” he said in a loud voice.
“Seriously?!” [shuffling and phone changing hands]
Tom: “Who is this?” [me trying to sound like Dad and ending up laughing instead] “Dude, you gave her the ROOM phone number!?”
Andy: “I gotta go.” {click}

I removed the over-toilet cabinet and shelving so the wallpaper stripping would go easier. I also removed the large homemade sconce lighting to see what I’d be up against in the wiring of new fixtures. To my great relief, my dad just had small junction box holes and the wiring capped nicely. I expected the lights may be covering huge defects of some sort.

Sunday after church, while still in my dress, I started pulling wallpaper while I waited to hear from Andy. A relatively clean job. The vinyl layer came off pretty easily and I sprayed the paper layer to soften the glue. The bathroom was quickly littered with shreds of old paper.

True to form, I got a text that Andy would be home earlier than expected because he needed to pick up Lucy from work, for me to be at the house at 1:30. As it was 1 and I had a hamper in the tub and hadn’t eaten lunch yet, I told him that time frame would not work (go, me!). My first time with a counter offer on together time. He told me to do what I needed to do to have peace about the upcoming week, and stop by when I was ready. I had had enough of that bathroom and was there by 2. I stayed until supper time so he could finish his day with father-daughter time.

And you know, he brought the girls back new sunglasses, and me five little “his and hers” Patron XO sets.

XO

~BS