Cape Karen
I'm painting our ceilings. While most people I know are enjoying their summer vacation, or just lazing around and having family picnics, I'm staying indoors, in the a/c, in order to escape the 90+ degree heat and humidity, and to avoid getting my yearly attack of itchy-bumpy sun poisoning. However, for me, staying indoors means having to find ways to keep busy and still feel as if I'm 'accomplishing' something. So, I thought, I've got a good idea: "I'll paint our dingy old ceilings a nice bright white!"
The fact that I'm 63 years old, stand only 5' 1", and that these are really tall cathedral ceilings should have been enough to make me hesitate to begin such a lofty project. But, noooooo, not me . . I started, and so now I have to finish. . . all 1,950 square feet of ceilings!
If you've never painted a high ceiling, you probably don't know that reaching way up over one's head while holding a long-handled paint roller loaded with paint, can be a dangerous thing. First, it's a really awkward position. With both arms extended and my head bent backwards, I attempt to roll the paint along the ceiling. Needless to say, it makes for an immediate stiff neck and two really sore arms, in very short order.
Secondly, earth's gravity is a bitch when in this position. The paint sprinkles and spatters down all over my head and, because these are also those dreaded popcorn-style ceilings, some of those little 'popcorn bumps' inevitably come loose and fall into my hair, where they lodge and dry until they can be painfully raked-out later with a comb. I wear glasses, of course, and it's a good thing ~ but, now I have polka-dot glasses.
Half the battle is getting ready to paint; moving the heavy furniture, laying down the protective tarp, taping around all the ceiling moldings, fans and windows and just getting set up. That done, I can then only do about five swipes with the roller, back and forth, before I need to sit down, shake-out my arms, and un-kink my neck from that inhuman position. I've discovered that about twenty 'swipes' a day is all I can do. Then, I spend another hour cleaning up, rearranging the furniture and washing-out the brushes and rollers.
At this rate, it will be way into next year before I'll ever complete all eight rooms! On second thought ~ maybe I'll just do the rooms that are connected ~ the front entry, living room, dining room, kitchen and back hallway. . . yeah, that's it. . . piece of cake!
It really does look wonderful - it's making a big difference in the 'brightness' of the house - but. . . to be honest. . . this was a very bad good idea.
Happy summer vacation everyone ~
Posted by Karen at June 18, 2007 10:27 AM