Thursday, September 2, 2010

Exhausted, Sweaty, and Excited

I've been scarce around here lately.  My apologies.  It's been crazy busy around my music studio.  Since I take off a few weeks from mid-August to after Labor Day for a break from lessons, this is the time of year to try to get things done if desired.  One of those things is painting my studio.

We've been in this house for 10 years and not once have I repainted the studio which is actually an add-on to the side of the house.  The current color is beyond yucky to me now (pale pink) and it just seems dirty and drab.  Well, we're gonna change all that.

However.......

It is requiring a lot of preparatory work to even get to where paint can go on the walls or ceiling.  Last week, I spent a couple of days deciding for sure what color I wanted and where for it to go.  I have 5 little cans of sample paint which helped in making that decision.

Next task.  Clear the rooms of enough stuff so that the big stuff can be moved into the middle of the rooms and away from the walls.  (My music studio consists of two adjacent rooms with an open doorway between.)  
  • File copious amounts of music which have been left out for a year.  Empty contents of one bookcase and remove from area for safe keeping.  Remove pictures and posters from walls. - Done! 
  • Vacuum rugs, floors, and shelves.  Roll up and remove one area rug. - Done!
  • Remove most chairs, tables, and lamps.  Remove curtains from windows for cleaning. - Done!
  • Move big furniture, including grand piano, to the middle of the rooms. - Done! 
  • Vacuum newly-exposed areas. Then vacuum walls and ceiling. - Done!
  • Clean around window frames and sills. - Done!.
  • Access water damage to ceiling. - Done!
  • Patch joints in ceiling and repair any damage which is revealed. Allow time for joint compound to dry (24 hours) between applications. - To Do
  • Mop floors around walls and thoroughly clean crude from floorboards. Figure out what repair, if necessary, must be done to damaged floorboards. - To Do
  • Order new area rugs.  Design already chosen. - To Do
  • Tape off floor for painting. - To Do
  • Cut in ceiling paint, let dry, and tape off for colored wall paint. - To Do
  • Frame oil painting which has been rolled up for some time.  Music-themed and wonderfully colorful. - To Do.
  • Shop for mounted canvas upon which to paint something abstract to put in waiting room.  Can be anything with the huge selection of paints I have sitting in the "paint closet." Time to get rid of the posters I have had since high school/college. - To Do  
  • Go get paint for walls.  Paint walls with at least two coats for rich color. - To Do
  • Tape off walls (after thoroughly dry) to prepare to paint the ceiling. - To Do
  • When all done with repairs and paint, move furniture back where it belongs. - To Do
  • Attempt to remove old, flood-damaged rug from beneath piano and replace with new area rug.  Hopefully this will go smoothly with some additional muscle helping. - To Do
  • Replace belongings in rooms and make it look nice and tidy. - To Do
  • Go shopping for new light fixture/fan for piano room.  These eyes are getting old. - To Do Later
  • Figure out what to do about the strips of exposed concrete floor where tile was removed when the sump-pump was installed a few years ago. - To Do Later
  • Order new outside door and have installed. - To Do Later
Basically, I'm going crazy and I'm exhausted in the process.  I went for pulse steroids this morning and will probably be up late tonight.  Maybe I'll actually get to come around and read everybody's blogs.  Then I really need to write some articles for HealthCentral; I'm behind.  :)

So, I'll see y'all on the other side.  And if I don't talk to ya sooner, I'm turning 42 on Tuesday.  Happy Birthday to me!

9 comments:

  1. OOOOoooo, I love the look of new paint! Hate painting though. Well... sort of. I did enjoy doing a bathroom once with all sorts of metallic paints and a sea sponge. It was stunning.

    Lots of work though.

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  2. Having recently survived a major and seemingly interminable remodel, you have my sympathy. It will be great when you're done, though!

    And happy birthday, if I don't comment sooner!

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  3. Painting is great, my kids are getting ready to paint everything, HA!

    Andy

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  4. Oooh, I hope we get pictures! Have a great weekend, and happy birthday! Don't over do it, and we'll see you on the other side of the project!

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  5. Congratulations for all the Done!s, and good luck with the To Dos. It sounds great (and like a lot of work for just two weeks). Great job. Your students will be surprised and, hopefully, appreciative.

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  6. OMG woman! I'm pooped just reading your list. Remember to take some time for yourself when you're done.
    But do take advantage of the side effects of the steroids if you can.....

    S.

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  7. Lisa, I was exhausted just looking at the first 3 tasks on your list!!! Take it easy, ok? Don't over do it! Happy Birthday almost!

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  8. Wow! That was amazing, and I'm totally awed at all you've accomplished. There's no way I could consider such a project -- just reading about made me ready for a nap! Good luck with the completion.
    Peace,
    Muff

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  9. I need a pulse after reading your list! 42---congrats!

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