"While You Were Out" Part VI - Okay, I'll scrub the damned walls already!

It's confirmed. Ceiling *ain't* gonna get done!!!

I just attempted to scrub it with one of those roller-mop thingies (with the self-squeezie mechanism on the handle). There's a "beam" running along the peak of the ceiling and I could barely squish the mop up into it. No way a roller's gonna fit up there, and I'm not going up that high with a brush.

Nope. Not hap'nin'!!!

In fact, all the overhead work with just scrubbing the ceiling is too much for my middle-aged bod!

:::sigh:::

So we'll have beauteous walls and a scungy ceiling - at least until I can convince Rog to hire us some-a them-there purrfesh'nal painters! My "Powers of Persuasion" can be quite strong! (Certainly stronger than my arms when it comes to scrubbing or painting ceilings!)

Okay... Much of the sweat has dried now (either Sweat or "TSP Substitute" - I suspect a combination of both!).

I'm turning the AC on now - and I'm off to scrub *just* the walls!!

(Who's freakin' brilliant idea was this, anyway??? ;-)~~

~~~~~~Half an Hour Later~~~~~~

Okay, I work for a half hour... Sit down for ten minutes... Work for a half hour.... Sit down....

I'm "just over" halfway thru with wall-scrubbing (YAAAAYYY!!!). I keep getting glops of foamy-soap on the carpet - but the carpet is soooo old and soooo hideous, it can't possibly hurt it! (Think '70's Brown Shag, okay?? Yech!) (But yes, I will put down plastic before I paint!!)

I'm trying to turn the house into a meat-locker with the AC. It's not cool enough yet!!! I've got a small fan at my desk (I'm sitting directly in front of it) and a big box-fan blasting in the living room. I'm still sweating like a pig!!! Ahhhh the Joys of Middle Age!!!

Actually, as I'm sitting here and looking over at the living room... And it *could* be that I'm delusional... But... Maybe not!

Holy cow! The room already looks brighter!

I don't flippin' believe it!!!!

Don't get me wrong, it's still pretty dingy. The door, especially - it's been screaming for paint for so long, I think it finally gave up all hope! It's actually so bad you can "almost" see the original wood underneath. But anyway, overall, the room already looks a shade or two brighter!

I'll take that as "encouragement!" (and BOY do I need encouragement!!!)

In fact, this *may* mean that I can skip full-blown priming. I'll limit myself to priming just the door and windowsill (they both need it desperately), and the spackle-patches, and anyplace where I can't scrub the bad stains off (crayon marks and bad rub-marks and whatnot)...

Yeah, I probably should do the whole thing "properly" - but I'm honestly afraid of running out of steam! *And* running out of time!

I ABSOLUTELY MUST get this done by Thursday.

Okay, with that thought....... Back to work!!!!!!!

~~~~~~Another Half an Hour Later~~~~~~

Okay then! The WALLS ARE SCRUBBED!!!! Yippeeee Skippeee!!!!!

And yes, it absolutely DOES look better. I am stunned and amazed. So I think I can safely recommend Jasco TSP Substitute. It's a green, concentrated liquid that comes in a 1 gallon jug for something like $12 @ Home Depot. I mixed 1 quart w/4 quarts of warm water (which has long-since gone cold). It did a fine job. And it's been so long since I used TSP, I can't say, for sure, whether there's a significant difference in performance or not.

At least it doesn't require rinsing - so based on that alone, I'd say that the Jasco Stuff gets a big "Thumb's Up!"

So I'm gonna give the walls a short-while to dry out, then I'll drag out the primer and do my spot touch-ups. It would appear that Mr. DIY - the previous homeowner - did some spackling jobs in the past and never bothered to paint over it - harumph! (I know there's no way in hell Rog did that - he doesn't initiate those types of home-improvement/repair projects) (In fact, I'm not sure if Rog even *knows* what spackle is!!! No joke!!!)

Sooooo... First I'll drag out the plastic and drape it over the carpet...

Then Primer Touch-ups... Then I gotta get up on the ladder and start with cut-work up along the ceiling (Ugh! I *hate* cut-work!). I'm trying to convince myself that I have a steady-enough hand to do it without masking tape. But I know I don't - so just "Stop It Already!!!" I simply HATE squiggly paint lines so I'm just gonna tape it.

Plus, what's weird is - on all the vertical walls - we don't have sharp corners. They're all "rounded" so that's gonna make it interesting when it comes time to decide where to "stop" painting. Definitely gonna need tape for that!

So I'm tackling this in order of "Yucky to Easy." Roller work is the easiest part, so that'll come last!

Allllrighty then - I'm off to find the plastic sheeting................