Just shoot me now...

Yesterday, I took a shower in the early afternoon just to keep myself from painting.  It was overcast and a bit muggy I told myself.  But when I got out of the shower, the sun was shining brightly.  SIGH.

In the early evening, I decided to prep the railing and get out all the painting supplies so that I could be ready to paint today.  I cleaned off all the dirt and pollen on the railing, sanded the top railing and the steps (for when I can lightly stain and seal them), and used filler to address all the screw holes.  The latter is not my best skill when I am tired.  I was tired.

Prepping also meant standing over by the mammoth rose bush and breathing in the delightful aroma for a little while.  No, I have yet to trim the now two branches that need pruning.

We should still be cold again tomorrow.  I hope.  The weather forecast seems to change once I make plans.

As in, I move the plants outside.  Then I bring them in for four nights of 40s and below.  Then I take them back outside.  Now they are back inside for another five nights of 40s and below.  Well, the last night should be 52, but the begonias get zapped at 50 degrees, so I will wait until Sunday to put them all back outside again.  Hopefully for the last time.

[Ignore the large bamboo stake that I have not yet trimmed down to create a support for the jade plant, please.  However, feel free to admire my luscious string of pearls, grown from a three inch pot that is sitting on the arm of the deacon's bench!]

When I put the Wandering Jew baskets outside a few weeks ago, they were trimmed to the bottom of the baskets.  It is pretty obvious that they like being outside.  Funny that they now make the dining room feel so crowded.  I would like them to get back outside soon and stay there until late next fall.

After taking photos and studiously ignoring the cans of paint, brushes, stir sticks, hammer, opener, and drop cloth taking over the kitchen floor by the back door, I spent the evening resting again with my little fluff ball.  I also lost a few more brain cells watching a really, really, really bad made-for-TV sci-fi movie.

And then there was today.
And painting.
And exhaustion.

I just couldn't figure out a way to not paint the whole railing (sans steps) at once.  I also, having painted one coat, couldn't figure out a way not to go ahead and paint the second coat.  I am in such pain that I couldn't fathom ever painting again.  Except I have to since the four bad balusters on the stair railing still need replacing, those primed, then two coats of paint on there.  And I have yet to get the better (I hope) house red paint for the final coat on the stair sides and step risers.  So, I have to do painting again.  But ... no more big jobs ... like this one.

I am in such pain that I dread what the morrow will bring for my body.

To appease my fluff-ball, I let him be outside with me.  I wasn't really thinking about that.  I mean, I set up a barrier so he did not end up with a single drop of paint on him, but I forgot about just how dirty the back porch floor is, having not yet been cleaned since the construction last fall and all of those muddy Firewood Man boot prints.  Sweeping aside, the floor is just plain dirty.  I've been holding off paying for power washing until the painting is completed.  That means I ended up with a grey fluff-ball.

Yes, in my agonized state, I had to give Amos a bath tonight.

I'm clean.
He's clean.
We are both exhausted.

Before the bath, in my dirty and painted state, once I finished, I popped over to the nearest milk source and fetched a few gallons, knowing that once I finally stopped moving I probably wouldn't be moving for days on end.

I did not bother taking a photo.  Mostly, I figured that, given that the paint is white and the primer is white, I doubt anyone will notice the outcome of my arduous labor for SEVEN BLOODY HOURS.

I thought, though, I could put another photo of my fluff-ball from last night.  He took over my pillows.  So, I made him my pillow.  He didn't mind.  Right now, he's still swaddled and beneath three blankets in my lap from his bath two hours ago.  I guess that makes me his pillow tonight.

Like I said, we're both exhausted.