There's primer on the walls!

I'm beyond thrilled. The end is nigh. There's a light (and yes, I sang the line from Rocky Horror when I wrote that) at the end of the tunnel.

I woke up at 5:00 a.m. Read a little of Loretta Chase's The Last Hellion, and decided to get to work. So, I caulked. Effen I say so myself, I'm a cawking caulker (I've been to Maine). Got dressed, asked the DD through her closed door if she wanted to go to breakfast and Home Depot, but suprisingly (not) she declined.

Went to breakfast. Drank lots of coffee delivered to me. It was marvy. Since my bedroom has been in flux for three weeks now, the Keurig is buried in the guest room--so I haven't had my instant coffee fix every morning--and that is not a Good Thing.

Anyway, I was sitting there and these two older guys were seated at the booth beyond mine. I happened to notice that each of them had rather impressive beer bellies--but not the most incredible ones I've ever seen. No biggie, I just happened to notice. So, I'm eating, and sipping, and reading my book; and I start to overhear their conversation. Beer Belly one says, "it's just incredible how women let themselves go when they get married." Beer Belly two agrees, and they go one to talk about all the women they know who've gotten fat. I found it a bit hypocritical and enjoyed the irony as they shoveled in blue berry pancakes as fast as they could.

From there, it was off to see my new best friend, Rick. Rick is from New Jersey. He works in the paint department at Home Depot. He gives me pretty good tips--except he told me to use spackling compound on my torn sheetrock places without first coating the wound with white shellac. I was happy to hear that, since HD was only selling white shellac in gallons for $35.00 a piece. Got home, applied spackling to said rooms, and immediately the bare drywall began rippling. Went to my neighborhood Ace hardware store, and was told I should use drywall mud for that. Bought drywall mudd, came home and it didn't cause rippling. Just thought you'd like to know; I myself have no use of this knowledge because as God is my witness, I'll never spackle again. ).

Anyhoodles, Rick stirred my Restoration Hardware paint that I bought last February. Then Rick fixed me up a gallon of primer, tinted to match the paint. I came home, did all the necessary prep, and DD and I primed the room.

It wasn't worth the hell of the past few weeks, but it looks pretty damn good. We'll be painting tomorrow.

Other hints for those who haven't sworn off home repair: those little paddles for cutting in--they work. Buy yourself one. In fact, they work so well, I think I"m going to go buy the larger one to use instead of the roller. And those latex gloves they sell in the paint department. Those suckers get the DamBetty seal of approval, too. When I go buy the new paint paddle, must get more.

I wanted to post before and after pictures, but didn't. The before was ghastly. Pale peach paper with various colored stylized flowers with a darker peach border with larger flowers. Ickoid. Just imagine late 70's cliched wall paper and you're there. I also wanted to document the incredibly beautiful spackling job I did; but the camera was downstairs and I already had goop all over my hands, so it didn't seem to worth the trip. I just might take the camera up there and snap a shot or two of the primed walls. Maybe a shot of the guest room mess. Maybe a shot of my pitiful nails (I'm seriously considering a mani/pedi this afternoon). We'll just have to see.