Exterior paint job complete 03-14-19

Fresh paint!  

The painters finished today, only 3 1/2 days to do all the washing, scraping, filling, sanding, and painting.  They worked hard, even while the wind was blowing very strong.  Looks like a good job, hope it lasts ten years.  It is the same color as it was previously, maybe a tad more grey than blue, but perhaps the sun will fade it some.  Liz reminded me that in one previous painting job they only painted three sides of the chimney - I'd forgotten that, but all four sides look the same to me, so I guess they repainted all of them.  This is a different painting company and I would recommend them if anyone needs a recommendation.  Their address is in Fullerton, CA.  

This picture is a bit dark because I took it at 6:45pm when we went out for our walk.  

Now for a window washer and a landscaper.  It never ends when one owns a home, but I hope to stay here until they carry me out.  

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The Saga Continues 09-24-15

It was a busy day - returned rental car, picked up Lexus from auto body shop, stopped at market for detergent, entertained plumber who cleaned out my kitchen faucet, delivered SAQA traveling trunk H to FedEx for shipment to Florida, worked on newsletter, and suffered in the 98F heat when Edison  cycled my A/C periodically.   It  didn't ever get to 98F in my house, but hot enough to be uncomfortable.  I shouldn't complain because giving Edison permission to cut me off at high usage times gives me a nice cut on my electric bill.  Every little bit helps!

 

I should be done with repairs for a while, but you never know.  One thing that needs to be done is  painting the outside of the house.  It has been about eleven years and it is starting to look rather worn out.  The western sun shines on the front of the house which is mostly wood siding, so it blisters and starts to peel off.  I'm told that eleven years is lengthy in this climate.  Seems to me it should last twenty!

 

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Is this a California thing?

I was going to post this as a Wordless Wednesday, but I don't know if anyone would understand what it is without an explanation. 


This polka dot house has been insulated by drilling holes in the outside walls and blowing in loose insulation.   After about a week the painters come and repaint the exterior.  I had it done to our house seven or eight years ago and am amazed at how much difference there is in heat retention and how much less the A/C runs in the hot weather.  An added benefit that I had not expected is the deadening of sound.  I know the multi layered windows help with that, but the insulation does more.  I think that houses here are now built with sidewall insulation, but forty years ago they were not.  It was an expensive deal, but the gas company offered a rebate and I probably have saved in utility bills over the years.

Miscellaneous 02-11-10

I drive by this house when I go to my doctor's office. It looks so welcoming - I want to knock and ask if I could come in for tea - I'll bring the sweet treats to go along with the tea!!

Here is a warning from the FDA that we all need to take to heart. How horrible it would be to lose the sense of smell and the sense of taste. Why is this product still on the market? $$$, probably. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm167065.htm

These pictures of Wisconsin's white deer are the best that I have seen. The deer are so amazing - I would like to see them in the wild, but not enough to go in winter! http://www.pbs.org:80/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/generic.html?s=inwi10s22a3q81f

Tomorrow Liz and I will drive out to San Jacinto to the 30th annual quilt show of Valley Quilters. It isn't a large show, but they have nice quilts and the ladies are all very welcoming. They have a great "boutique" that is usually mobbed, but we manage to squeeze in and drop a few dollars. The highlight of the trip is really the chance to get out into the countryside, away from suburbia - to see the gamboling lambs and fresh green grass and smell the clean air. And maybe even see some early wild flowers.

Painted House 08-13-08

I was sure I had a photo of the house taken several years ago when the paint had not deteriorated so much and the coreopsis were blooming in the front yard. However, I cannot find it - Jeff, the painter, will be unhappy.

This is how the house looked after Jeff (and company) had scrapped and sanded.

Here is the house just as the sun was going down this evening. I like it very much. I'm glad that I decided to paint the garage door grey, it isn't as 'in your face' as it was when it was white.

Here you can see the north side of the house which has a very large attic. Neighbors down the street remodeled and put a bedroom, bathroom and playroom upstairs. They gave up the linen closet to make stairs. We thought about it, but two people don't need five bedrooms. However, I wouldn't mind another bath and a laundry room.

This house is the same model as ours and is a greener grey w/white trim. I have always loved the flying pig weather vane (NOT original to the house) and the small one in the flower bed to the right of the garage.

And here is another of the same model. Not only is the house light grey river stone, but the very high fence along the side street is the same. It is a little overpowering. I thought they might add more landscaping to soften it, but it has been several years and nothing more has been added.

I find that one of the hard things about being a widow is not having someone to share the decision making. I don't have children and my sister lives in Portland, OR, so I am on my own unless I can find someone knowledgeable who is willing to give opinions and/or advice. I think the paint color looks good on the house and I am glad that I chose it. And I would recommend Jeff, the painter, to anyone - shows up on time, works like a slave, cleans up every day and is willing to make a suggestion now and then. I'll save up some money and have him do the inside - sometime this fall, I hope.

Longing for the open road! 08-12-08

Traveling NE on US-54 in southern Kansas - May 2007

Yes, I am longing to hit the road - anywhere! Almost every year since 1974 I've spent part of the summer driving around the USA. This year I haven't been out of the LA Basin since April - for lots of different reasons, the price of gas high on the list. But my itchy foot is really getting to me. Before the end of the month I will drive up to stay with Mary for a few days and see the traveling Jellies (formerly called Jellyfish!) exhibit at the Monterey Aquarium - it will move to a different area of the country on September first. I may take the long way home, but I can't stay away too long - the house awaits.

The house painter told me this morning he won't be finished until Thursday, but that's okay, it is looking better every day. Now if the gardener I talked to last week comes through, the yard will soon match the freshly painted house!

Simple things 08-08-08

The only things I have to write about tonight are things that will surely only be exciting to me! The painter has completed the siding and the stucco and will start on the white trim tomorrow. There is LOTS of trim and, as you know, it takes longer because of the masking required. However, the grey color is perfect.

Jeff, the painter, asked me what color to paint the weather vane which is original to the house. Previously it was dark green to match the shutters, which will not be reinstalled. I told him a medium blue and left it to him. He chose this lovely pale sky blue - looks great against the blue California sky and I really like it. It will probably disappear when the sky is grey, but that's okay - I'll still like it. Notice the mourning dove on the roof peak over the garage, he was there when I went out and still there when I came back in - just coo-coo-cooooooing away.

Another REALLY exciting event was that I found my checkbook! With moving things around and putting things temporarily in boxes, it had just disappeared. I knew it had to be here because I don't ever carry it, it always stays at home. It was, of all places in a basket that I had filled with a small project that I might work on if I watched TV. But I haven't had the time or energy to do that for weeks until tonight when I thought I would watch the opening events of the Olympics. Out came the basket and there was the checkbook. I can only guess that it fell in accidentally when I put the basket in the office to get it out of the way while we were moving stuff. Simple things can be exciting!

House Painting 08-07-08

Yes, the images in yesterday's blog were of painted wood siding that has been scraped and sanded.

I have neglected my house for too many years. The beating California sun is so hard on painted siding. I even thought of redoing the siding with one of the alternate wood-like products. Instead it is being painted. There is some cream colored paint left, but not much. Notice that the chimney is plain brick. Oddly the opposite side of it is painted the same color as the house. We have never figured out why that is so.

The painters start setting up their equipment about 7am, but they are very quiet, not waking me until they start the compressor or the sander or.... one of the other noisy things they use. So, when I walked down the front hall this morning and looked out to see this blue paint I almost shrieked. I quick went out through the garage since the front door is 'plastic-ed' and confront the painter, "Why is it blue? That isn't the right color." He replied calmly, "No, that is the first primer coat." I've never seen primer this color, but he is the expert. He put up a little of the "Grey Wolf", the right color, so I could see what it will look like. You can see at at the bottom right above or in the picture below.

This is "Grey Wolf" as it appears on an late 19Th C. building that has been added to and converted to offices. In these pictures it looks more like the blue undercoat! But this building was painted at least four years ago, so the sun has faded the paint some.

Before he left today he had painted the porch and the side of the garage. I think the color is perfect. He says it will be done by next Wednesday. I'll post pictures again then.