LHOTR - Coffee, Tea, or Me Baby?

Before…

…and after!

So I still had a can and a half of semigloss spray paint left after completing the kitchen chairs, and looking for the next thing to coat in paint. And there it was, in all its glass ringed, scarred glory, the coffee table. 

A quick wipe down to get rid of dirt and dust, then I hauled it out in the sun and started shaking paint cans. I’ve learned patience with spray paint. You need a nice, even first coat then give it time to dry. A second coat will do wonders for filling in those spots that were thin for a more even cover, then give it time to dry. Third coat gives you your final, solid coat, then just let it sit in the sun and bake that shit on. 

I started painting at 11:30 in the morning and finally brought it into the house, with its new felt feet, at 7:30 that same night. The finish was lacquer shiny, and because it had been drying in the sun all day, not a hint of tackiness to the surface. It managed to feel brand new and only cost me the time it took to clean and paint.

Next up is the futon covers for the couch. 

LHOTR - Upgrade Checklist

 

The latest glow-up.

It’s been almost a year since we found the little house and 10 months since we took possession. We are currently on a week-long vacation and doing the latest/greatest home improvements. 

Sunday, we swapped the gray drop leaf table that came with the place with the blonde table we have in storage in the basement back home. Since I hated the hunter green on the chairs, I got three cans of 2X coverage spray paint and painted the chairs a semigloss black. Now, the table and chairs match the cupboards and countertops. We had been getting into the habit of not eating at the table (the legs were shin busters and toe jammers) but now it is comfortable to sit and enjoy. Cost? $20 in spray paint. 

We also finished hanging the TV in the corner so it’s easier for everyone to watch. This frees up the mantel of the electric fireplace for moving the radio receiver and gives the antenna more freedom to rotate. This is important as we head into college football season.

A couple more chores include installing the new kitchen faucet and adding a memory foam layer to the futon. I’m taking our first load of stuff we haven’t used to the thrift in Hersey. Then, maybe we can relax and do nothing for a couple of days. 

LHOTR - Perseid Shower

 

I went out, for the second night in a row, to catch a glimpse of shooting stars, a common phenomena this time of year. Like the 3D posters of the 90s, you have to feel like you are looking through the sky, not at it, in order to open your consciousness to see them. 

Last night, I thought I was victorious right away, but it was an airplane, high above, no doubt one of the international red eyes bound for Tokyo from Toronto or New York to Vancouver. I did see a couple streaks across the sky and chilled and mosquito bitten, decided to try again the next night.

Tonight yielded a few sightings, but craning my neck while distracted by the neighbor’s flickering campfire, called it a night as well.

To be honest, nothing could quite compare to star gazing in August, 1993. That was when my coworker Kay invited me and Kathy over to her little place to watch the stars after our second shifts at Walgreens. 

No boys, no party, just the three of us in chaise lounges drinking wine, talking about life, while occasionally exclaiming “look at that!” We we’re all at crossroads in our life, graduating from college or engaged, wondering what was next on the horizon. But that night, at 3am, we knew at least that horizon was serving up a little bit of magic.