Two posts in one day! Because it’s Kate’s birthday!!

I became a mom 41 years ago. (Yikes?!)

I always wanted to be a mom, and I sure lucked out!

Katie’s in Edinburgh this week, then she’ll be spending a couple of days in York (or somewhere) on her way to London before flying back home on the 2nd.

We’re wishing from afar this year! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KATIE!!

It can’t be used yet, and the heat is still cranked up for the rest of the day, but the tub is finished!

Before (after rebuilding the surround) & after. The rubber gloves are on the spouts to ensure that no water drips onto the finish until it’s cured — not even one tiny little drop!

Before, during, after.

I’m so happy to have a big ol’ check mark next to this task — it’s been on the list for a long time.

Painting shall resume tomorrow!

The prep work is impressive!

It seems a little Dexter-esque!

Lots of patching! The resin will be applied sometime today… I think that yellow tube is for ventilation, because it’s going to be smelly. I can’t wait to see it!

The temp has to be 73F, so we turned the heat up to 70 before bed last night — and closed the vent to our bedroom because I like it cool at night in the winter (mid-50s). Obviously, I have to adjust for summertime, but we’re not there… I’m not set up for hot weather sleeping yet! I cranked it up a few more notches this morning. The outside temp is going to be 73F today (and dry), so conditions should be good all around.

Years ago, my mom had a vintage pedestal sink refinished — I’m not sure how she knew it was a thing, but that’s how I came to know it. Ann has a clawfoot tub in her upstairs bathroom that had also been refinished at some point (there are a couple of little nicks/chips, which, thankfully, have never gotten worse). Our tub is the largest clawfoot tub that I’ve ever seen, which means that it’s probably the heaviest, too! Even if I wanted to get it out of there, I don’t know how we’d do it, other than taking a sledgehammer to it — it makes me sick to my stomach to even imagine it.

Most of Friday afternoon & all of Saturday was spent stripping wallpaper in the upstairs bathroom.

Here’s a “before” photo from a few years ago. I’m standing in another doorway, and the other two walls are completely papered except for a built-in cabinet (just barely visible at far right) & a window to the left of it.

Like so…

…minus most of the wallpaper at this point. As of late yesterday, everything around the tub has been repainted because the tub refinisher arrived early this morning!

He’s grinding out the rusted areas (there are lots of tiny rust spots… and some bigger ones… and some that had previously been “fixed”), then he’ll clean the tub. Tomorrow, a new resin finish will be applied/sprayed, he’ll caulk, and then it has to cure — it’ll have a good two-and-a-half weeks before anyone will be up there.

Ali is chomping at the bit to come over & help with the painting. There are two other rooms that I’d really like to refresh before the next guests arrive, too, but we’ll see… there are priorities.

For Sale: Lightly used steamer for wallpaper removal – paper tiger included!

I’m not sure how it’s possible that my middle child was born 39 years ago, but here we are.

Sigh.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALI!!!

It’s birthday season around here. Kate’s is on Wednesday — she’ll be celebrating in Edinburgh! Maddy’s is a week from Saturday. Rusty shared this photo in our family group chat the other day, and we all noted the BEST TEA canister, which is in use as a sugar canister now as it was then, though almost all of the paint has worn off. And our COFFEE MUGS! I have a replacement, but Rusty’s is original and still in use, though also devoid of paint (except for the heart). We still use a Depression Glass butter dish in that design (behind the tea/sugar canister), but that green one broke a long time ago, and the same coverless green sugar bowl as a spoon jar. The dish/bowl that Maddy’s oatmeal (?) is in was part of a set that I was given when Katie was born… and, yep, it’s still in the cupboard & used regularly. My mom sewed Ali’s flannel nightgown — and one for Kate (in fact, this might be Kate’s handed-down) — and matching gowns for their Cabbage Patch dolls! My mom did so much sewing for Sharon, Karen & me when we were around this age, but I think those nightgowns were her last hurrah.

Lots of memories in 39 years… and here’s to many more!