Happy 4th!
May you not celebrate the day by staining your fence!
Like we are!
But the redwood stain spattered all up my right arm is a bit festive if you squint and are an optimistic person. (I’m not.)
A few days ago, Mike pressure washed a small section of fence, transforming it from old, ugly, and weathered to almost brand new looking. He wanted to know what I thought. I thought that of course this was brilliant and can I please do it because that looked really, really fun, let me at that pressure washer! (I know. Very Mark Twain of us.)
I pressure washed fence for HOURS. For DAYS. Mike did, too. There’s a LOT of fence. We got sunburned and I loved almost every last bit of it, except the part where old fence stain transformed into slime that would then rain down on my head and body and dry into a pulp that then acted as a unique lattice-like sunscreen. Disgusting.
Then we figured the fence should get stained.
We bought 10 gallons of redwood stain, came home and put some on the backside of the fence in the alley last night. And then went into the house feeling very dejected and thinking of the Passover story because that stain looked a whole lot like fresh animal blood.
This morning, it had dried to a more brownish red, all was good and we were ON. We spent a very, very, very long time staining one little tiny section of fence.
Mike called just now and mentioned the power stain sprayer he saw at Wal Mart.
Oh yes, PLEASE. I like power anything, and I think every single member of the family plus the dog should have one of these power stain sprayers and maybe we’ll get the job done today after all.
This is a questionable way to spend the 4th, but it is infinitely more appropriate than last year when I accidentally ended up in a drug altered state at a Willie Nelson concert and my mother drove me home and sheepishly delivered me to Mike saying, “Well. She’s going to need to sleep this off for a little bit.” Or a lot. I crawled into bed and slept and cried until the 7th or 8th because apparently pot and I do NOT get along and that’s just fine.
Compared to last year… this is going well. (I hope your day includes neither drugs or fence stain.)
I love you.
11:23 am
Your Willie Nelson concert story is one of my favorites! Thank you for the reminder.
Geekwif recently posted..Jane Eyre (Again) And Other Books
6:47 pm
I am so jealous of your power washer. Ours sort of blew up last 4th of July, and we have not replaced it yet. So this 4th has not involved power washers or stain–just a lot of swimming, and only minor injuries, such as jumping in the water and landing on an old stump.
Jan recently posted..Lost & Found
11:17 pm
How Funny! This is the first time I have logged on to my computer all weekend and I see this! We just tore down my chain link on the front and put up new cedar fencing (more to come later as money permits). We will stain it the very same color as soon as our local hardware store has the right color (to match the other fence on the west side of the house). You know, three day weekends were meant to work your butt off, sunburn and all. Love ya’ girl, we think alike. New bricks, new wood, I’m good.
12:53 am
I think your weekend sounds like a lot of fun! Everyone should have pressure washers and paint/stain sprayers because old fashioned ways of cleaning and painting are NOT fun, but plug something in and Voila! Lots of fun! We taught Miranda how to light fireworks tonight. I felt bad at first until our neighbors came out to teach their 11 yr old son how to light fireworks too. Fire safety apparently starts with fireworks here…