Primed and ready...

Good, bad, or otherwise, the plaster is done and the walls are primed. It is really starting to look like a real room. I had to do more sanding than I would have liked, but that's the way it goes sometimes. I would like to be able to blame it all on Megan the intern, but the fact is, the worst wall was mine. Even more, her work was as good or better than mine in many areas of the room. There was a point where we were competing for space, she was on the scaffolding, and I was trying to work the wall right next to her. Being the gentleman that I am, I gave up space to Megan. The bottom two or three feet of that wall nearest the bay was terrible. I never did the final pass with the trowel. I think I got it sanded smooth enough, but if not, that is where the sofa will go.

I also got the new outlet installed. Megan was not here for that and it is too bad. Learning how to retrofit an outlet in to a finished wall would have been good for her to learn about.

Megan has been out galavanting around the country, so she missed out on the outlet and all of the wonderful sanding. I thought about waiting on the outlet until she was back in town, but The mess must go on as they would say in show business if show business were more like old house restoration. She also has an upcoming bathroom remodel job and I turned her on to a Craig's List add for an old window restoration job. She told me she got the job the day before she left.

What all of that means is that I probably won't see as much of her around. I am happy to see her get real jobs, but I am going to miss the help. 

I'm still waiting for the tile to come in for the hearth, and that should be next week, so that might be the next job. I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that I am going to need to restore the oak mantle. I got away without having to do it in the dining room, but the one in the parlor is not in as good a shape. If I do restore the mantle it will need to be done before the tile.

The mantle will be tedious work. I need to strip off all of the old shellac, and there are turned columns and other fancy millworker. It is going to add a week or so to the project. If nothing else, it will give me more time to stress over paint colors and window treatments.