Yellows

Ok, now I'm kinda wishing I hadn't put on the yellow paint. Because it now feels like an extra layer I'll have to strip off...

Still, I love seeing the wood.

Can't find a photo of before, but this shows all the black paint in the hallway.

Knobs

Finished stripping the door, to our satisfaction at least, and put on the deck stain abandoned by previous owners in the garage.  It's a rather nice color, I used it on a yard sale wooden stool so I knew I liked it. I have enough poly-whatever sealant to finish it on the weekend.

It's not perfect, but it has a lot of character, a long life well lived. I polished the brass fittings, and cleaned off the other metal bits that are not brass. I'm also painting the doorknob that is just dull metal. Gives me something to do as the door dries.

Because as soon as I put the stain on, it started spitting rain. Not much, but more than we've had for a month, with the potential of a downpour. We stood the door up under the overhang to dry, and there it will lean until Saturday morning.

So far, just enough rain to tell it's raining by the spots on the sidewalks.

Door

Clear 100°F. 38°C

Humidity 14%
Wind Speed N 9 MPH
Barometer 30.01 in (1016.26 mb)
Dewpoint 43°F (6°C)
Visibility 9.00 mi
Heat Index 96°F (36°C)
Last update 19 Aug 03:55 PM MDT


I painted the inside bathroom door frame, because the hideous grey was getting to me. The hall was not the last of it.  The door has been tapping me on the shoulder, after waiting patiently so long, saying "me too?"  So, I put the paper screen in front of the door, because we are not the type to use a to use a toilet with no door given half a chance.  I originally planned to pin up fabric, but this seemed a more workable solution. 

And beautiful one side, grey inside door was lifted off hinges and carried outside to be cleaned of ancient paint.  Despite the forecast.  This morning, it wasn't too bad, except that I wore long pants and sleeves, mask, hat, gloves and safety glasses. Gave up at 1100.  We got sandpaper, and tomorrow will clear off the stubborn stuff. 

We chatted with Oregon and California friends last night. In the middle of it, the cats were having a wrestle by the screen, it went down, they scampered, there were entertaining sounds for our friends. 

Stuck

We could have coins struck.  They took turns here while we watched Hamish Macbeth with friends (virtually) last night. 

She slept close between us most of last night, not to be shifted. She stuck herself to Dylan.  She sleeps by the window. 

Sphinx

White-lined sphinx, apparently.

Hyles lineata, also known as the white-lined sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. They are sometimes erroneously referred to as the hummingbird moth because of their bird-like size (2-3 inch wingspan) and flight patterns.[2]

Wanted to strip the grey off the inside of the bathroom door. Shouldn't, because it's too hot these days and I have to do this outside. Wanted to anyway, but I jammed my thumb in the folding sawhorse.  So, now I'm irritable because I had a project, decided not to do it, then tried to anyway, couldn't, and I'm at loose ends.

Going to have a black thumb, it's merely purple now.

Chill

 

He begins to find his chill. Allowing more head scritches, hangs out as we virtual gather with friends on Wednesdays. 

First session with top-up therappy, getting into the reasons I attract bullies, and how to defend myself without doing it so hard that I get recoil. There is a delay because of the world right now, but I can do a lot on my own while waiting. 

The doomsdayers cry out that nothing will change, and then everything changes. Not always from the expected quarter, not in a predicted way, but suddenly there is a new normal and the young do not know that we once assumed that monarchy was the only valid form of government. 

Sleepy

Eleanor crashed out in the garden, among the bricks and catnip. 

Got called off twice this week, and I don't really mind. Patched some of the concrete near the north foundation. It's sort of fun, really. Mudding.

Zeppo has everything he needs here, it was the first place he found to hide. He's taken up the spot again. We've been doing this puzzle, too. Not as hot this week, but enough to mostly stay inside.

Bookish

Zeppo by the books. 

Kisses

We've notice that Zeppo no longer has his loud, diesel engine purr. We guess this means it may have been a purr with some anxiety. He still purrs, but it's quieter, and he's more relaxed around us. It's still a very slow process for him, tiny incremental achievements, he does continue to stabilize. He can get unsettled, start to move off the bed, but then come back if we reassure him.

This morning Eleanor sat on my chest as I dozed, Zeppo flopped down beside, back paws touching my arm. As I woke, Eleanor slid off to rest on my arm, and Zeppo scooted in for a belly rub, his back leg over my arm, sometimes rubbing his nose on my fingers. Both purr, but softly. Cats pressed together, pressing me into the bed.

Treat Time is Eleanor's favorite, but we have to count them out or she horks them up. Dental and hairball control, so they are actually for a reason, too. Which is why it takes a minute to sort out, especially if someone with a camera isn't helping. Ahem.

Picking Eleanor up before treats is how we've gotten her to tolerate being picked up, a little. Another long, slow, process. Zeppo doesn't care so much, we think he gets excited about treats mostly because of Eleanor. He often leaves a few, which she snarfs up later.

Treat time with kisses from Zhoen on Vimeo.

Nope

"Nope, not going back in yet."

We'd already been sitting outside, with her in the catnip, for over an hour at this point. I didn't mind, I was laying down some soaking water, sitting in the shade, and it's not searing out yet.

It's not like I'll take her out later today.

Clear
91°F
33°C
Humidity 18%
Wind Speed SSE 9 MPH
Barometer 30.07 in (1018.29 mb)
Dewpoint 43°F (6°C)