Skip to main content

Finally, Paint on the Garage (and Some on Me)

Something has finally gone right in this one-thing-after-another season of home repair. 

The other week, a kitchen electrical outlet went out. This week, it was the microwave. It started zapping like there was metal in it, so I decided to replace it. As a good citizen, I took it to Recycle Force, a nonprofit that recycles electronics. The place is hard to find--it's on a winding, unmarked road that looks like it's part of a different road, and today, the road was closed for construction. After a couple of two-mile trips circling back around--I was not coming back home with the microwave--I saw a little detour sign by an alley, took the detour up over some train tracks, and saw Recycle Force's sign. At least getting rid of the microwave was easier than replacing the bad outlet.

It hasn't rained for weeks here, but since it's supposed to Sunday night, I decided I'd better get the garage primed Friday night so I could paint Saturday and give the paint plenty of time to dry. There was only a little more priming to do, but I still needed to use the drop light to finish. While I primed, I got to listen to some live music coming from the neighbor's party. It looked like it was all outdoors, but without social distancing or masks. Not in line with Indiana's Back on Track Plan, but given these neighbors, the police were probably at the party--as guests.

Finally, I started painting today. I had a sprayer I bought from another neighbor who said she didn't like it. That should have been my first clue. But I'd used a sprayer before and it went well, so I assumed the neighbor's problem was operator error or personal preference. No, it was the sprayer, which sprayed paint from my hair to the grass and got a little on the garage, then dribbled paint for a few minutes after shutting it off, which was usually when the extension cord fell off. Maybe Recycle Force will take it. 

Brushing paint on the whole garage would be too much work. My neighbor ended up doing that, but she's more energetic than I am. What about a roller? I'd never seen anyone use a roller outside before, but the internet said yes, that's a good way to paint clapboard siding. I measured the width of the boards, bought a roller about that size, and even found a paint pan to fit it. I started painting with it--and the paint went where it was supposed to go. After I put some Mighty Fixit on the handle for better grip, it was even easier. 

The sun set on me, but I kept working. I don't have much energy in the middle of the afternoon, so I didn't get much done then. But another neighbor loaned me his light and I finished. The first coat of tan is finally on.


I had to use some hydrocortisone today. Next time I have a busy day of physical work, I may try eating a little bit more carbohydrate, since it seems to help. 


Comments

"The first coat of tan is finally on" and it looks good Lori, well done.

All the best Jan
Lori Miller said…
Thanks, Jan. Maybe the county assessor will upgrade its condition from F after it's finished.

Popular posts from this blog

Fermented bread and butter pickle recipe ft. L. Plantarum

After Dr. Davis said the other night that  L. plantarum  may reduce some of the effects of the herbicide glyphosate (which is everywhere), I'm re-running my recipe for fermented bread and butter pickles. Pickling cucumbers naturally have  L. plantarum  bacteria on them, and fermenting them with some brown sugar multiplies these bacteria. (Just don't use chlorinated water to wash them.) And if you're growing your own cucumbers, avoid spraying the fruits with  Bacillus thuringiensis , or Bt (leaves and vines are OK). It's unclear what effect a big dose of Bt would have on humans. Another benefit of DIY pickles: no emulsifiers like polysorbate 80, which is a common ingredient in pickles. If you have GI problems, it could be from emulsifiers. These sweet-and-sour pickles are the tastiest I've ever made. There's just a little added sugar (some of which the bacteria will consume) and turmeric that gives the pickles their bright color.  Special equipment Quar...

Collagen-filled Low Carb Burritos

Low-carb, grain-free Mexican food is hard to find, but it's easy to make your own at home. This recipe has an authentic ingredient: carne de lengua, or beef tongue. Don't be put off: beef tongue is tender, delicious, and full of collagen. Look for it directly from farmers in your area. To cook it, cut it in 1" to 1-1/2" slices and pressure cook for one hour. Enjoy the delicious broth as a bonus. Ingredients 1 slice cooked beef tongue, peeled and cut into small cubes 1 egg wrap (I use these  from Egglife) 1/4 cup cooked black or pinto beans Chili pepper Oregano Garlic (powdered or minced) Cumin Guacamole (with no emulsifiers) Salsa Shredded cheddar cheese Sour cream or homemade cream cheese  with no emulsifiers  Put the egg wrap on a plate and put the beef and beans down the middle of it. Sprinkle with the herbs and spices. Wrap, turn over and microwave for 1-2 minutes. Spoon salsa over the burrito and sprinkle with cheese. Add guacamole and sour cream or homemade crea...

15% Off Starter Culture

Starter culture for the wonderful cream cheese I made is 15% off for the next two weeks (through June 18, 2025). The shop (BacillusBulgaricus.com) also offers rennet and starter for other cheeses, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sour cream, fermented vegetables, and more. They ship to 118 countries across six continents. The coupon code is LORI_sekd3tkb at bacillusbulgaricus.com .  Photo from Pexels .

Getting Over Palpitations

Note to new readers: please note I'm not a health care provider and have no medical training. If you have heart palpitations, I have no idea whether the following will work for you. Over the past several days, I've had a rough time with heart palpitations and feeling physically jittery. I was wondering if I was going to turn into one of those people who can't sit still. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it would be a major lifestyle change. Kidding aside, something wasn't right and I really needed to get back to normal. I tried popping potassium pills like candy. I ate more. I doubled up on my iron dose. I went to yoga and even got on the treadmill at 6 AM yesterday. I tried the nuclear option of eating more carbs to stop peeing away minerals. Most of these things helped, but the problem kept coming back. A comment from Galina made me look up epinephrine, one of the drugs my surgeon used to anesthetize me Friday. First, the assistant at the surge...

Carrageenan: A Sickening Thickener. Is it a Migraine Menace?

Let me tell you about my ride in an ambulance last night. I woke up at six o'clock from a nap with a mild headache. I ate dinner and took my vitamins, along with a couple of extra magnesium pills. Since magnesium helps my TMJ flare-ups, I thought it might help my headache. Then I went to see my mother. A few hours later, I had a severe headache, sinus pain and nausea. During a brief respite from the pain, I left for home, but less than a mile later, I got out of my car and threw up. A cop, Officer Fisher, pulled up behind me and asked if I was okay. He believed me when he said I hadn't been drinking, but he said I seemed lethargic and he wanted the paramedics to see me. (Later he mentioned that a man he'd recently stopped was having a stroke.) Thinking I had a migraine headache, the paramedics wanted to take me to the hospital. But since I knew that doctors don't know what causes migraine headaches, and I didn't know what effect their medicine would have on m...