AM I BLUE...

To say I am blue is to put it very, very lightly (and literally). Perhaps depressed might more closely describe how I am feeling! This workshop basement project just does not seem to go 'right' at any juncture. First of all, this project began around the first of April...mmmm is that an omen? There have been problems all along the way, this very long way, is it now eight months??? going on nine??? I am really weary of this project, and were I able to backtrack you better believe it would not get done.

I had initially thought I might paint the floor, but after going to Home Depot and consulting with their expert who said: I'd need to scrub it with a $20 gallon of special scrub; etch it with a $20 gallon of etcher; prime it with a $30 gallon of primer; paint it with a $30 gallon of paint; and repaint it with yet another $30 of that paint. This was looking rather ridiculous and expensive in money and time, so I decided not to paint.

When the floor was first laid, I thought it quite nice, close to lovely even. But as time has passed and I have worked more closely to it, I have come to see cracks, discolored places, and uneven rough spots. This in itself has been downright depressing.


However, the latest folly is my doing. When I painted the rafters, I did so on a step ladder which stood upon a very large piece of heavy duty plastic. I was either very, very sloppy, or the plastic did not do its job, because there are paint spots all over the cement floor.

Just a closer look at the colors, the 'cracks' and the paint spots.

I went to Nuzum's seeking help in removing these spots. It was suggested that I try stripper. Oh, I thought, what a great idea. I even had earth friendly stripper at home. I applied a thin coating on several spots in one corner, just to get an idea if it would work. What did it do, it smeared the paint and absorbed the stripper into yet another stain upon the floor. I'm sinking deeper now.

Here is a smeared, absorbed stain that, I think, looks worse then the 'simple' paint stain did.

So I revisited the idea of painting the floor...basically thinking I had little choice at this time.

I had purchased and installed what I think is a beautiful little L.P. gas stove to heat the basement. Although I'm not particularly fond of blue, this blue enamel was striking and I fell in love with it. I even chose a complimentary blue to paint the window sills, and I think they look very nice.

So I looked over floor paint colors again, this time more locally and with far less steps necessary. Admittedly tiny square paint samples are deceptive, I am aghast at how deceptive they really are. I went to Nelson's yesterday morning, chose a pale gray-blue from the chart and had two gallons mixed.

Pale it is not!!!

Now I will be surrounded by blue...I guess it fits my mood.