Progress.....

The results of this week's work.  And no, my walls did not turn yellow overnight.  I tried to correct the photo a bit so you could actually see the window frame, and the yellow came along with it.  I don't have Photoshop, people!

I'll say it again -- sure beats two hours in the gym!  And lest you think the exercise value isn't the same, let me disabuse you of that notion.  Constant motion, using the same muscles and using pressure, akin to using hand weights.  Proof of that is that I was able to use the scraper for most of those two hours today, a remarkable improvement.  The good thing about consistent exercise is that eventually you'll build both strength and muscle endurance, and I've clearly done that.

But more than that, for the moment, is that I'm almost finished getting paint off this thing.  What's left is being very recalcitrant and may call for the power sander.  I'll work more on the side trim in a couple of days, but the paint on the inner edges simply does not respond to the scraper or much of anything else.

Nice little pile of scrapings from the morning's efforts -- although it spreads far and wide and this is merely what I could sweep up from the immediate area.  I don't know much (anything?) about paint scrapers in general, but this one requires a good amount of pressure on the knob, as well as either pushing or pulling with the handle.  I think that's what makes it so tiring.  But, I certainly see the results of my efforts quickly and that's very satisfying.

Put a second coat of Kilz on the Citristrip stain this morning, and this may have done the trick.  I can see a bit of pink, but very little.  To be on the safe side, I'm going to give this another couple of days to dry then try one more coat before doing the final prep for painting.  I'll just have to hope that the paint remover left in the wood isn't going to eventually make this flake off, but the tech at Citristrip has chosen not to answer that question so I'm just going to punt.

I'm also ready to get the furniture out of this room, as soon as I can find some help.  Time to get serious with sanding, but the main reason is that in the living room I'll be able to flop down on the sofa to watch TV and movies, which I'm really looking forward to.  I've been putting this off until the weather cools because that room gets the brunt of the afternoon sun, but as long as the nights stay cool that shouldn't be a problem.  I haven't had to raise and lower my windows daily for a couple of weeks now, despite 90-95 degree days, simply because the cooler night air keeps the house cool all day.  The down side of this house staying cool, of course, is that it's also harder to heat in the winter, for some reason.

My plans for the rest of this day are to rest.  I have a DAR meeting at 4pm which I feel obligated to attend, and I'll need at least a little bit of energy for that.