Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Finally, it's wine thirty

My Mother sent me an email requesting that I write more.  She is apparently a subscriber to my blog and a new fan.  Who knew?  She is also on Facebook - which is concerning because I didn't know about her commitment to bridge the generational gap with such fury.  Good for you, Mom... Good for you.

Today wasn't really a very funny day.  I can make it funny, probably but I goofed up and had to eat crow.  Ugh, I hate when that happens.  Here's the low-down dirty on my boo boo.

We are doing this really cool white wash on some bricks at a client's house.  They are doing this fabulous (not my favorite F word, but I digress) outdoor garden in their city home and I am a clear part of the plan.  Sadly, when the house was rehabbed, the contractor built the garage with new bricks that are really straight and perfect.  It's not part of the Savanna Plan for their riparian outdoor space, so in we come to save the day.

The look they want is a white washed brick so the patio has more of a southern feel.  One of the gents for whom we are working is a southern gal (you get the picture).  Go VA Tech is all I have to say.  They are some of my favorite people to work with and their home is not only featured on my website, but it's amazing in ways my pictures do not show.  

Since I am an interiors specialist, I had to do some research on line to find out the best formula for making these new looking bricks seem old and weathered like you would find in the south.  The best formula for this white wash stuff is lime, water, salt and a little bit of concrete for good adhesion.  I am also adding in an acrylic add-mix for making concrete stick to concrete - just so I don't get a phone call after the next rain storm telling me that it all came off.  That would be no good.

Today was day 1 of our experimentation and all went quite well.  The slurry I made worked great and it looks like we will achieve the look we want in two coats.  After the sample area was done, I took my drop cloth out and gently shook it out in the alley.  What I didn't know is that once the dust from my work was on the ground, just a little wind would pick it up and carry it to the neighbors brand new BMW.  Woopsie!

I got a phone call from the neighbor, who is also a client of mine as well, and he was in what  I like to refer to as a gay tizzy.  Pointing fingers, freaking out and getting his feathers in a ruffle.  Not that he doesn't have a right to freak out - but since it wasn't paint I wasn't that worried.  What it was, however, was a mixture of lime (fairly caustic material) and water (yeah, it activates the caustic material in lime powder).  It washed right off the paint but left little pock marks in the protective shield put on the car by the dealer, to protect it from road dirt and rocks that fly up.  Apparently not caustic lime.  One would think that this protective shield company would be more careful in what they protect against!  Christ already!

After a quick call to the dealership to make sure MY ship wasn't completely sunk, I discovered that the material this shield is made out of (Autobahn and Ventureshield) gets replaced every couple of years anyway and is no more than $175 to $250 a panel to replace.  Big sigh big sigh big sigh big sigh.....  I left him a message and he hasn't called me back.  I suppose once Hurricane Faggot cools his jets and comes back down to normal land we can discuss a quick remedy to fix it all up.  Big bullet dodged and I am glad it's going to be fine.  How quickly a little innocent shake of my drop cloth, fully intending to do so in a way that kept dirt and dust away from cars, caused damage and a poor gay who clearly loves his car almost lost his mind.

Thankfully, said gay is currently unemployed (I think) so I fully expect a thank you card for bringing him something to do.

And I bow.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That's a good boy. Keep them coming darling. Love you TONS