Hang in there! You're doing a really great job! It was a courageous undertaking and you went after it with zest and some seriously great organizational skills. I've loved watching your progress so far because I think it's amazing how quickly you and your husband have transformed the kitchen. I'm in awe of your ambition!

I remember how tedious my kitchen cabs were to paint so am feeling for you. This week I've been painting a double bath vanity and have run into one problem after another. I could scream, but this is the last weekend day and I'm not about to start off another Monday without this finished. Hang in there!

Time to prime the cabinets... not as early of a start as I had hoped - Saint Bernard with intestinal issues at 2:30am makes for rough night.

I am so sympathizing with you -- no I mean I really feel your pain. Literally.

Mine was a 60 lb spotted mutt with incontinence due to a brain tumor, who took a whizz on his bed, pooped on the hall pee mat (and his brother's bed) and wetted another pee mat all before 4 am. Yesterday was spent whitewash staining six floor-to-ceiling cabs (two inside and out), a 90" island, and 8 base cabinets. Boxes only. We still have 20 drawers and 28 doors to stain and poly. I think I will do paint touch-ups first today, then start with poly on the boxes. DH is doing poly on the crown molding in the garage today.

DH's observation: "Boy, staining is hard work. It is worse than painting!" He is learning both, slowly. He never did either before I married him. His parents had never painted their home in the 45 years they lived there!

Keep at it, but stop at a reasonable time so that you can try to be rested for tomorrow's work.

I think my left ankle joint rusted in one position overnight. It sure does not want to move this morn... um, afternoon.

It has taken me over a year to paint my cabinets, and I'm not done yet!

Here are 2 things that made a world of difference for me. I don't know if they apply to you.

1. Painting with no little kids in the house (I first started the project when my 4 year old was home with me. Big mistake. Nothing like getting everything ready, dipping your brush in the paint, applying a stroke, and hearing someone yelling for help in the bathroom!) I restarted after he went to kindergarten. What a difference!

If kids aren't an issue for you, here's the other biggie for me:

2. Discovering the wonderful world of podcasting and audiobooks. With a playlist full of the "Smart Mouths" podcast, I could just paint, and paint, and paint. And I hate to paint! I'm also a huge fan of Mugglecast--a Harry Potter podcast. Yes, even though I am your age, I am an HP fanatic! Now I look at the trim around those 4 windows (what is worse than painting window trim?) and I remember doing them while listening to a funny discussion from several years back about whether Snape was good or evil. The time flew by!

:-)

francy

Nancy - There is nothing like bathroom accidents from very large dogs. Libby, our Saint Bernard, is a complete sweet heart with a very sensitive tummy and a taste for every plant in the garden.

BayArea - No kids, thank goodness. We have the dog and two cats. But I do have a DH that wants me to stop every 30 minutes to "have a look" at stuff.

Made some headway today. Second coat of primer on drawers and doors. 1st coat of paint on all drawers and 1/4 of the doors. Still have a second coat to go on everything. I guess I won't get the doors up in time for my birthday. It's been too humid for them to cure in time to put on the hardware and hang them. I'm going to try moving everything down into the basement tomorrow and finish painting this week after work. Hopefully the cabinets will cure better than they have in the garage.

T minus 5 days.

Good for you, AZ!

All I did was spray paint the island brackets and touch up wall paint. I never did get to sleep. Every time I drifted off, foot pain, asthma wheezing, or strange dreams would have me sitting up straight, wide awake.

DH was more productive, three coats of poly on the crown moldings.

Are you having a big party in the kitchen for your birthday? Or were you just going to reveal it to family and friends, then move o for the party elsewhere? There is no changing the weather. Humidity slows everything down. Best wishes for a happy birthday later this week!

We're having friends and family, in the evening in our back yard. I just wanted to have a big REVEAL. :D