Just when I thought things couldn't get any weirder around here, I learned Friday that WTB and Mrs. WTB have split up after something like 40 years of marriage. The word "whomperjawed" pretty accurately describes my reaction. So when WTB asked me if I'd help her move, I felt I owed it to both of them. To WTB, certainly, for all the work he's done for me (remember when he built my picket fence?) and to Mrs. WTB for loaning out WTB's free labor and for all her encouragement in my crazy projects. She's mostly settled in to her house across town and I might be able to squeeze in a couple hours' work on the house yet tonight.
But before I do, here's what we've accomplished so far:
I filed my Application for Certificate of Appropriateness from the City's Historic Preservation Commission. They don't meet until the third Wednesday in June, so I won't have my paint colors approved until then. I got an email from the Building Inspector a couple of days ago saying that I need a building permit to paint. What the what?! That's odd, but okay. I filled that out and she signed off on it, so now we can scrape away without fear of running afoul of the law. (As long as we follow EPA guidelines for working with lead paint.)
As I scrape it down to bare wood, I'm uncovering lots and lots of layers of paint. (An eighth-inch thick in places.) The very bottom layer is indeed dove gray, so the little old man was right. It's also been a sort of tan color, and painted white many many times, and the trim's been black or very dark green as well as white and gray at one time.
My plan is to scrape one section at a time down to bare wood, caulk and make repairs where needed (there shouldn't be much of that), and then primer before moving on to another section of the house. I think that's a bit less daunting than trying to scrape a whole side at one time.
The COA states "All work must be completed within 180 days of approval or an extension must be filed." I laughed.