Double Decker
Stairwell of Doom
One of the major adjustments of moving to San Diego is getting used to all of the PEOPLE. So. Many. People.
In Indiana I could look out the window and see NATURE. In San Diego, I look out the window and see PEOPLE. Before you begin to think that I am anti-social, let me tell you that I LOVE people- just not people yelling at their kids, or arguing at all times of the night, etc. Every time I would look outside, I would see people. Most often it was the same woman- often in a bathrobe- sitting on the steps to her apartment complex, smoking a cigarette. It didn’t seem to matter what time I looked outside, THERE SHE WAS! (We are talking about a serious nicotine addiction here!) Each time I saw her, I felt my spirits dip a bit further. My mind was racing… “I just don’t know if I can DO this. I miss my quiet house on the hill.”
During this time, my new husband probably wondered what HE had gotten into as well! Previously not much of a cry-baby, I could now let loose at just the mention of my kids..or when I got a ticket for parking in a ‘boat trailer space’ at the bay (Hey, we don’t HAVE those spaces in Indiana!)…or talking about holiday plans…. Heaven forbid he ask me how I was doing! He was so sweet and patient with me.
Once my crying jags lessened, I decided to creatively block my view of ‘smoker chick’. My friend Peggy, who is also my partner in crime when it comes to stained glass, came out to visit and while she was here she helped me organize work space in the garage. I had drawn a design idea for stained glass windows for the stairwell so, with Peggy cracking the whip helping, we got them started.
No more ‘bathrobed smoker chick’!
This solution really was perfect for allowing light into the stairwell but blocking the less-than-desirable view.
One down…one to go!
I spent many weeks trying to figure out how to tackle painting the 20+ ft high walls in our stairwell. Fortunately we own a sixteen foot extension ladder. Unfortunately it was not tall enough to reach the top of those towering walls. I think I could have paid a painter with the amount of money I spent at Home Depot buying extension poles!
Huge Walls, Huge Project!
“…Can’t…quite…reach…!!”
I finally found a solution! I built a platform that extended the horizontal surface of the stairs. Then I was able to turn the ladder sideways in the narrow stairwell and get a bit closer to the top of those monster walls. I still had to use a paintbrush attached to the end of a long extension pole to cut in a few areas. Uh, yeah…don’t look too closely.
Home-made Ladder Extender
DONE!
Painting Done! Now to hang some photos!
Please forgive the bad photos…It seems there is always a glare when I try to take get a shot of the windows.
I am really glad to have that painting job over with! If I had to do it again, I might hire it done. It was a beast! One great thing that I discovered during this project is the LAMBS WOOL paint roller cover. (Insert the heavens opening and a choir of angels singing.) This roller cover holds at least twice as much paint as a regular cover- and that is a BIG deal when you are climing an extension ladder!
Lambswool Roller Cover = AMAZING!!!
A Hope and A Future 