Another day. Get out the bucket and sponge and wipe the plaster work smooth. Get out the electric mouse sander and the paint scrapers and start prepping all of the woodwork. All of the woodwork. The tall baseboards and the wide window and door trim. Paint chips start accumulating by the cup full. Paint is popping off down to what looks like the original first application. All of the woodwork. Every bit of it. Wonder if that funny buzzing fizzy feeling will ever leave my hand. Lucky, lucky me. Dear husband comes home from work each evening and does the final sweeping and runs the vacuum. Bless the man, he is also excellent at administering Ibuprofen and cooking comfort food. Finally, went over all the sanded paintwork with a wet sponge and the prep phase was finished. Celebrate small accomplishments.

We have made an executive decision. This is a walls and woodwork project only. We are not going to risk touching the ceiling as they are fragile enough in this house and we are now old enough to resist learning yet another obscure skill.