Mervina

Shed is looking goooooood!!  Front now has 2 coats and sides have 1 coat.  Tomorrow I'll give the sides their second coat, add an extra mini-coat to some areas that seemed to be a bit more faded than the rest et voila - new shed.......kind of.  It'll be another 2 or three years until I contemplate dragging out the painting gear again - thank goodness.  The fumes from the oil-based stain and mineral turps for clean-up has left me feeling quite heady.

In my prep to get started this morning I spied this wonderful creature in the big shed.  Being one who is easily distracted - particularly from things I'm not enthused about doing - it was an easy option to spend a good 20 minutes getting to know her.  At one stage I swear she was about to jump onto the camera lens and whilst I do like mantises, I knew I'd still startle if she did........best I just sidle away from her.  Interestingly I saw a mantis later on on the freshly painted shed..........I'm sure it was the same one as both looked rather heavily pregnant.  I considered moving her off the still slightly tacky surface but she looked like she was OK so decided to leave her.  I'll check on whether she 'birthed' tomorrow morning before I start the final coats.