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A day in the life of a plasterer

Sir_T

7/4/2008 1:50 pm

Last Read:
7/23/2008 7:10 pm

Part 2

Monday, Monday

My alarm will nearly wake the dead. Monday it almost had to. We normally start at seven sometimes six am but today we are meeting to drive out of town at 5am. I pull myself out of the Cave and throw on some pants to let the three fuzzies out. Arrrgh I hate waking up in the dark. Freaking daylight savings time. It's not natural to go to sleep when it's light and wake up when it's dark.

Start the hot water for my yummy chocolate cappuccino. Open my breakfast pepsi, down a headache tablet, (did I mention I tried a few brandies to make me go to sleep Sunday night?) Took my vitamins and made my coffee and let the kids in.

Sat down and contemplated my first cigarette of the day. Yeah, yeah I know. Finally woke up enough to put on my work clothes and make my "lunch". My bosses don't take breaks so lunch consists of a pepsi and three bottles of water and a bag of peanuts I can eat on the run.

Got to the meeting place at 4:50 and everyone else was thirty minutes late. Arrrgh! Wish I'd thought of that. We make it to the job site at 6. A huge house nestled up in the foothills near the mountains. But not close enough to stay any cooler. It's 6 am and already 65 degrees. I know it's going to get toasty today.

One boss says, "lets try to stay in the shade all day".

Cool! I agree. Except that the shady side of the building includes a forty by thirty foot ceiling to be stuccoed. If you want to know how it feels to stucco a ceiling, just try pushing a hammer against a ceiling for a couple of hours. And imagine cement falling back in your face while you're doing it.
To make matters worse, this particular job will involve a very thin acrylic finish and the base coat needs to be perfect. We do this by rubbing a neoprene float over and over the base coat just after it sets. Remember the movie The Karate Kid? It's kinda like "Wax on wax off". The wing gets a little tired.

I wore a pedometer once 'cause I was curious about how many miles I put on in a day. On a typical building, I walk about eight miles a day back and forth from the mud board to the wall, up and down on the scaffold, and toting stuff around the building. On this house it was probably double that. No wonder one never sees a fat plasterer.

Didn't make it to a hundred degrees. Only ninety eight. We caught a break.

Enjoy the ride. All you take with you when you leave is the experience.

msalchemy2

1388 posts

7/4/2008 4:37 pm

qout;

Perfection Isn't Sexy

Sir_T replies on 7/9/2008 12:24 pm:
I was gonna post a before and after work pic of myself but I didn't wanna scare anyone. After a tuff day I look like I was rode hard and put up wet.

cruiser387

11779 posts

7/4/2008 5:15 pm

not a job I would enjoy....I'm a pansie and hate the heat

Sir_T replies on 7/9/2008 12:28 pm:
This is actually tame compared to what I tried three years ago. I was building homes out of insulated concrete blocks. Basically just styrofoam blocks that one stacks and fills with concrete.

Inside the structure the temperature gets about twenty degrees hotter then outside, and that's in the shade...when you can find some. That summer we broke heat records nearly everyday.

MunchkinMatron2

9764 posts

7/4/2008 7:12 pm

Hang on, you let three fuzzies out of your pants??

(Did you get the voice message I sent, btw?)

I'm dyslexic. I scream Ho Dog instead of Oh God in the throes of passion.

Sir_T replies on 7/9/2008 12:33 pm:
No no no. I put on pants so the neighbors wouldn't see my fuzzies.

Hadn't checked messenger since Sunday morning. Gonna head there next. I'm really curious to hear a munchkin message.

We represent the lollipop guild....

4ever_fun

2662 posts

7/4/2008 11:30 pm

Have I told you lately that I think you are a very sweet person?! No? Shame on me, well I am telling you now, you are a very sweet person. This is actually regarding all the work you put into putting on a party for Joanie....

....I have been reading about the weekend, and it sounds delightful....(big smile)...you are just such a sweet person!!!

Michelle

Sir_T replies on 7/9/2008 12:41 pm:
Shhh please don't spread that nasty rumor around.

Actually I learned a lot about party stuff from the experience. A few things I would do differently next time. For one thing, making sure you and your hubby attend, even if I have to go drag you down here.

Sweetnsassygurl

6281 posts

7/6/2008 9:52 pm

You make me appreciate my job more! Hot sun...physical labour...not my thang.

Hope things are well with you.

Sir_T replies on 7/9/2008 12:46 pm:
I've done a lot of different things in my life but plastering is by far the hardest physically. I suppose that's why I only know of one person my age still in the trade.

ladykitty22

291 posts

7/7/2008 5:44 pm

So if I'm hearing you right, you were doing a Michelangelo hanging under the Sistene Chapel.

What a picture. I'd be pinching your butt if I were there.

Love, LK

Sir_T replies on 7/9/2008 12:56 pm:
I so hate doing ceilings. That darned stucco drops down a guys shirt and gets into places I won't elaborate on.

Good luck pinching my butt. It's kinda hard to find, I walked most of it off doing this job for thirty five years.
Better be careful tho. I pinch back and I have large pinchers

mickey6785

7/9/2008 4:21 am

Hi there James!!

I see you have been busy in my absence!!! LOL

Later,
Mickey

Never take life seriously. No one ever gets out alive anyway.

Sir_T replies on 7/9/2008 12:59 pm:
Hey! Hi there! Where ya been kid? Actually I haven't been around the blogs much lately myself

Poetdancer0

3249 posts

7/9/2008 9:32 am

It's late and I really should be sleeping

But before I close for the night,
I felt like leaving something behind

It's nice to be insane when No one is looking

Sir_T replies on 7/9/2008 1:04 pm:
mmmm Thanks!
I should warn you tho, that third hug can get ya in trouble. Having me chase you around the room wouldn't help you get any sleep

angelwings12

266 posts

7/9/2008 11:11 am

hiya james
thought id drop by and say hello,
loved your story on plastering,you work really hard by the sound of it,how do you do it ,in that heat,
could do with some hot weather here.for the last 3 months it has rained in the uk..dont know what happened to our summer.
hope your keeping well.
hows joanne keeping.....well i hope
i will cya soon
hugs
kath

Sir_T replies on 7/9/2008 1:12 pm:
Hey that sounds like a really good trade. We'll ship you half of our sunny days in exchange for half of your rainy days. Everyone benefits.
Hmmm I wonder what the shipping rates are for days?

Joanie's doing ok. You're a sweetie for asking Kath.

I'm healthy and content and getting a heck of a tan.

ladykitty22

291 posts

7/9/2008 6:26 pm

Sorry about your butt being hard to find. I have the same problem.

As we get older, there's different pinch points, however.

>>Looks for whatever's available.

He he. Hope to see you soon, James.

Love, LK

elaine67