Sealing the Rock Tub Surround

After almost 6 years of living in the Shack, and 3 years of having had the product to do the job in the house... I FINALLY sealed the rock around the bathtub!  Yay for me!  It looks lovely and feels good to have it done.

I can't take credit for the actual rock work.  It was already in place, and is one of the many 'different' things we loved about the Shack when we bought it.  The tub is one thing we have all enjoyed...it's huge!  Great for long, relaxing soaks.  But, the rocks had never been properly sealed and looked dull and kinda dusty.  It was one of those things you want to get done, plan to do, but keep putting off. My opportunity arose this week.  The rest of the Shack dwellers are away doing various holiday type things with family and it's just me and the critters at the Shack for the week.  I'm enjoying the time alone and have a list of things I plan to accomplish.

This was #1 on the list!

Here's the product I picked up ages ago....

It went on very easily.  It was kinda like painting with water, only milky in colour.  I had to work quickly so it didn't all just run down the wall, and then used the brush to dab at the drips.  I did 2 coats, and still have tons left for any future projects. Clean up was a breeze.  Just wash it all with water!

You can see here how glossy it is.  This is the ledge at the front of the tub where the product was able to sit and not run off, so it got a bit more coverage than the rest.  I wanted the rock to look wet, and it sorta does.

One of the cool things about this rock is the fossils in it!  I think we've counted 7 in all.

  

 Now I need to finish the project up with a 'neat' application of silicone sealant around the edge of the tub.  The previous owners did apply a thick, gloppy, clear layer, which was rather disgusting. It was a chore to get off, but it's gone and now I can apply the almond coloured stuff I got.

 I have never been able to figure out the people who built the Shack.  They put a lot of thought and effort into certain  'artsy' aspects of the building.  Like the antique bottle bottoms used like bricks in the wall behind the woodstove upsatirs...

...or the beautiful railing made out of a tree trunk .

(This is upside down and on the wrong side of the stairway by the way...Temporarily here while the other wall is 'under construction'.)

I just can't understand having these wonderful, original ideas, using them, but not finishing the job 'right'.  So much of the work done on the Shack was messy or poorly done.  It's our biggest challenge-righting wrongs.

It has made this journey so much more difficult than we had first anticipated.  There are still tons of things we'd like to change in the Shack, and the to-do list never ends.  But money is always a factor, as well as skill and time.  Oh well...back to my list!

Deer vs. Dog

This morning the Shack got off to a different kinda start.  I let the 2 dogs, Freddie and Zoey, out for their morning wander at 7am.  Just after that, Freddie started to bark, which is not unusual, but it was followed by the sound of dogs scrambling back up the steps! I looked out the window, and WHOA!!!  Three deer were right outside the front door, ready to take on the dogs!  Of course, I grabbed my camera while informing Trev and Zac of the situation.  Here is what followed....

After the 3 humans came on the scene, the deer retreated up the hill behind the Shack, but when Fred decided to bark at them, this one came right back down with a purpose!

Reinforcements arrived shortly after.

Game on!

ATTACK!!!

No fear of us or the dogs!  She stood there for a few minutes, just to make sure Freddie got the message.

Our work is done here...back to breakfast.

Can deer give the 'evil eye'?

This one can!

On their way.

So, while this was an amazing experience, it has made us aware that Freddie will need to be more closely monitored in his excursions around the Shack property.  I really do not need to have my little guy deer stomped.