Kitchen Weekend

My parents, Jack and Carolyn, came this past weekend to help paint the kitchen. Due to some schedule shifting, we were not completely ready to paint so they got to partake in the "joys" of the last bits of steaming along with spackling and painting Guardz on the walls before actually painting "color" on the walls. 
1. Remove the rest of glue and wash down walls. Oh, and remove the forgotten backing in "the space between" the radiator and kitchen window (even tighter than in the living room). Carolyn wins for most talented remover of wallpaper backing from behind the toasty radiator.

2. Sand down rough spots and spackle. Even though we used the plastic taping knives we still made some divots in the walls...which required some filling in. We intially used joint compound which dries slower than lightweight spackle...thus, the hairdryer was used to speed up the process. Note Chris' enthusiasm as witnessed in his "dazed drunk guy" expression.

3. Wash down walls with TSP (actually, TSP-Phosphate Free) to prep for Guardz. Guardz (Zinsser) is a awesome product that our neighbor (a professional painter) recommended to apply to the walls after removing wallpaper and before painting because it seals in any remaining glue which paint would not adhere too and would cause bubbling. Absolutely fantastic. No bubbles. I didn't actually get any pictures of the TSP fun fest (made possible by Chris and Carolyn) because I conveniently had to run to the hardware store and so did my dad...I hate washing with TSP. However, my mom is on to me and I'm seeing payback in my future. 
4. Apply Guardz. No pictures here either because we were in a hurry due to the onset of hunger pains.
5. Go out for dinner at a quaint little Italian joint down the street. Yum! 
6. Paint the ceiling...some of us. Chris and Jack painted the ceiling while Carolyn and Keri fell asleep on the couch, but not before proof was captured.

7. Paint walls "swiss coffee" (next day). As Chris put it, the Swiss must put a lot of cream in their coffee because the COLOR we chose turned out basically white. Argh. Well, at least it's better than floral wallpaper.