At 1100h yesterday, I decided to see what was under the icky peach flowered wallpaper. I started with a small section over by my office.

This section came off easily, and there was nothing under it but the wall. A bit rough, but I decided I’d paint this part instead of putting beadboard paper over it. Also, I’ll finally replace the black speaker wires with the white I bought when we moved in here, but never used because the speakers were already up, and there was little point in custom-cutting wire for specific placement of the speakers in my office when I knew very well I’d have to take everything down when I got around to removing the ugly wallpaper. My office may be next; depends upon whether I’ve got time before I have to head out to the flower-farming fields. Oh, and I think I want my office to be some shade of sage green. Anyway, this part will be painted cream.

Next, I went toward the east windows. God, I wish I hadn’t. There was not one other layer of paper underneath the peach, but two; both ugly as sin. Whoever put up the peach stuff had made a start at stripping the 70s paper, but apparently discovered the 50s paper beneath it and gave up after a very small section over by the light switch. By the time I’d got over the door, I knew I was in for a rough ride.

At some point in time, this was stylish.

So was this.

I didn’t give up, though; I used stripper, and my fabric steamer, and got down to the original wall. Someone needed to keep track of what was going on which walls, I guess.

Under all the 60-year-old paper, the wall had been given a single coat of paint…in mustard yellow.

I quit at midnight, nearly finished except that I had to drain the tetra tank a little so I could move it. Too tired to do that last night.

This morning, bright and early, I started washing off the old paste, and moved the tank to finish stripping. Finally, I got it all. Jesus, what a job!

I had enough leftover beadboard paper to do a couple of rows, so after filling a few small holes, I put it up I ordered two more rolls to finish; that will arrive Wednesday. The wall is surprisingly good, considering the fucking mess that is in my bathroom.

I removed a phone jack, and something else (old, weird-looking brown wire that, come to think of it, I dimly recall as TV antenna wire) that was capped off beside the outlet. Quick and dirty repair, but after another coat of drywall compound and a bit of sanding, it’ll be okay. I’ll prime these two spots before putting up paper so the (unbelievable amount of) paste doesn’t soak into my patches.

Not related to wallpaper, but I washed my butterfly shower curtain, which reminds me that I’m way behind with laundry and oughtn’t be sitting here, tapping away on my phone!