Pandemic DIY

It all started during the pandemic, life changes becoming the new normal.  Our new normal at the beginning was working from home, home schooling and watching what was happening in the world.  A couple of weeks into the COVID-19 shut down of Massachusetts, my father passed away.  Not from the corona virus, but from stage 4 lung cancer.  This was unbearable heartache on top of everything that was going on around us.

After a rush job of cleaning out my dad's apartment, I now had time to reflect and absorb what was going on in my life.  With my husband home during this time too, he was working hard at helping me mentally stay afloat.  One day, we starting watching the DIY channel and we were instantly hooked.  We've watched DIY shows and before, but it was something with the timing that just clicked.  Now I wanted to take on a project.

My dad had an old elementary school desk that was given to him by his Aunt who had received it from a school in Wilcox PA (from her hometown area).  It was a cute red wooden desk and chair set.  I remember using it in my room as a kid and as I grew, it was in many different areas of the house and used for more that school work.  Since we cleaned out the apartment, the desk and chair made it to my house.  It was time for a make-over.

  

I decided I wanted a different color, so I ordered hunter green spray paint online (since at the time it was not an essential product during the peek time of the pandemic and so those items had to be ordered online).  When it was warm enough outside in April, it was time to start the project.  I had started sanding the desk by hand and then my husband said we had an electric sander.  He dug it out and that is when our 10 year old was interested.  It took a couple of hours, but our son Drew and my husband sanded the whole desk and chair beautifully.  Drew was so excited to have helped!

Then, it was my turn.  I spray painted the pieces, but didn't like the way I couldn't get into some of the areas.  I had to order a can of hunter green paint and wait for that to arrive.  A couple of weeks later, the new paint arrived and it was completed. We cleaned the top of the desk which was natural wood color and sealed, but it needed some attention too.  After some soap, water and polyurethane, it shinned so lovely.  I was so excited to have the pieces at home and cleaned up.  Its now something I hope our boys will take care of and continue to pass along for generations to come.