Drop Off SAM

Well, it was a harrowing week.

Everyday this week, immediately after work, I worked until midnight painting on SAM. Everyday at lunch I worked on spots in the design that were still blank. It wasn't until Wednesday that I was confident that I could actually get him finished the way I wanted and make the drop-off on Saturday. Even still, I knew that Friday night might be an all nighter.

The platform was the biggest stresser. It was completely blank at the start of this week. The design was good but I still didn't end up with as much coverage as I wanted. It was really great to work on a flat surface for a change! Even though I kept laying my arm in areas I had just painted.

Friday and Saturday were emotional rollercoasters - partly from lack of sleep, the fact that SAM was actually going to be finished and that tornados had just hit my parents town in Goodlettsville (all are safe and sound).

Around 10:00 p.m. Friday, I decided to do a test to see how long it would take the varnish to dry. This was important since that determined when My Geek could go to sleep! I wasn't going to varnish until the dog was attached to the platform and he had to do that. What I wanted to know is, can he go on to bed and just get up in the morning and attach the dog and then I could varnish before going to the storage facility. It seemed to take a good hour for the varnish to dry. Perfect. We could attach and varnish at 7:00 a.m. Saturday and still make it to the storage facility before 1:00 p.m. My Geek headed to bed right before 1:00 a.m.

I was up until 4:00 a.m. Saturday morning painting. I wasn't surprised. I had told My Geek it would probably be 2:00 but I was thinking 3:00. And, as every good engineer knows, you double the expected time so I should have said 4:00.

It got very frustrating because I would squirt out some red paint and think, "This is it. This is the last paint I'm going to use." Then I'd step back and see and see a spot I had missed. "Damn!". And I'd go again.

I didn't really sleep much anyway. My Geek got SAM on the platform, I touched up some more spots I had missed and we ate some breakfast. Then I put on the varnish. I was surprised at how long it was taking to dry. I was really getting worried. I decided to go take a shower.

I don't know why it was at this moment that I felt sudden sadness. Maybe I was exhausted or relaxed by the steaming shower. But I suddenly realized I was done and going to give SAM away.

I was really looking forward to seeing some of the other forms. I was totally blown away. You guys are going to be in for such a treat. I just couldn't believe all the creativity and talent. The parade is going to be so much fun. I can't wait.

That's enough for now. I'm going to get some sleep. I'll be back here some more to talk about the upcoming parade, some t-shirt designs I have in mind and then, eventually, the auction.