Mineral Spirits

So it was really important to us that we get the varnish down as soon as the sanding was over lest dirt become fused to the near-white floorboards. But now that our timetable for finishing the floor had long been flushed down the crapper, why obsess about this detail? What's the difference between one or three days between steps?

Well, probably good we waited at least for all that sawdust to settle because upon our return to the house we found quite a bit that escaped the reach of the shop vac. P was really pushing hard for the use of mineral spirits to clean the floors, and so we set out to find some. I had never used the stuff, but I was familiar with the concept of the paint-thinner/cleaner. Hijacking an unwitting linksys network with my ipod, I began hunting down a store that a) carried it and b) was open during the evening.

I suppose the disadvantage of having a hardware store within walking distance is that the convenience gives way to contempt when you realize it's not open 24/7, more specifically right now. I understand "regular business hours, blah, blah, blah," but I NEED this stuff right NOW! And as close friends as we are to Home Depot, the 30 minute round trip multiple times a day can start to feel like a one-way relationship. This is yet another ritual surrounding my dad's house projects that only now do I understand.

So what else is open nearby? Answer: not much. Pretty much everything closes at 6 or earlier. Guess it's time to do this Atticus Finch style and walk around in another store's shoes: "If I were a store that was open during most times that people needed something basic for their household, what would I be called?"

Target, of course!

"Hello, thank you for calling Target, my name is M____ how may I help you?"

"Hi, I was wondering if you had mineral spirits."

"...um, what was that?"

"Mineral Spirits."

"I'm sorry, one more time, I still didn't catch that."

"MINERAL SPIRITS!"

"oh...ok...I'll transfer you to the grocery section..."

"No!! Mineral Spirits is a painting supply!"

"Oh...let me transfer you to someone else."

I explained what I was looking for to my next victim and she said she'd check. She returned with the news that Target doesn't in fact carry all your household needs.

And so, as happened so many times before, we found ourselves driving our favorite 30 minutes round trip to the land of orange trim, returning one step closer to flooring domination.