If you're going to paint a window shut...

Please make sure it's closed first!

Taking apart old windows is always a fun adventure because, invariably, someone in the past has done something naughty to the window in question.

In our sitting room, some previous owner painted the windows shut. Nevertheless, it was always really cold in there. The storm windows helped us forget about the cold. But - we took the windows apart to repaint the stops this weekend. And here's what we found (note black area across top):

Yes folks, they painted the windows shut - open! So there's a half inch of airspace at the top. Mystery solved. Too bad I won't be stripping and fixing the sashes till spring - but at least Ken's storms will protect us in the meantime.

The good news:

1. This is the ONLY set of windows in the entire house where they did not paint the pulley or the area around the pulley, so that saved us a little work there.

2. We have finished painting the ceiling and painted the first coat on the walls:

It's Sherwin Williams 'Buckram Binding' from the Arts & Crafts line. Not my most fave color (I'm more into colors than tans), but we needed a neutral at the end of the hall. Chalk it up to a reaction to orange plaid and jungle animals.