A good rub down

Started on Erin Mae's front doors today. It's too long since they had any varnish applied, and June's cloudbursts did them no favours whatsoever. All good learning experience – can't remember the last time I applied varnish to anything.

So I tried to do what it said on the tin. My good friends Brian and Jon, (and everyone else for that matter) say it's all in the preparation. I like varnish. None of this primer, undercoat, topcoat, oops I did it wrong, start again, business. Just rub it down, clean it off, on with the varnish. It didn't even try to run. The rubbing down was actually the hardest bit – go with the grain, get sandpaper into the corners, judge when to give up on the bit that's been rain-darkened.

All a bit strenuous, really. Managed to do one coat on just the front of one of the doors before my back said it was cup-of-tea time. Now I could do with a good rub down – wonder if I can persuade my best beloved I'm as worthy a cause as those Olympic athletes.