It's that window of opportunity time again. I've this week clear so this morning I have stripped Punch of all his clothes and his head, hands and legs are on the kitchen table. The crocodiles head also. He was easy. Punch was not.
A surprising complex costume right down to the hidden stitching which holds the trouser padding in place, so it doesn't descend and end up all of a lump in the knee area, where the leg is tied in. Thick linen thread is used as the binder to tie in and it's done twice, just in case anything happens to the first thread. Don't want a leg flying off and troubling my insurer.
Something I can't really account for. Punch's left leg and foot simply need a rub down and repainting. But the right leg is always very much the worse for wear. Far more worn than the left. I touch in regularly during the season but it's almost always the right leg that needs the paint. The result is too much paint in places.
Commonsense tells my it's probably down to the way I flick his legs over the playboard.
This afternoon I shall start the filling that has to be done. The tack holes for a start. Then rub down. Once painted and dry I can take them over to my lady to apply the costumes.
And wouldn't you know it? Whilst in the middle of removing the costumes I've had a call from a school doing a puppet project. Could I come in on Thursday this week to do a show!
I could do next week. Ah................ high level discussions are required to change to next week. Why? Next week they'll be on to another project. Will the children have forgotten about puppets by then?
I don't think she got the point!