It Might've Frozen Over

Not much knitting going on here the last few days. Nope. I've been up to something else. Something that may not be a big deal for many people, but something that I find on par with running a marathon. Something that has shocked those near and dear to me.

I painted my house! Well, I painted the living room and hallways.

I know... like I said, not such a big deal for most. But I'm not most people. I'm a slightly neurotic woman who finds painting utterly overwhelming. A woman who tested a color on the wall above the fireplace 2 years ago, didn't like it, yet didn't know what to do instead so left it until 2 days ago. A woman who has been brought to tears by Home Depot. More than once.

So, when I leapt off the couch Wednesday at 2:00 and returned 1/2 hour later with rollers, drop clothes, and paint informing my 13 yo that we were about to move all the furniture and paint, he looked at me like I was from Mars. After following a series of brisk commands, he found himself with roller in hand priming the ugly fireplace wall while 5 yo and I tried out the Sandcastle Cove I had chosen for the walls. (Yes 5 yo helped... see how tired he is?)



Color looked good so after issuing a few retreating orders, I rushed back to Home Depot for a couple of gallons and more rollers. As the kids returned home, each was handed a brush or roller and a job. The absence of carpet in our hallway, made this the perfect place to put a couple of them to work.


Now my 15 yo has spent the last 15 years of his life waiting to help me paint something. He was overjoyed to be handed a roller and immediately went to work with great enthusiasm. Actually, his energy and enthusiasm were so boundless that next thing I knew he was covering every wall in sight with his overly saturated roller unaware of the splattering paint or the lack of a drop clothe beneath him. I'm not sure where he gets it, but he's never been one for authority or instruction so my words, pleas, and shouts were wasted on him. It was his very first and very last time helping me paint.



We finished while he was at school the next day with his brothers enthusiastically painting over his artwork on the doors. (Guess what number he was in football this year.)

In another quick 15 minute trip to Home Depot with 5 young children in tow (including 2 who weren't my own), I chose a darker shade called Castle Path for the stairway (which for a Swiss Coffee gal like myself was a creative leap beyond measure).

Now clearly I am a woman of limited decorating inclinations so I realize I'm not showing you a grand interior, but I am very proud of my humble efforts. That corner under the stairs has always been dark and full of toy baskets, and the wall above the fireplace, well, it was partially painted poopy brown for way too long. Pictures that have been stored conveniently in the upstairs hall (which is next by the way) are hung and my living room feels homey.




This came in the mail yesterday, but I refused to open it until I was done.



It was worth the wait.



I wanted to get started upstairs today, but a ghastly amount of laundry and a sick 8 yo have put things on hold. I guess it's back to knitting for now.

BTW - Can anybody tell me why my flickr photos look so out of focus sometimes?