I’d get home all inspired, because, today would be the day that the images in my head happily coincide with said samples.
Or not, as the case may be. There were of course definite favourites, and they would be compared to new arrivals as the months went on, but nothing that I would want to stake the paint job for the next few years on.
The turning point was in November last year when due to an unexpected, yet much appreciated bonus, I was able to plan room makeovers for the kids. Furniture orders were placed, warehouses visited and slowly but surely everything started to come together – including their very personal and divergent choices for linen and decorations.
It obviously stood to reason that these items needed to reside in a freshly painted space. So under some pressure, we set off to Jack’s Paints for another visit and this time … magic between the base and contrast colours.
[If I may just interrupt for a moment and remind us that this is late November, the time when the resident first year student and grade 9 are writing their final exams.]
The painter duly arrived and very eloquently described how he will paint expertly, protect furniture along the way and clean up properly. Thus reassured we let him loose on our walls. Alas, it turned out that while the paint job itself was decent enough, nothing in the house was safe from the errant paint droplets and instead of cleaning straight away as we expected, he waved vague hands. There was also the matter of crazy scheduling of the paint attacks – a few walls in this room, a door frame in another and so forth. I took leave for two days to help moving items around the random schedule, but was very happy to be back at work by the Monday. Poor Husband then had the unenviable job of looking after Painter for the rest of the project. Best not to dwell on this, but suffice it to say we are still removing droplets of paint from some expected surfaces, and dare I say a few unexpected surfaces…
As with all things though, the paint job and redecoration finally came to an end - with no visible effect on the exams. At this point the patio sported a hodge-podge of furniture and various other items which made their way off walls or crawled out of long forgotten holes.
[Enter ‘fortuitous-ness’* and the actual reason behind this post].
As a result of looking at our bedroom with new eyes, an old bookcase, which promptly was given a great looking new coat (by Husband not Painter), could find a place. Attention then moved to the hodge-podge and voila – with a few clever moves (resulting in both subtracting from and adding to the free-for-all on the patio), an old desk and matching bookcase found its way the back corner of the TV room.
Not really exciting to the casual observer I concede, so let me briefly explain. The upshot of all of these moves is very simply that:
(i) Finally, FINALLY, all my books are accessible from bookcases or display shelves. This is a big deal if your books have lived in piles inside or on top of cupboards. Just saying.
(ii) I finally have my own space. A proper desk for Laptop, some favourite books to look at randomly, a retro pencil sharpener and everything in the six (6!) drawers just so.
(iii) There was space for a vinyl with a favourite quote above the bookcase.
Sometimes those things which appear old and redundant can breathe new life - you just have to want to see it.
Happiness is ...
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| The space! |
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| New backdrop and surroundings for the family portrait |
* It's not a real word, I know.
