the paint saga

When I read Bubblewench's post over at The Blogs of Life, I had to stop and make sure I left a really good comment because she and her husband Scott had painted, she posted photos and I love how it looks.

AND it reminded me of my paint saga.

Go get that coffee or tea or wine, maybe a small snack ... settle in, its a LONG story....

Our apartment was last painted when we moved in, which was approx 25 yrs ago, maybe longer, I often find I suppress stuff that makes me itch (another long story for another cold day).

It might have been about 15-20 yrs ago when one day apropos of nothing specific, or maybe I turned on the lights or opened the shutters, appalled at how bad the place looked and I said:

We need to paint

He said yeah.

A year or so later I said 'when are you planning on painting?'

He said 'Its a pain in the ass to move all this stuff'

Time passed.

One August right before I went to visit my parents in Florida he promised he would paint while I was away.

Feeling optimistic I got boxes, packed up all the books on the shelves along with all the tschkas and went to Florida for a week.

Not once in any of our daily calls over the next seven days did he mention painting and in the spirit of stupidity, er, naivety/wifely good will, I didn't ask.

When I got home I was not really surprised to see the apartment had not been painted.

I bit my tongue, unpacked all the books, the tschkas and didnt bring it up again...

Until 5 yrs ago give or take.

Around this same time of year, Lisa told us that after graduation (Summa Cum Laude, U of T Dallas, hey, I may only be her stepmother but I can still kvell and brag!), at the beginning of June, she was coming to visit.

He said he was going to paint before she got here.

Days passed.

Weeks passed.

Months passed.

NO PAINTING was done.

The week before she arrived, he said 'well I guess I won't be painting, the smell won't be gone by the time she gets here'.

I was going to say something, but I realized I didn't care. I was over it. Really.

Oddly he did mention it to her while she was here and she did hear him say he was going to paint after she went home.

You know he didnt or I wouldnt be writing this, would I? I knew you were smart.

Well, this past holiday season he said I had been so patient about the painting that he was going to do it ... as soon as it warms up.

Did I say anything?

No.

Did I react at all?

No.

See, I am not stupid either.

I know once it gets warm, he'll say let's wait til its cooler so he can leave the windows open to air the place out.

Uh huh.