Patience and Time

I haven’t been around Blogland much lately as I’m painting. No, not the Van Gogh type, but the decorating-the-house type.

It’s something I have been putting off for far too long. So long in fact that the “white” paintwork was more of a cream and in some places almost yellow. And once you start, of course, the whole house needs to be done.

So far I’ve done the stairs and most of the landing and bits of the bedrooms, oh and the bathroom. Quite a lot really.

I did make a start in the hall a few months ago, but ran out of steam. I dislike the smell of gloss. It makes my throat sore and gives me a headache. I hate all the preparation, the cleaning and sanding etc. And most of all I hate trying to get the brushes clean.

So what has caused this new burst of enthusiasm? How am I getting it done? Well, a bit at a time, but with a difference. First of all I invested in some really good brushes and a load of masking tape. Then I bought some Crown Breatheasy quick drying satin for wood and metal. I still had the preparation to do, but wow! What a difference.

The paint washes out of brushes with water. So I can do as little as an hour of painting and know it will only take me a minute to wash out the brush. It goes on like a dream and has a lovely finish. I think it looks nicer than traditional gloss.

I’ve never used masking tape before, but I’m a convert now. I’m not a messy painter, but it gives peace of mind knowing I can go right down to the carpet without splodging or picking up any stray Indy hairs on my brush!

It says it is non-yellowing. Time will tell. But even if it does yellow, it isn’t going to be such a big job as painting with gloss. And unlike gloss, if you finish halfway round a door, you can just take up next time where you’d left off. I’ve always found gloss to be very unforgiving and an all-or-nothing affair, but this stuff is different.

We’ve bought paint to do the stairs and landing walls and the living room. I’d already bought some in the Focus closing down sale for the dining room and hall. My beloved has made a start on the walls and it’s all starting to come together.

It may take us a while, but we’ll get there! In the old days we would have forged ahead and worked on it until it was finished, but we are pacing ourselves.

And it occurred to me that it’s the same with writing a book. I used to write books – steaming along with them in a great big rush, desperate to get them finished.  When I lost the ability to work as intensely as that, I more or less gave up. But why not tackle it a bit at a time?

It’s like the paint. You can take up where you left off and gradually, bit by bit you’ll cover it all.  So instead of fretting that I’m not writing with traditional gloss – so to speak – I shall try to write with satin. Well that’s the theory anyway, whether it will work in practice is another matter.

Writing news: I went to Ipswich last week and I did not go to Staples. Yes, you heard that right. I did NOT go to Staples. Beloved said, “Shall we go to Staples?” Was I tempted? Of course I was, but I said, “No! I shall not do the stationery thing today.” So we drove right past and very virtuous I felt too.

Sadly, I did somehow find myself in WH Smith’s and, oh dear, pens and notebooks, notebooks and pens…

And I’ve joined an online writing group. I have never critiqued someone else’s work before or, indeed, been critiqued. I have read things for close friends and vice versa, but never in a group situation.

Oh and finally – I’ve got the new Blogger interface thingy. No major problems with it touch wood! No, not that bit – I’ve only just painted it – aargh!