House Painting

Oops.

Check out that color.

Our house was orange. Yes, yes, a brownish orange, indeed. But oranger than I liked. So when it was time to paint, we were looking for darker and browner. But when the paint was mixed and the first strokes applied to the siding, it was obvious that my paint was brighter and more orange than what we had before.

But with my work schedule and the weather forecasts and how late it is in the fall, this is the color we've got for at least the next half-year. I keep telling myself that the point of paint is to protect the wood from the elements. And orange paint will do that just as well as brown.

Three afternoons. That was all it took. Of course, my body aches from the work. But the job is done. (Well, it's done until we decide to change to a better color.)

Maggie helped with toting and fetching. She helped with getting supper on the table. She even tried her hand at a bit of the painting.

Note to self for next time: A four-inch paint brush is too big.  It's ridiculous that holding a paintbrush full of paint wears out my hands and wrists so fast.  In that vein, I need to allow more days for the task next time.  I realized this week that all the painters I know are men under 40, thin men, men with muscular physiques.  Painting is more physically draining than I recognized.

Second note to self:  A neighbor suggested using drop cloths on the driveway, concrete stoop, and the ledge that sits atop the brick. Boy, I'm glad he said that! I was thinking that being outside meant I didn't have a floor to protect. But as messy as I think the paint job turned out, it's still neater and spiffier than the previous two paint jobs. I could correct only a few of the errors that were tucked under the earlier paint jobs. But even that helped erase part of the old Sloppies.  Gary commented that it all looked so clean and tidy when he drove in tonight.  I'll count that as a Success!