We are painting the house. It feels like we have always been painting the house, and perhaps always will be. We are not, of course. It was painted when we got the place renovated about 15 years ago, which means it's due for a touch-up.
I tried to get a couple of painters to provide quotes to do some of the difficult rooms, but they weren’t interested in anything less than the whole house.
So, we are painting the house ourselves.
We had a taste of this last year when we did the front deck to get ready for the installation of the Big Green Egg.
It took about nine weeks, and it was kind of awful. The weekend just passed, I did the second half of an internal hallway which Jane started while I was down in Canberra. We came at it differently this time, or at least I did. No seven- or eight-hour days, for a start. I hadn't imagined that painting could be so tiring, but apparently, it burns about 400 calories an hour – at a minimum.
I decided I’d do three hours a day, tops. And I wouldn't do something silly like smashing out a 2-hour heavy weightlifting session in the morning before I started. It made a difference. I wasn't shattered at the end of a whole day going up and down a ladder with a can of paint, and I even managed to think of the job as a sort of workout. When you’re standing at the top of the ladder painting a ceiling, most of your body is under tension.
Anyway, that's what I'm telling myself, because we’re gonna be doing this paint job until the heat death of the universe, I reckon.
If rich people can pay bugger all taxes, you should be entitled to do the same. If you offer the tradie cash, and you don't want a receipt, this usually results in them finding a gap in their busy schedule. After all, cash is king, as they say. It usually works for me, the budget blowout will still be with us long after Chris Jordan notices I haven't paid any GST, why doesn't the tax office use the simple expedient of moving the decimal point? The budget emergency is solved!
Painting can be tiresome, but spare a thought for Michelangelo, he spent ten years laying on his back wiping paint drops out of his beard.
Have you thought of giving Paul Hogan a ring? He has plenty of experience on the harbour Bridge, I'm sure a little cash would sweeten the deal, especially after all the trouble he had with the fiscal fiend in the days of yore.
Finally a very important word of advice, I have had intimate an experience with this matter, when you are on the top steps of the ladder don't step back to admire your work.
A month in the expensive care ward digesting hospital food through a tube is not on my bucket list.
I'm a very handy person. I love building and making things, and can repair anything from a bicycle through to a computer. Want a table, a bookcase, or a new room built? I'm your man.
But bloody hell, I hate painting. I'd rather spend a day with Peter Dutton than paint.
I think it's because I want it to be perfect, which makes me slow, and the fact that you have to paint the same thing three times to get a decent finish which makes it even slower.
This all reminds me that I need to paint the inside of our house. Does anyone have the potato head's number, perhaps he's keen for a beer?
Its certainly a beautiful space to inhabit. I guess one way to look at is a version of the Buddhist aphorism 'what do you do before being enlightened, paint the house, what do you do after being enlightened, paint the house'. I realise if I listed all the stuff science should be discovering a colour application that never needs to be reapplied is not high up there but by 2022 could have thought maybe.
I actually love painting the house. Yes, it hurts the neck doing the ceilings but that just a smallish bit. Music or audio book/podcast on and I am away. Probably helps that I am not a perfectionist and yet manage to do a decent job.
But no, not interested in doing other peeps house painting. Did my sister's place once and whilst she never picked up a brush or roller, she was a perfectionist......
If rich people can pay bugger all taxes, you should be entitled to do the same. If you offer the tradie cash, and you don't want a receipt, this usually results in them finding a gap in their busy schedule. After all, cash is king, as they say. It usually works for me, the budget blowout will still be with us long after Chris Jordan notices I haven't paid any GST, why doesn't the tax office use the simple expedient of moving the decimal point? The budget emergency is solved!
Painting can be tiresome, but spare a thought for Michelangelo, he spent ten years laying on his back wiping paint drops out of his beard.
Have you thought of giving Paul Hogan a ring? He has plenty of experience on the harbour Bridge, I'm sure a little cash would sweeten the deal, especially after all the trouble he had with the fiscal fiend in the days of yore.
Finally a very important word of advice, I have had intimate an experience with this matter, when you are on the top steps of the ladder don't step back to admire your work.
A month in the expensive care ward digesting hospital food through a tube is not on my bucket list.
Have you not watched home reno shows where they get out the spray gun and it's all over in a matter of minutes?
I'm a very handy person. I love building and making things, and can repair anything from a bicycle through to a computer. Want a table, a bookcase, or a new room built? I'm your man.
But bloody hell, I hate painting. I'd rather spend a day with Peter Dutton than paint.
I think it's because I want it to be perfect, which makes me slow, and the fact that you have to paint the same thing three times to get a decent finish which makes it even slower.
This all reminds me that I need to paint the inside of our house. Does anyone have the potato head's number, perhaps he's keen for a beer?
blergh - like i need a reminder that my place needs it. Raked ceilings seemed like a good idea at the time . . . . .
Its certainly a beautiful space to inhabit. I guess one way to look at is a version of the Buddhist aphorism 'what do you do before being enlightened, paint the house, what do you do after being enlightened, paint the house'. I realise if I listed all the stuff science should be discovering a colour application that never needs to be reapplied is not high up there but by 2022 could have thought maybe.
It looks beautiful, JB!
I agree, about 3 hours a day is my easily tolerable limit. Catch up on some podcasts while you are doing it. It’s almost pleasant.
I actually love painting the house. Yes, it hurts the neck doing the ceilings but that just a smallish bit. Music or audio book/podcast on and I am away. Probably helps that I am not a perfectionist and yet manage to do a decent job.
But no, not interested in doing other peeps house painting. Did my sister's place once and whilst she never picked up a brush or roller, she was a perfectionist......