See, I told you I'd tell you this story. Sometimes I do actually follow through.
We spent two weekends painting the shop. I thought it would take a weekend but I was super wrong. This is not unusual as I historically underestimate how long things actually take. Also, I did not anticipate that Kevin would have many of the same habits/coping techniques that I would. It's fun working with someone just like yourself *shaking my head*
First, some details:
It's only a one car garage that has been built by Kevin and his dad, in phases, over thirty years. It is super nothing fancy. We did the exterior two summers ago and was way overdue for the interior.
It's never been completed, meaning the walls were never taped and spackled or textured. Never sealed up at the floor or ceiling. Never properly trimmed around doors and windows. The wallboard is tan, not only because it has aged but because when it was installed it was not grey/white like wallboard is now.
That being said, we still didn't tape, spackle, or any of those kind of words. We did do a goodly amount of drywall repair with paint this weekend. And well placed shelving and posters.
It turned out pretty cool, if I do say so myself. The wall above his workbench still needs finished and Kevin is doing the ceiling because I'm super, extra, not doing it. Next is the floor, which is under debate; whether to do paint or garage tile. I have a feeling this will be a while though. Like another tens of years. Especially since we were so careful when we started not to drip paint then by the end of the project was all "Oh, it's just a shop floor."
Two side-notes about this project: I told Kevin that I would immediately, without warning, take his brother to the dirt if he commented negatively in any way. Today was the day and I'm pleased(?) to say that I was the grownup and ignored him. He chose a random untouched piece of wood trim on the ceiling to ask about. Not the cool paint scheme, not the newly installed trim, the windows. Nope, a random piece of trim on the ceiling.
AND, I have a bet with Kevin that he has his wife paint his garage the exact same way. Because he feeds the green-eyed-monster on the regular. If Kevin does it, he has to do it.
I am not scared of spiders. Usually I will let them be, unless they are in the house. If they are in the house, it wavers between catch and release and burial at sea. Well, we live in the woods and this is an old shop. Kevin did a good job at keeping spiders at bay but the webs are a whole other topic. There are now a few that are a permanent part of the wall texture.
There is a heater in the shop that has trim around it. However, the trim for the floor would not fit under it. So this resulted in me laying on my belly on the concrete floor and painting underneath. This was one of those me muttering "No other wife would do this for their husband" moments. Kevin agreed but then also wondered if he should take a photo "Because isn't that the kind of thing you post on social media?" He was joking but there was enough seriousness that I hurried to finish.
I learned what it is like to paint with me because Kevin has similar habits. Clutter spins him out and the need to put things back as soon as possible is great in him. Or, sometimes he'd get frustrated and things would pile up. This is where I am triggered and going around throwing things away, putting away tools, etc. just so I could focus.
At one point, he reached The Frustration Level. I am very familiar with the level, see Sandy Wall that Remains Unfinished. I was able to talk him down by explaining that he was just at the This Is Never Getting Finished stage. He said something like How do you know? And I muttered "Because.I.Have.Painted.The.Entire.Inside.Of.The.House." He was quiet after that. Hmmm.
Finally, I have to say that painting with black paint is SO SATISFYING. I was in my Happy Place for sure. I was actually thinking of more things that I could paint black.
puppy chewed the edge of the door
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| Notice the ugly ceiling and imagine an ENTIRE shop like that |
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