This summer my husband and I had specific goals for a number of house painting projects.  All the projects were outdoors, our shutters, front porch and back porch.  There is only one problem…I am not a good painter!  I try, I really try.  For me, House Painting is like Math…I don’t get it!  It starts with the prep; all that taping off, the cleanup, the tedious places that need to be painted, this process to be done correctly can be methodical which tests my “let’s hurry and get it done” mentality.  Painting causes me to slow down.

 

Paint that ends up in places other than the surface to be painted, confirmed for me I was incapable of house painting.  Every time a project needed to be done, I had adopted the role of “the messy painter.”  So this year, being a Life Long Learner, I was going to be a elevate my skills to be a valued painting partner.

We started with our house shutters, I was confident I could do this…with my husband!  It was only when we discovered there was going to be a “side unexpected emergency project” did I realize that I, “the messy painter” was going to be now the “solo painter” of our house shutters!!!

This project was done in a semi climate controlled environment, our garage, no wind or breeze while I was painting.  I painted all six shutters fronts and backs with not a single mishap!

Our Front Porch was the next project.  The “side unexpected emergency project” was not yet done, so I started our front porch.  Spindles are tedious, breeze and sunshine were my enemy as I meticulously worked at the painting.  My husband eventually finished his task, and together we finished up the porch.

 

 

Two projects, down, one to go!   The only task left for me was to help with painting the trim on our back porch.   Within a few minutes of starting this task, I took a step back to check the trim underneath.  As I stepped back, my foot caught a branch sticking out from the bushes.  I began to fall backward, all the while holding the paint receptacle in my hand, hoping and praying that I did not fling the paint container forward toward the porch or backward over the lawn.

 

Somehow, to my disbelieve I managed to fall backward holding the paint container thru my entire backward fall to the ground losing minimal paint.  I had to wipe some droplets off the vinyl siding and my already paint stained slacks.  Of the little bit of paint that spilled, the majority of it managed to splash on the bush I lost my footing on.  I counted my blessings that the catastrophe was minimized.  As I stood back and surveyed the damage…I was reminded of “Alice in Wonderland’s” ‘Painting the Roses Red‘, only I painted the Bushes Blue!

After everything was cleaned up, we worked together side by side to finish the back porch.  Painting for me is a little bit like Math.  It’s out of my comfort zone, it’s  a skill I have not quite mastered.  It requires me to be careful as I work.  Just like Math, painting can not be rushed or hurried otherwise mistakes will happen.  When mistakes occur, it is not the end of the world!  I learned to overcome feelings of inadequacy.  Even though I made a mistake, I persevered and did not let a mishap define my experience.  The best part of this summer’s painting projects was working side by side as a team with my husband, getting these projects completed.