It’s only paint.

Vacations can be relaxing, and fun and in our case damned hysterical.

My wise wife told me over sushi and saki on the last night of our vaca that she thinks every couple should do what we just did. Take a week off, at home, and see what comes of it. Don’t take the week for a big project (as we have so often done in the past), just let projects come your way… or not. We found that we ended up doing small one day projects that probably would have sat on a list forever or perhaps had never even been thought of.

And what’s better than sitting with a cool, refreshing cocktail while admiring your work. Or … in some cases – sipping that drink while trying to figure out how to fix what you have just spent all day screwing up. (warning – this may require numerous cocktails, so please refrain from driving to Home Depot, or operating power tools and heavy machinery)
Cocktails are key here – if you happen to be a tee-totaler – might I suggest some Paxil, perhaps pot, meditation or even sex.

Our ‘project gone awry’ this week was “Painting The Foyer”
But with mutual understanding and respect, and the availability of many colors to mix in our very own basement… (and some cocktails… so key) after only painting the room 2 and half times (and twice on the trim) we arrived at something we love.

Surviving a home improvement project gone wrong is one of the greatest accomplishments of a relationship. Anger will not make a 5’2” door fit in a 5’0” opening, shouting will not stop water from spewing all over a room from a failed pipe sweating, slamming around power tools certainly won’t add an inch to the new trim you just cut to short. So stop all that – turn to the one you love, the one you have just spent so many sweaty hours with creating this horrible disaster, look deep into your loved ones eyes, knowingly – lovingly - then go directly to the fridge, grabbing your checkbook and the phone on your way back.

Whatever the project– revel in the accomplishment. And if the results suck – turn off the water, shut off the power, step away from the paintbrush, grab a cocktail and laugh.