Monday 21 June 2010

A Paintbrush , Cinnamon and Tangos

Sonata:
Husband's in France for a few weeks , so I decided to paint the kitchen this weekend . It's easier to camp out among the temporary chaos on your own , than with two .

Things got off to a good start . The Dutch equivalent of sugar soap has finally been found and corners are unaccustomedly cobweb free .
But , first things first . Coffee . Filter coffee , Kenyan Masai AA to get me going . It wasn't perhaps the best idea to knock the full filter over the clean , ready to paint surfaces and floor but when I klutz , I tend to do it with full choral backing .... remember the Ratatouille ?

So I go in hunt of clean painting trousers , only find ancient size 16s , find belt , talk to daughter on phone and marvel that though I've lost so much weight , I remain a size 12 , daughter says "Yes , but you can't do much about your hips ", cross said daughter off Christmas card list , put cd on , climb ladder , and get cracking . I'm only doing walls , ceiling and a couple of shelves , so it doesn't take too long to finish first coat .

But I decided that , to hell with saving time , I can't possibly spend all weekend eating only toast and light cottage cheese so clear a space to make some chicken , leek and chick pea soup with a minute piece of chorizo ( cholesterol-laden but essential ) and spinach . The chickpeas were originally cooked with a cinnamon stick which makes it all smell gorgeous and I enjoyed the resulting soup hugely !

Next day , next coat and by lunch time it's all done. For once the paint I used lived up to its name , "Perfect Finish" ! Putting everything back was a pain but finally I could flake out on the sofa with a pile of 1950's Paris Match I'd discovered the other day . And then sleep like a rose .( This isn't me , in case you were wondering . )


N.B. to self : Tangos aren't really the best music choice when you're up a ladder .

15 comments:

rachel said...

I'm impressed that you could paint and make soup too. Well done. You deserve a nice red lipstick to sleep in....

BTW: That woman has my eyebrows! And that seems to have been ok in those days!

Tania said...

I have no doubt that your slumber is as rose-like and your hips perfect for a tango, if not on a ladder. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WOMAN?!

PS. I admire a person who does things with intent. Even klutz.

Peace Thyme said...

Never heard of that before. Chick peas with cinnamon. I will have to try that!

Rattling On said...

I like to decorate alone. Much less strain on the nerves.
The soup sounds delish!

molly said...

Hmmmm. You are such a get-up-and-do-it girl! I've been pondering painting our kitchen for a few years now! The more I ponder the more of a giant undertaking it becomes. I think I should just get up [on the ladder] and do it! After dispatching the menfolk to distant realms, of course!

mountainear said...

Was wondering where the Tango fitting in - I was thinking of the fizzy drink.

Very envious of a) your newly painted kitchen and b) your seemingly effortlessly ability to multi-task.

Friko said...

I am speechless: you did all that and retained a sense of humour.

Not only speechless, impressed also. I'd have stood on that ladder muttering about the unfairness of it all, given up half-way through (being the little woman who couldn't possibly be expected to finish a man's job) and sat on the sofa with a big box of chocolates, a trashy novel and plenty of tissues.

Oh, were are the days when that dream was reality?

Penny said...

Well done you, you deserve to sleep like a rose. I have just bought, after much deliberation as to colour, a very small and expensive tin of Farrow and Ball paint for my kithen. Just that little bit between tiles and the wall cupboards. And it's all WRONG. How can it look so different on the shade card? How do I explain to the other half? Back to the drawing board...

gz said...

Nice to meet you!
How did you find me?

Mark Kerstetter said...

For garsh sakes, don't be dancing on a ladder. It only takes a fraction of a second to lose it all.

Your comment on my post really made my day today. Thank you So Much, and Bon Appetit!

Sandrine said...

I had a good giggle reading your painting experience :)So no ladder dancing :)
Thanks for your comment and lovely feedback over the vesto my post!
Have a nice day!

Tattieweasle said...

I think children must be like the bod who used to stand behind the emperors reminding them that they weere human and not gods s mine said on ly the other day; You're not the best cook are you!
Love the thought of step ladder tangos while you paint!

Liz Hinds said...

Oh I can just see you tangoing up a ladder!

Definitely cross Daughter off the Christmas list.

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

Snap - we have been painting kitchen too. It seemed to take an awful lot of girding up of loins to get started but was not so bad once we got going. Mind you, I was crawling about on the floor doing the edges, not tangoing up a ladder.

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