“Just wait.”
[Long pause and silence]
“Kelly, you can wait until your dad gets home. Have him look at it and see what’s wrong…” and Brett continues to talk, but I am stuck on the first two words – just wait. Wait? No. I don’t wait. At least, I don’t do it very well.
Let’s back up. It’s week number three at the nest; the kitchen is completely disheveled because I am painting the cabinets.
I’ve been planning this painting extravaganza since before we even moved in. Every time we went to Menards, I perused the paint aisle. I scoured Pinterest for kitchen inspiration. Needless to say, the anticipation and excitement was high (yes, this is what excites me, feel free to judge).
During the week, I started prepping by packing up the dishes and food in the cabinets, sanding everything and cleaning all the surfaces. I did lots of research on the best techniques and prep. I asked family members about what worked for them. I did a walk-thru with my dad about how to use the paint sprayer. I outlined what I needed to get done each day so I could have it done by the end of the weekend. I was READY.
Thursday night was the painting kickoff. My mom and I painted the kitchen island this wonderful teal/sea-foam blue. It looked amazing. And even better, it was easy. This got me even more excited and motivated to finish the main cabinets.
Friday, I was going to spray the island cabinets and start painting the main base. I had the island cabinets lined up so nicely in the basement, screaming, “paint me, paint me!” Unfortunately, the paint sprayer had other plans. It would work for a second or two, then start sputtering and spray little droplets all over. I tried different settings, I tried different angles, I even tried reasoning with it, all with no luck. So, after exhausting all the options and all the colorful language I could think of, I waved the white flag.
Paint sprayer: 1
Kelly: 0
Saturday, I woke with determination. I was not going to be beaten by a paint sprayer. It was personal now and I was ready.
After sanding, cleaning and lining up the cabinets, I decided it was time. I poured the paint into the sprayer’s holder. I meticulously tightened the cap and made sure all the settings, screws and knobs were in place.
Then, I sprayed. And to my amazement, it worked! I was able to spray a nice, light coat on all the cabinet doors. After the first coat, I carefully set down the sprayer and went upstairs to paint a third coat on the base of the cabinets.
About three hours later, I went back downstairs to spray another coat on the doors. I picked up the sprayer, plugged it in and got ready. One, two, three, spray. Except this time, nothing happened. I tried different settings, I shook it and I turned it upside down and every which way. No luck.
It was at this point that yet again, I relived the previous evening. I may have yelled, because of course, inanimate objects can hear me and respond to my pleas. After a good twenty minutes of various persuasive techniques, I once again wove the white flag.
Paint sprayer: 2
Kelly: 0
Except this time, I had the genius idea to just go buy a new one. “Ha, sprayer. I’ll show you. I’ll get a new one and see how you feel then!”
I ran upstairs with vigor and excitement. I called Brett to let him in on my genius plan. Unfortunately, he didn’t seem to share in my excitement for proving the current sprayer wrong and he uttered those two dreaded words, “just wait.”
He was right (I don’t say that often). The cabinet doors aren’t going anywhere. They’ll be there when I am ready to work on them. And I didn’t really have a few hundred dollars sitting around to spend on a new paint sprayer that I probably wouldn’t use again.
But if I didn’t get the cabinets sprayed, then my whole schedule goes out the window.
And that was when it hit me: Putting one part of the project on hold doesn’t mean the entire project is put on hold. I can still work on painting the cabinet base, touch up the kitchen island and start cleaning the huge mess from painting.
This renovation is just beginning and I am sure there will be many more moments of, “just wait.” I am sure our patience will be tested and we will have to adapt to all sorts of changes. Learning to shift the schedule will be challenging, but that is what makes it fun!
All our best,
