... when I should have been applying the blasted stuff to the shutters.Most of the week we've been enjoying what could be (at last) described as summer here in northern France. And with a weekend of sunshine promised by weather forecasters, I had a bright idea yesterday morning. "Given that it's going to be fine," I said to Hubby, "why don't we paint the shutters?". He agreed that this was a good plan. I mean, this could be the last weekend of decent weather (oh, doom and gloom - but I'm only going on past form for this year), and the shutters did badly need some attention.
So off to the DIY store to get exterior wood paint and a couple of other bits and pieces. Returned home €130 worse off (€50 for a tin of paint??), and Hubby announced his intention to go and get the grocery shopping. "Will you show me how to sand the shutters first?" I pleaded pathetically. And he did. And I was so incapable of using the sanding machine properly that he ended up doing all the shutters for me. This is my cunning way of getting him to do stuff I don't really want to do - just be useless.
It was by now about 11:45, and the sun had moved round to be shining its sunny hotness down on our whitewashed house. Instead of being sensible and retreating indoors to wait out the heat, I set about painting the exterior woodwork. In the midday sun. That was amplified as it reflected off our whitewashed walls. It was hot. But I got it all done. Of course, I couldn't really wait until the cooler hours came round, because I had sensibly invited friends for a bbq. Who else in the world decides to do (messy) DIY the same day she is expecting people for dinner. Silly moo.
Anyway, applied a second coat this morning and the shutters are looking slightly less dilapidated. Of course, we'll probably have to get some masonry paint the next time the weather's looking good, because your favourite painter & decorator has artfully applied little splodges of dark brown wood gloss to the walls...
Still, pretty pleased with myself.
7 comments:
50 euros for a tin of paint?! Good Lord!!
I'm loving the way you get your hubby to do things you don't really fancy doing...I must take a leaf out of your book!
Great achievement getting it done (well some of it-jotting down the cunning used to get hubby to do most of it). But I also want to know where you buy €50 paint, was it a French Harrods!!
50 euro for a can of paint ??? (I know, everybody said it...!). It's a miracle we have so many artists in France ! No wonder they're all poor ! :D
DYI can be very satisfying sometimes, especially when you get nice results :$
Jez and I are going to live in a house together and decorate it together one day, it's so exciting!
Are you a pink little Lis now?
I know, 50 stinking euros for a measely tin of paint, just basic exterior paint!
Princesse & Sugar, the being pathetic trick is very cunning indeed. Because even when the man is onto your cunning plan, he still ends up doing the stuff because you won't do it properly ;)
DIY is supremely satisfying, Zhu. Except I only like painting and tiling and banging nails into the wall. Have Hubby to do the rest.
Miss D it *is* exciting. Make sure he lets you choose all the colour schemes ;) I am not pink because I lathered my painting arms with sunblock to not burn. Cunning, once again :)
As usual, I'm a bit late to the party here. Lis, I agree, the weather has been atrocious - I'm praying it picks up as we have (yet another) camping trip planned.
You sound like a true DIY expert. I didn't sand our shutters at all -just painted over the cracked, old coat. And that's probably why they have a rather 'distressed' look now!
Mya x
Hi Mya. I'm certainly hoping we get a bit more summer too. But especially for you, camping in the wet is just no good!
Our shutters looked really good after we sanded the old paint off, with that distressed look. But that wouldn't have kept the weather out ;))
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