We were deciding this morning if we REALLY needed to paint the boys new bedroom or not. The landlord gave us cart blanch within reason, so DH and I walked around the study/sewing/workshop and looked at the walls that will show, the ones that will not be covered up by bookcases or 72 inch tall Trofast frames – all the dings and stains are on the bits that will be exposed. Yup, we gotta paint. When we’ve tried to just clean the walls – the paint came off.
So we called the boys in to ask them about the remaining paint chips on the wall. NO agreement coming from those two. So we are back to square one. We decided that I will take them both shopping for new curtain and rocking chair cushion fabric, so they have to pick it out TOGETHER, and then chose a paint color from the fabric. We’ve set the dates for moving, painting and assembling furniture, so they have a deadline. If they don’t pick, we pick. Oh boy. Lovely. Pray for us.
All this color choosing shows a funny perception with color – that somehow, if a color represents a favorite pokemon animal, or a pretty color to color with, it will look good on a wall in the context of a bedroom. I explained how warm colors make a room seem bigger, and that we won’t be using navy blue on the walls, because intense colors make a room fell smaller – looks of blank disbelief, worse, accusations of favoritism! The room has South Western and South Eastern windows, but because of my neighbor’s house and linden tree, it’s quite shady. I want them to choose a warm, light color. They are competing with each other to show how manly their color choices are – someone teased somebody about liking pink and purple lately, now they are very strict about "girls colors" and "boys colors." none of which is helpful in picking room paint colors!
Meanwhile, here is our plan:
January 19 we (with friends hopefully) move all the furniture out of B’s room into the living room, or to the Salvation Army, all the sewing/study/workshop furniture into B’s room, We get the computer and sewing area functional, I serve pizza, we all say phew.
Those weeknights DH and boys (maybe just older boy?) prep and paint the now empty sewing/study/workshop soon to be boys bedroom. B sleeps in the living room on the futon.
January 26th we either pick up our load of new IKEA furniture or have it delivered, and our friends help us assemble 6, 72 inch Trofast frames, 2 Expidite bookshelves, an Antonius closet system, and a bunk bed. whether the boys still dress out of suitcases or not, they sleep that night in the new bunks.
Then we move all the toys, books, and clothes in, they put up with the vinyl shades until I make the new curtains, and also put up with the bullfrog print on the rocking chair – until I get them sewn up. I wonder if they can be talked into choosing IKEA ready made curtains and fabric to match? That might speed things up.
Well, sufficient unto the day is the trouble thereof. I know this is true, but I don’t feel much like it. I thought having a long range plan would make me feel better, but now that it is incontrovertible that even more purging of possessions is necessary, I just see a longer slog through packing, sorting, and coaching sentimental little boys with stubborn streaks into making hard choices, negotiating respectfully, and maybe compromising.
Maybe Elizabeth Swan in Pirates of the Caribean had the right idea – Oh the sun! I’m faining!