Did We Survive Hurricane Katrina or Not?

I have now decided that having the trim and cabinets painted is the hardest part of repairing the house since Hurricane Katrina so far. The task is overwhelming. I mean it's overwhelming for me even though we're paying someone else to do it. There's just SO MUCH that has to be painted... so much detail... so much room for error and paint spills.

At least one person has been here since Tuesday painting -- from pre-dawn til late afternoon. I am at my wit's end. Here's why:

First, let's talk about the boys. For something like ten years now we have made ourselves hoarse shouting the words "Stop touching the walls!" or "Walk upright as if you have a spinal column!" To no avail. The boys fall, slide, stumble, and grope their way through the house. Add yellowy-white enamel paint that takes about 8 hours to even reach the 'tacky' stage to this scenario and you can see disaster looming.

Then there are the girls. Yvonne is horribly offended when she's told that she can't enter her own bedroom for a few hours because the paint is wet. When Yvonne is horribly offended, she lets the world know it. I'm often tempted to just let her go roll around in the wet paint rather than deal with the marathon crying episodes and temper tantrums. But then I remember that she'd probably be equally offended by having wet paint on her hands and clothes.... and nothing would be solved. Little Emily is merely offended that she's stuck in her playpen for long hours -- and has developed her elder sister's method for dealing with offense.

Why do dogs like to lick wet paint? Okay, so when they aren't sneaking off to lick or sniff or otherwise molest the fresh paint... They're simply here. Here, in the kitchen with me... All day. Barking at people who come to work on the house... Or running to the back door every single time someone comes in our out. Or trying to sneak out through the kitchen door just to explore the living room (and seek out wet paint). They can't be outside most days because the exterior trim for the replaced doors is being painted. They really can't be inside either - the swiffer can't keep up with the wafting dog hair that keeps collecting at the baseboards. Those would be the baseboards that are currently being painted. Dog hair - wet paint = ick.

Okay and then there's me. I spend the entire day trying to keep small children and animals out of the painters' handiwork only to stick my hand in a nice patch of paint right before bed.

When will it end?

Well -- Dean says that these guys will be around painting definitely through today and tomorrow... And possibly for at least two full days next week. After that it's cabinet doors and shutters and making a list of 'loose ends' to tie before we all call the job 'complete'.