Written many years ago, but still true-
When I was growing up and even after I was married, if something needed to be done you would hire someone to do it. I know now that having those in a community who do specialize in areas I am not knowledgeable in is a blessing. I have reached the age though that I am a little more open to trying to do stuff I know nothing about simply because I realize what I can do is usually not going to bring the world to an end. If I mess it up bad enough and Steve cannot fix it, we know those who can.
We have had several people come by and give us a quote to paint. I always thought they were a little high, but after the last couple of weeks I think they are pretty reasonable. The work that goes into a good job and all the hidden things you do not see make scrapping down a hard and often frustrating job.
Our precious home has been in need of some painting for a while. I decided that since we had so many good helpers in the family (willing or not), it was time for us to get down to business and try to get some stuff done. Last week we started scrapping the areas that needed the most tender loving care. It did not all get done, so this weekend was the day for us to finish up as much as we could. I got up early and put stuff on the yard, sawed off some tree limbs and generally just waited until everyone else was up and moving. Around 10, the crew started rising from the dead, ate some breakfast and then got dressed. The best surprise of having social children is that you sometimes have friendly faces in your home that you may not have been expecting. Jeffrey had a friend spend the night so we had an extra pair of hands; I think by the end of the day he probably wished he had spent the night and day somewhere else.
Around lunch, the scrapping was finally done so then the priming was started. After scrapping, the priming was easy. We finally were finished around 9 and I can tell you there were a lot of really tired bodies sagging around. The best thing was everyone did a great job and the old place is looking pretty good. We still have a few small things to replace and spruce up, but except for what others are gong to have to help us with our part is finished.
I think one thing that really got my attention is how much paint and caulk can hide. All of the wood around the windows appeared to be in good shape before we scrapped off the paint. In most cases that remained true. There was just one in which some previous damage had been covered over with a lot of caulking and paint. When we got it scrapped and the caulking pulled off, we found that we might need to have a friend with a little more know-how in this area help us out. Past damage needed to be dealt with so that the stability of the window could be insured.
I think a lot of times we cover up our pain and grief behind several layers of what looks good. We may get involved in numerous activities or put on a happy face when we are out in public, but if someone scrapped it all off they would find the damage. It is not something that will permanently handicap us, but our overall wellness is hampered by the pain which no one can see. The interesting thing is that it does not always take an expert to fix the problem. Often it just takes someone taking the time to do what they can with the tools they have: a listening ear, a compassionate heart, a warm hug, etc. I am not saying there are not those times when someone who is trained in helping others is not needed, but I am saying it is not always the case.
What if we had just painted over the wood that had been compromised? What if we had just painted over the wood without doing the job the way it was intended? In time we would have not only known the problem was there, but it probably would have been worse. I would encourage you to know what your friends and family are going through. Be willing to go deep and scrape around if you think there may be some damage below the surface. Termites are not the only ones that can destroy something that is beautiful, grief can as well.