Many Chiefs few Indians

Well, after over 100 hours of bruising, heat-drenched work I have finally finished painting the house. I still have trim work to finish but the hard work is done. Lessons learned:

• Everyone is a self-proclaimed expert when it comes to painting
• None of the “experts” showed up at our doorstep to help (exception noted in next bullet)
• Our neighbors, Doris & Ed, are the best damn neighbors in the entire Universe. Ed comes over on my second day of painting in overalls and sun hat, paintbrush in hand. “I just can’t see you suffer.” He helped me for at least 7 hours - finished an entire side of the house on his own, and helped on another wall. Up on a ladder, down on his knees, wrestling behind bushes planted all too close to the house. Oh, and did I mention that Ed is 82 years old? (Doris ran errands and provided treats….equally appreciated!) Most of my 30-something friends are luckly if they are in half the condition of Ed (and Doris).
  
• Painting is ok; scrapping and sanding a newly purchased house that was slightly neglected sucks. It really sucks.
• A freshly painted house looks nice.