It's Worse

A week into this kitchen re-do and I'm losing steam. The problem is things are in a bit of disarray around here. It's utter chaos actually.

Dinner is purchased each night at 5:30 from the grocery store down the street: 68 cent chicken pot pies one night, a frozen pizza another night, grilled cheese and canned soup another. We sit around a cluttered table, or sometimes just eat in shifts and search for utensils because the've been temporarily reassigned a different spot. We've run out of paper towels and all the dish rags have been used as cleaning rags and are in the wash.

It's not just kitchen things we can't find either. While I've been working on the kitchen, the rest of the house has gone to pot as well. We can't find soccer cleats or shin guards and somehow we are missing car seats. Ethan misplaces something every time he sets it down. Because of the clutter everywhere, he simply can't see where he put it. The best part, of course, is when he accuses everyone around him of stealing whatever it is that he lost. (Like anyone would want his 2 liter water rocket).

I was just told today by an informative Miller Paint employee that I've used the wrong kind of paint for my drawers. Her tone implied that I would need to purchase a can of paint remover and a bulk package of sandpaper. I wanted to yell at her. Does she realize how hard I've been working? It's done. The paint is on. There's no going back. I can't get her special kind of paint NOW. So it does no good for her to tell me I've completely screwed up.

Robert is not convinced of the magnet board covered pantry door (which I believe we need very much) and the new brushed pewter (or whatever it's called) colored doorknob to replace the brass one on the pantry didn't fit. And today I bought a chair for $15 and didn't notice until I was well on my way that one of the rails had been severely chewed by a dog. Or a beaver. As hard as I try not to, I think I see a few spots on the wall I need to repaint. Most of all though, the thought of staining or painting chairs makes me hyperventilate.

Meanwhile, life goes on. And with a messy house, it goes on very, very inefficiently. We have soccer games and mutual activities and piano lessons and tutoring and--oh my gosh--people still want to eat. Laundry continues to pile up and pee continues to spot the floors around the base of the toilets.

I've got to finish up with this project. Soon.

But all I really want to do is lay down for a long time.