So, I painted this weekend. 

Blair was out of town on her first business trip and I decided to paint her room a more mature color.  She's living with us for a while to save some "getting started money" and I was tired of looking at the adolescent hue that she'd selected back in her younger years. 

Not too long ago, I'd painted Carson's room in one day so I knew there wouldn't be that much to it.  So, I went to the paint store and chose a nice, neutral color, Sherwin Williams China Doll 7517, which I thought would work for her now and for the future guest room that the space will eventually become. 

I came home and started snatching pictures off of the wall.  I'm one of those people who just charges into a project head first.  If I have something on my mind, I want to go ahead and get it done right then.  So, I started with the edging around her built-ins and molding, and, later, got busy with the roller.  I was just moving things as I went.   

I'd covered a lot of wall when Davis got done with his work and stuck his head in to check my progress.  Big mistake.  Davis never sees the point of changing the color of anything.  He just hates painting so much that he can look past most anything.  But, I convinced him to come help me with the rolling by telling him how strong he was and how my arms were getting tired.  It never hurts to admire a man's arm strength when trying to recruit help.    

After about 10 minutes in the room with me, the furniture, the pan of paint, a ladder, step stool, and a couple of extension poles, he was going crazy.  He's one of those meticulous painters who preps the area to death before he even gets started and there I was.......No drop cloth.  Paint all over me, my clothes, my hair.  Too much furniture in the way.  Paint dripping down the side of the bucket.  And my little trail of Sherwin Williams China Doll 7517 tracked down the hall from the bottom of my foot.  But, hey, I was getting the job done. 

One convenient benefit from being a messy painter, though, is that when you're at a wedding the next day, visiting with a friend and telling her about your painting project as the music plays.....Well, when she asks, "What color are you painting?"  You can look down at your arms and hands and point a sample out to her, "This color right here.  Oh, wait....here's a better swatch back there," pointing to your leg.  "Oh, that's a pretty color......I like that."  "You think so?.....Well, thank you."

So, then Blair got back from her trip and Carson left for church camp today.  And I've been gathering things for Davis' and Carson's upcoming hiking/camping trip to Yosemite.  They're going with a group of guys and we went to a planning meeting about it a couple of weeks ago to discuss the flights, the hikes, the dehydrated food, the tents.......you know, things like that.  We needed help in the "what to pack" department because, well, we're just not big camping people.  I mean, Davis would go to Boy Scout camp with Carson for a night here and there but if you forgot something, well, you just walked back to the truck to get it or drove down to Wal-Mart for it.

Anyway, I sat at the table listening intently.  I knew I would be the one to take notes if notes were going to be taken.  They talked about wrapping their feet with duck tape to avoid blisters, the process of burying their excrement, bathing every 3rd or 4th day, and packing one extra pair of underwear.  I steadily took notes all while praying a brief, silent prayer, "Thank you, God in heaven, that I am not going on this trip. Amen." 

You see, there are people in this world who like to go and become one with nature.  They like to hike trails, climb mountains, sleep on the ground, watch the sun rise, and feel the soil of the road less traveled underneath their feet.  And then there are those people who are content to look at their pictures when they get back.  I will let you guess the group to which I belong.

All that to say......I have been packing and preparing people to leave on a lot of exciting trips, this summer, but have yet to go to a darn place, myself.

I do have some exciting news, though.  My longtime friend since high school, Lynette, has a son who landed a major role in a Matthew McConaughey movie, Free State of Jones which will be released on June 24.  It's based on a true story from the Civil War and did I mention Matthew McConaughey?  Her son, Cade, plays the role of Thomas Yates and they were both impressed with how friendly and down to earth Mr. McConaughey was during the whole filming process.