Fast Food Run

I have to admit it; some days are made for McDonalds. At one point in the last 13 hours of painting walls, scrubbing carpet, assembling furniture, and hanging drapes the guys and I gave in to a fast food run, and it was worth it.

Even as I write, Jeff and Jade are still working - putting books on shelves and cleaning up the assorted detritis that comes with any home project. Ours is only half done. We decided to spend spring break working on the boy's rooms. Yes, this is plural because he has a bed room and a "play" room. The "play" room title seemed more apropos when he was younger, which is part of the reason we're redecorating. His rooms said tween, not nearly-ready-to-drive teenager. Today we focused on his bedroom applying gray and crimson paint to the walls, installing a new ceiling fan, putting up shelves and a bed from Ikea. Before we started this morning, Jade cleaned everything out of the rooms sorting all of his accumulated stuff into three piles - keepers, trash, yard sale (which, by the way, is slated for Saturday). This was a huge undertaking for my son the pack rat. (We joke that someday he'll be on one of those reality shows about people who horde things.)

Tomorrow is a new day and we'll tackle his living room formerly known as a play room. ("Gosh, Mom. Do you have to call it a play room? It makes me sound like I'm three!") That, too, will get gray and crimson paint along with some furniture from other parts of the house. The walls will be adorned with some of his drawings and a couple of posters, along with this growing collection of instruments - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, and banjo. (I'm told a mandolin is next on the acquisition list.) He also has space set aside for his keyboard, but lest you think this is purely a music room, there is also a television complete with a Wii. Of course, I'm sure he and his friends will spend a good deal of time in this room. This is the best reason to fix up the space because when the guys hanging out here, we don't have to wonder what they're up to. It's like that credit card commercial: television stand $50, new slip covers $35, frames for the rock posters $20, guitar hangers $40, knowing where your son is, who he's with, and what he's doing - priceless. So in the grand scheme of things I guess ten bucks at Mickey D's is insignicant after all.