I have recently found that home repair and upgrading is best done with a nice buzz from a gently-mixed cocktail, most often a Vodka tonic but I'm not opposed to a Bloody Mary or Crown and water. Mind you, I'm not working with electricity or flammable liquids during this time and I don't mean a major buzz either. I have found this useful during mundane tasks such as stripping wallpaper or cutesy border off in my windowless bathrooms, sanding down drywall mud repairs, removing caulking or painting bedrooms. It makes the time mellow, the music more meaningful, and the day last longer.

What it really does is keep me from going bonkers from the attention to detail I am forced to have. I'm the kind of person who gets into the large job, expending whatever energy is necessary for the big job to get done but I do not enjoy the prep job necessary for the large job to be accomplished. Unfortunately, repair jobs as a rule are very much detail-oriented work. I WILL learn to love them.

I think, too that it helps me overlook (to some degree) my house was probably built by the local tradeschool boys on a bet they could raise a house in 24 hours. All the hidden stuff comes to light when a person starts digging into a house for repairs and replacements. And I can't forget 2 other owners have had ample time to create diversions from glaring problems. Like with wallpaper and cutsy borders. But that's home-ownership, take it or leave it.

That is all I have to say about that.

And the Alphonse Mucha pic is just here because I love it.