Alright, so today I wanted to share a little something from my own experience, a classic case of what I call “not covering” your bases. This isn’t about some grand theory, just a straightforward thing that happened to me, and maybe you can get a chuckle or learn from my thick-headedness.
The Grand Plan Gone Sideways
It all started a few months back. I decided my old wooden garden shed needed a serious refresh. You know, a new coat of paint, maybe some sealant. I was all gung-ho, had the paint, the brushes, everything lined up. The weather was looking decent for the weekend, and I figured, “How hard can this be?” Famous last words, right?
So, I got out there Saturday morning. The biggest thing I remember thinking was, “I just want to get this done.” I was in a rush. Now, around the shed, I’ve got these paving stones, pretty nice ones, and a couple of potted plants my wife is rather fond of. My brain, in its infinite wisdom, told me, “Ah, you’ll be careful. No need to go overboard with covering stuff up.”
This was mistake number one. My version of “covering” was to half-heartedly drag an old, ripped tarp near the base of the shed. For the plants, I just kind of… nudged them a bit further away. Not far enough, as it turned out.
Getting Down to Business (or so I thought)
I started painting. Slapping it on, feeling productive. The first side went okay. But as I moved around, I got a bit more… enthusiastic. The roller started flicking little specks. A drip here, a splatter there. I’d occasionally glance down and think, “Oops,” but then I’d just carry on, convinced I could clean it up later. That’s the “not covering” mindset for you. It convinces you that future you will magically have more time and patience for cleanup than current you has for proper prep.
By the time I was on the third side, the wind picked up a little. My flimsy tarp, the one that was supposed to be “covering” the pavers, decided to do a little dance. And guess what? Paint found its way onto those nice paving stones. Not just a little, but a good few splotches.
- I should have used proper heavy-duty dust sheets.
- I should have taped them down.
- I definitely should have moved those plants much, much further away, or covered them completely.
The Aftermath and the “Joy” of Cleanup
Finished painting, feeling pretty pleased with the shed itself. It looked good from a distance. Then I looked down. The paving stones were a mess. Little speckles and some bigger blobs of “Country Redwood” paint. And one of the rose bushes? Yeah, it had a few new red highlights on its leaves. My wife was… not amused.
So, instead of relaxing with a cold drink, admiring my handiwork, I spent the next two hours on my hands and knees, scrubbing at those pavers. Some of it came off. Some of it just smeared. The plants, well, they survived, but they looked a bit Jackson Pollock for a while.
It was a classic case of “not covering” leading to a whole lot more work. That hour I might have “saved” by not prepping properly? I paid for it threefold in cleanup, frustration, and a bit of an earful. It’s funny, you think you’re being clever, taking a shortcut, but it almost always bites you back. So yeah, that was my recent adventure in “not covering.” Don’t be like me. Cover your stuff.
