It's all in the preparation

We’re having our hall, stairs and landing decorated. The decorator is proceeding efficiently and with as little disruption as possible but this is the centre of our house. Every room is affected. How can anyone keep their head clear whilst inhaling the fumes of paint, the dust of sanding and the vague aroma of wet wallpaper, not to mention listening to the drone of the sanding machine and stepping around dust-sheets and ladders in order to get anywhere?

I know, for sure, that this would not be the job for me. It’s not only the heights (there’s a scary drop from the top of our stairwell to the ground floor) or the physical dexterity (how do you get floppy bits of wallpaper to embrace the wall with no creases or tears?) 

The main reason that I will never be a decorator is the preparation. Our decorator has spent at least a week preparing. I don’t know about you, but on the odd occasion that I’ve undertaken decorating (and they are pretty odd!) I’ve raced through the prep work in an eager desperation to get to the ‘real thing’. Consequently the finished product is not very professional (understatement!) It’s the same with such practical activities as knitting because I can never be bothered to knit the tension, or baking because I consider sifting flour to be a time-wasting indulgence.

Even my writing lacks the discipline of thorough and efficient preparation. I do edit, maniacally, but that’s only after the initial excitement of spontaneous writing is over. I’ve mentioned this type of writing before. It’s called free-flow, where you just pick up a pen or pencil and write. Ideas emerge that you didn’t even know were in your head. I’ve explained the process here so do have a go, or another go if you’ve tried it before. There’s a ‘writing prompt’ at the bottom of this post. You truly have to go through the process of writing.  Don’t just think about it. There’s no substitution for putting pen to paper.

And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go and make the decorator another mug of tea and dash to the corner shop for more tea bags and milk. She's doing an amazing job and it'll look lovely when she's done, really it will! 

If you'd like a topic for a bit of free flow writing try writing for ten minutes, without stopping to think, about doors. Hey! I said, don’t sit there and think about it! Do it!