Brief News

We’ve been struck by some kind of a nasty kid virus. First it hit The Banana, and then yesterday, Mr. Perpetual Mess, and today Ms. Crazy Preschooler was miserable. The virus seems to involve a terrible fever, terrible enough to make kids really quite delerious. We have to keep close tabs on them and make sure that we admiinister Tylonel at the right times so it doesn’t get out of hand. There has also been some vomiting involved, which always makes for interesting circumstances, especially with the youngest two who can’t warn you that major sickness is about to happen.

So, our weekend has been sucked up in sick duties. When I haven’t been snuggling, reading books and rocking people, I have been attempting to remove wallpaper from Mr. Perpetual Mess’ bedroom. I hate wallpaper. I really, really do. One major factor in choosing a house for me has always been looking for the least wallpaper. This house only had one room with wallpaper, a gesture of complete temporary insanity, I’ve decided. The rest of the house is just so . . . perfect. They really did a good job in keeping it updated without ruining the antique feel it has. But this one bedroom! It has 80’s grey-blue carpet, and terrible wallpaper. The trim inside the closet is painted mauve. It has been driving me a little crazy since we’ve moved in, and I decided to tackle the wallpaper Friday night. I thought it might take two nights of good hard work to get the wallpaper off. (Luckily, there is just one layer of paper, and three of the walls just have paper on the bottom half with an especially ugly border). However, I’ve worked three good and hard nights, and I have only managed to strip the paper off two walls, and scrub the residue off one wall. It is really hard work! Mindless work, but taxing, and after trying to get it off the walls, I’m convinced putting up wallpaper might be the biggest sin a homeowner can commit.

We are planning on painting the walls if we ever actually do get all the paper off, and I think I might have convinced my husband that tearing out the carpet in that room and refinishing the hardwood floor would be a good idea.

Here’s a picture of Mr. Perpetual Mess before the fever hit.