Argh. Just when we were nearing the end.

Fergus’ room used to be pink.

We were going to paint right over the top of all four pink walls, but because the old paint seemed to be peeling on one wall, we did the right thing, and stripped it and sealed it. It took AGES, so because the other walls didn’t look so bad, we cut a corner and painted the sealer right over top of the existing pink.

Then, with everything ready, I painted one of the ex-pink walls green. And it looked great. And all we had to do was paint the other three walls (one stripped-and-treated-ex-pink and two pink-and-treated-still-pink) and we’d be done and washed up ready to take visitors.

Boo hoo. Alas, it was not to be.

Instead, when I removed the masking tape from my new green wall, the green paint began flaking in massive sheets, taking the pink paint with it. The paint flakes completely away, taking the wall right back to the plaster. Boo hoo hoo!

So, we’re back to square one: stripping the green-and-pink wall back to plaster, and stripping the pink-and-treated walls back to plaster as well. Then we’ll treat all three of these walls, paint two of them Magnolia and one Irish Green, and paint the first stripped-and-treated-ex-pink wall Magnolia as well. Equals four walls, one green, all stripped, treated and brilliantly prepared. Clear?

What could possibly go wrong?

The moral of the story: Perfect Preparation Prevents Poor Peformance.

I think it can be said for painting walls, and plotting books. I’m also putting together a non-fiction book proposal and that’s going in circles (like treating, painting, stripping, treating, painting).

However, today Fergus randomly pulled a book of my Giant Book Shelves Dedicated To Great Childrens Writing, and voila! An inspiring and relevant title fell to the floor.

I am reinvigorated! I am newly inspired! I am off to peel paint!

xx

Cristy