Sometimes it’s better if your wife doesn’t know how talented you really are.
We’ve been married 35 (or so) years. Between residences, vacation homes, and investments / rentals we’ve owned at least 16 homes / condos.
Nine years ago I repainted our home inside and out. Last week my wife (who obviously has way too much time on her hands) decided it needed to be repainted. Now I painted the aforementioned 16 homes (some more than once) and estimated each one averaged 30 gallons. Heck, the manager at Sherwin-Williams sends me a Christmas card and a Honeybaked Ham certificate every year!
I knew it would only be delaying the inevitable to drag my heels this time. Started spackling, sanding and masking (I recently noticed things don’t focus well enough to cut around trim any longer) Monday. Got done with my chores (including several trips to pick up 11 paint samples) yesterday around two and primed the first 1/4 of the walls. Today another coat of primer and cut in the top coat. This project is going to take a while, partly because approaching 70, I’m not as limber as before and partly because I’m way too anal about doing a near perfect job.
Years ago a co-worker told me where I went wrong. He would always claim to be an expert at whatever his wife wanted done, then purposely mess it up so bad she never asked again. Dishwashing, wall paper, paint, carpentry, window washing, every project turned into a disaster as soon as he started.
I now know that was a truly wise man.