We're the Grasshoppers

So it's October 20, it's pissing down PNW October rain, and we are one third of the way through our summer house painting project.

I know, the ant and the grasshopper, we were busy playing in the sun and we put it off until it was too late, while somewhere, the ant people were dutifully painting their little houses, getting paint all over their thoraxes and what-not. You're only half right, because I believe we have some solid-ish excuses.

You can't really expect to get any more painting done in June than in October in Washington. True, school lets out in June, but that does not mean summer begins. So even if painting the house had been a priority in June, which it wasn't, it would have been an iffy proposition. Besides, Drew was busy freaking out at work and going to the chiropractor for his hunchback.

In July, the focus was on the AVC in the middle of the month, which takes prior planning and post-race recovery time. The rest of the month was spent finding a contractor to put in a new heat pump (with any luck, for not much more than it cost to build the house in the eighties).

In August, the new heat pump system went in, which made us not-so-ready for more housing-related expenses. And in turn made us consider painting the house ourselves, the old fashioned way, with rollers and brushes. It's cheaper, and the Captain won't forever wish he had done it himself anyway, because the Captain is, um, particular. And the Captain's tummy hurt. He said.

I had been hoping that we could devote ourselves to some heavy-duty house painting in September. But first we had to go to the Steens Mountains for our anniversary, then the Captain had to ride around Oregon on his dual-sport bike, then we had to fly to LA for track nationals.

So we are painting the house now. With rollers and brushes. In between rainy days. If we don't paint it now, I firmly believe that the cedar siding will peel away like an exploded barrel this winter and leave us wet and cold.

So, that's the answer to, "What, you're STILL painting the house?"

Hello, we're the grasshoppers.