Legacy of Paint

I remember my dad painting inside when I was very small. We were in Ohio and as a bricklayer, he had long winter months of keeping to the house. I was fascinated by the transformation of rooms! It took so short a time to brighten and freshen and completely change the feelings of the house! I'd play with my mother's jewelry...and lipstick...and my dad would move from room to room splashing blue and yellow, green, and creamy milk white.

We were a young family, so lived with my great-grandparents in their huge three-story family home. While painting was my father's wintertime recreation, my great grandfather (my Croatian "Dedo") tackled the job of painting the outside of the house, every summer. A screen was removed from an upper story window so that I could reach out and pick cherries from the tree. I remember him on a ladder just outside that window, painting and smiling so sweetly at me!

These two memories drifted into my heart and I am moved to treat the cafe to a fresh cold-weather coat of paint! The walls are now a lovely cream with white trim. I love it still, with all of the dark wood furniture. But, it's snowing like crazy this morning and I am giddy to imagine the large dining room glowing with a mellow elegant yellow...the adjoining dining room will be wedgewood blue. Before I consider the tedium of moving furniture and wall photos...unscrewing outlet and switch covers...my imagination moves at dizzy speed to the hallway...softest pink, I think! The tiny dining room on the other side of the hall should be a moss green to emphasis the old red farm kitchen cabinets from my San Diego house.

At this stage of things, I feel that my plan is smooth and easy. I can see it finished and am delighted with how it will look as the backdrop to so many happy family meals! The birthdays! The engagements! Anniversaries and announcements of a baby-on--the-way! I'm going to buy all of the paint so that I can't back out! I'll paint in my "spare time" and think sweet thoughts of my Dad. And for my Dedo...I'll paint outside this summer...