Honor Rolls

I spent the weekend wallpapering the dining room. Four corners, thirty sheets of varying lengths, more measuring than you can shake a stick at, 17 hours spread over 2 days all to beautify a room I sit in maybe once a month.

I am beat.

This is not to say I harbor a particular animosity toward wallpapering. Actually, it's kind of fun. Wallpapering is not as messy as painting and there's an immediate sense of accomplishment each time a strip is glued to the wall. The stuff can be temperamental. The paper is remarkably fragile and frustratingly tough at the same time.

Most of all, wallpapering is stressful. Buying enough is the most confounding aspect of wallpapering. I want just enough. Too little is bad because you might not be able to get another roll from the same print run. Too much is bad because the stuff is expensive. And I really hate that sword of Damocles feeling as I approach the end of the job not really sure if I have enough, where it'll be really, really close. Unfortunately, room dimensions vs. unpapered area vs. rolls vs. bolts vs. American vs. European vs. repeat length vs. pattern match makes estimating needs, for me at least, a crap shoot. This time I bought 5 bolts based on my initial estimate. Then just as I was about to begin my project, a huge wave of doubt swept over me. These are European rolls! They're smaller!! Did I estimate assuming American rolls? I might have!!! Oh my God!! So compelling was my doubt that I ran to the wallpaper store for assurance. A few furrowed brows and a page of calculations later, they thought I would have just enough.

I had one bolt left over. Go figure.

I took a few NoDoz to calm down.
K-