I have spent two days taking down every painting, etching, screen, bulletin board, map, photograph and gew-gaw that hung on our walls, in preparation for painters. The garage is transformed into a swollen intestine full of odd boxes and wrapped frames. Soon we will have to disconnect all the computers and such and move things away from the walls. What a dispossession of spaces! But it will be worth it because the new pain will make it all look young again.

I never go in for facelifts personally, but I don't mind giving the house one every twenty years or so.


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