DIY left me with broken fingernails and a dent in my pocket - Lou Hannan from BBC Radio Solent

I’ve just returned to work after a much-needed week off.
Alun Newman and Lou Hannan who present BBC Radio Solent's mind morning showAlun Newman and Lou Hannan who present BBC Radio Solent's mind morning show
Alun Newman and Lou Hannan who present BBC Radio Solent's mind morning show

I’d love to say I returned after sunning myself on a beach somewhere exotic. However, having just moved house my leave was spent on jobs in the house, or rather walking from room to room tutting inwardly as I noticed all the things I failed to see when I first moved in.

In the garden alone I spent two full days cutting things down, pulling things up and raking things to the side to the point that I discovered muscles I never knew I had by the middle of the week.

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Why DO weeds grow three times faster than anything you actually want to keep?

Then came the painting. ‘I’ll do the kitchen this morning’, I said with masses of enthusiasm. ‘It’ll only take me a few hours’, I thought as I took off to the DIY store.

Four days, three tins of paint, six coats of paint and two broken fingernails later I started to realise why getting someone in might have been the way forward.

I haven’t done any painting for ages and the first thing that struck me when I went to my local B&Q is just how expensive paint is… and there’s so much choice.

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Gloss, satin, emulsion, metal, tile, multi-surface… the list goes on. After spending the princely sum of £28.99 on said paint, I decided to save a bit of cash and bought six brushes for a pound from the good old thrift store.

Although I thought I’d saved a bit of cash, what I didn’t bargain on was stopping my work every 20 seconds to pick bristles off the wall as they fell out. I can honestly say it’s nice to be back at work to have a rest!

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