My time on my own is growing short, so today I had a great time at the hardware store doing some impulse shopping.

First, I ordered a can of paint for the kitchen ceiling. The color is called "Sensible Hue." Seriously. It's a dark cream, not really yellow but goes with yellow. They must have run out of cute paint names, and it makes me think of those home makeover shows where the designer pries the lid off a gallon of paint and says "... and this color is called pumpkin breeze, isn't it pretty?" As if we'd pick paint color by the sound of the name as much as how the color would go in our house, but I have a feeling that a lot of us are indeed influenced by the name.

It reminds me of a friend who recently paid a painter to paint her entry hall Lady Slipper Pink and then put her house on the market. Oh my goodness. It's realtor's-worst-nightmare-pink, not as light as Pepto Bismol, but certainly as pink, and I wondered if she fell in love with the name and didn't think about what the color looked like. I blame the painter as much as anybody, for bringing that paint into the house and slapping it all over the walls. When it comes to ugly paint colors, I don't think the customer is always right.

But you know a color called Sensible Hue has got to be universally acceptable. Sure, you bet.

While they were mixing the paint I wandered around and did some impulse buying, things Mr. Troutbend would never let me buy.

I bought some orange plastic shelves for the garage that were only $10. They're not huge, but hold tubs of cleaning rags and cleaners.

Then, of course I had to buy some more chicken wire to wrap trees so the beavers won't cut them down. I bought two rolls. Mr. Tbend would have just bought one.

I bought some yellow CAUTION! tape. Total impulse buy, but I figured who knows when it might come in handy around here, you just never know. I've stored it on my new shelves.

Next I came to storage tubs. I needed a couple of small ones for sewing thread, and then I bought a big clear one because I surely will find a use for it, perhaps my knitting yarn. I'm proud of myself for making sure I got the correct lids for all the boxes I bought.

Then, I decided I'd look at paint brushes. I like those pads that are usually used for painting edges. It's fun to smear the paint all over the walls with them, and they aren't total insurance against having to tape, but come close. I almost bought a refill, but my handle is really old, so I wasn't sure it'd fit. I almost bought a whole new handle assembly, but told myself 'get real, you don't need that.' And then I found a cheap styrofoam handle on one of those paint pads. That seemed to solve my dilemma because it's not a big job.

But what's this I see? On a high shelf, not displayed at all? It was a flip cover for the gallon paint can that seals air tight. There is a pour spout with screw-on cap, and a ledge to wipe the brush on. I decided I had to have it. Mr. Troutbend is probably going to be so moved by the wastefulness of such a frippery he might be moved to make a comment. We'll see. Maybe he will like it since it'll be too late to take it back by the time he catches sight of it.

I'm not sorry about any of my purchases. I'll have a great time painting the kitchen ceiling a sensible color, and I'll hold the paint brush any way I want to (some of you remember what an issue that is around here).