pet peeve

I spent a good chunk of my morning cleaning our nook exterior windows. Not just with soap and water, with a blade. Blades and I don't have the best history. I've had quite a few nasty cuts in the past. This morning though, no one and nothing was harmed in the cleaning of my windows. Windows on historic homes are not clean and tidy. The wood is old, there are most often lots of panes, and it's very hard to keep a straight line when painting. I've seen countless older homes that look beautiful from afar, but up close reveal paint on the windows. Not the wood around the windows. On the windows themselves. Why? I can't understand why a homeowner would take the time and effort to paint a house (no easy feat!), only to leave the windows sloppy. Windows can be the crowning glory of a house -- crisp lines, architectural features, the beautiful accessories! It's turning into a pet peeve that people can't: 1. tape before painting (it's all about prep people) 2. just be more careful! 3. go back and clean up. Leaving paint on the windows is messy and detracts from the houses character. So this morning as I was sitting in my freshly painted nook I wanted clean windows. Now. When we finished painting the exterior last summer, we were in a rush. We had the wedding and a big move ahead and never gave the windows a good clean. But this morning I wasn't rushed and although I have plenty other things I can be doing, this couldn't wait. With blade, windex and paper towels in hand, I tackled our nook windows. Much better. Alright, what's next?