My goodness, it has been a while since I’ve written in Vera’s Version.
This week I’m afflicted by that most delightful of fevers -- Spring Fever -- and I’m sweating because of the nesting urge to do Spring Cleaning. As I sit here typing these words I’ve already accomplished several Spring Cleaning tasks, including dusting off this blog.
A couple of others involve decorating. If I were a bird I guess this would be feathering my nest to make it more comfortable. Thank goodness I’m not a bird because I’d hate to eat insects, or lay eggs. Though I’m positive I’ve laid many figurative ovals and I’ve heard that we all eat ‘x’ number of spiders and don’t even know it. Do you think that happens while our mouths are open during a snore?
Scampering on, let’s talk about unfinished tasks that pile up.
For some reason I never could take time to paste two small paper waiters on the kitchen wall where a stark, painted division line occurs between the bright yellow kitchen and the almost-white dining area. The border from which I saved the remnants and carefully cut out the two snooty waiters, who stand with their noses so far up in the air that their eyes aren’t visible, was put up years ago.
Monday I carefully immersed the figures in water, then slid them into their places. As I’d hoped they blended the two rooms together. Clutter, de-cluttered; it feels good and I bet they (if they had real thoughts and feelings) are relieved to be on the wall looking down on us…that is if they had eyes.
A stack of blue curtains, which I’d bought for windows in the music/library/sunroom which we’d rejuvenated a couple of years ago, next did the guilt trip on me. Much too long the pile of curtains had lurked in a certain chair; they had awaited cutting, hemming and hanging (they deserved it). The problem is I’m not really a seamstress. Actually, seams give me stress—so maybe I am!
Defying my ignorance (trying to forget the horrid, putrid-pink blouse I’d sewn in Home Economics hmmm years ago), I unearthed a tiny sewing machine I’d purchased for necessary mending and had not yet used. My thought on sewing is that ignorance is bliss; if I don’t know how to hem suit pants for my husband, I don’t have to do it.
The sewing machine is perfect; small enough that I can easily hide it in a large drawer under something or put it on a closet shelf so that I never, ever have to think of using it. And it was pristine, on the shelf like an old maid awaiting that special electric spark.
Cutting off the curtains wasn’t hard, but did involve a big leap of faith in figuring out how not to cut off too much, how not to have the cut zigzag up and down, and how not to have all six end up different lengths. I’m creative, but don’t really want my curtains to be like bar graphs. At least, I’d not thought of it at the time and reserve the right to try out that decorating idea in the future. I will let you know when.
Two more of my Spring Cleaning tasks were to arrange with the library to book a room for a couple of free Tuesday evening workshops I’ve been thinking about giving. One will be on Characters (May) and one on Treasure Mapping (June). Anyone interested?
Stay tuned—and try not to worry about spiders and snoring. Remember, if you do all your Spring Cleaning you can get all those spiders before they get into you. Now, excuse me while I get the vacuum and remove a few webs.
