I have evil friends – they lead me astray. I got up with great intentions of doing some of the cleaning I had started on a couple weeks ago. Cleaning out all the closets, getting rid of things I haven’t used since I moved in here 4? 5? years ago. When I pulled the fabric stash shelves out of the closet, it was so I could use the closet for other storage – that’s what started the spring clean. Then I got sidetracked with other things. So I did some last night – finally packed the last of the winter clothes away (well except those two pairs of mittens I found that had fallen on the floor of one closet) so those tubs went into the storage closet.
This morning – up and at the cleaning early. Christmas decoration tubs moved from laundry room to storage closet. Coat closet, which had become a catchall for everything except coats, cleaned out, vacuumed and awaiting whatever I end up putting back in there. Quilt and knitting magazines, and computer printed knitting patterns were gathered from piles on end tables, shelves, counters and all dumped into a laundry basket to be sorted, culled and whatever I can’t bear to part with will find a new home. (the basket is overflowing). In the meantime, the dishwasher was emptied and reloaded, kitchen counters cleaned. There was a large bag of acrylic yarn – left overs from some projects, some others had given me when they were cleaning out their stashes, etc. Some has been in there for years – prior to my living here. I looked at and decided – yes, I have become a yarn snob. I don’t like totally acrylic yarns anymore since I started using wools or blends of wools, silk, cotton and bamboo. I knew I would never use them. There were two old quilts – one I found at a garage sale another a coworker had given me which someone in her family had made but she didn’t want it and thought I might. Both were probably from the 30s both had holes and were so fragile and shredding in places that they wouldn’t stand up to any cleaning, there not even any areas of blocks that were good enough to keep a single section of to maybe frame as artwork. They went in another bag. Now I can hear the gasps of horror already but I put them on top of the dumpster (on the lid not in it) at the apartment. I put them in clear bags since I suspected they wouldn’t stay there long. Half hour later when I went out to get the mail, both were gone. Someone wanted them and now they have a new home. “Stuff” that was just taking up space was getting cleaned out which was a good thing, making more room for the things I really love. Progress.
Next it was on to the overflowing knitting basket with things in progress, things I need to rip out, finished scarfs that need to be blocked and a whole lot of entanglement. I spread it all out on the couch and started untangling, put patterns with projects in progress so I would know where they were, projects that went astray that needed to be ripped out — yarn rewound into balls. Then the phone rang……
A friend who wanted to go out for lunch and make a stop at Kohl’s Dept. store – did I want to come Well I hadn’t had breakfast and it was lunch time – I’d been working hard – sure sounds good. Five hours later … returned home.
Several new articles of clothing – which were needed and also found great sales on – a few groceries, and some new dishes came home with me. I hate shopping for clothes but quickly found several items I really liked – I love it when it works that way – quick trip in, find a few things, try them on when I get home (and they all fit and are perfect). I even picked up two necklaces and earings sets to go with them so I’ll be stylin. 🙂
I love dishes, I don’t know why, but they come in such great styles and colors I can’t resist them. I bought new ones when I moved in here not taking into account their size — they are large, heavy and square. I just liked the look of them. The dinner plates (which could double as a platter) just barely fit in my cupboard, they don’t fit well in the dishwasher, and they are very heavy stoneware so you get your workout when unloading the dishwasher. I hate them every time I have to load the dishwasher so they have now been replaced. I spied these at the Boston Store – my favorite place to buy housewares stuff.
And I fell in love with them. They are not huge and will fit in the dishwasher and cabinets well. The coffee cups are a decent size – I hate those sets where you get those tiny coffee cups — I like my coffee and don’t want to be hopping up to refill all the time. I loved the size and shape of the bowls. Bonus!- they were marked down, then they were also 60% off that price, they were begging to be bought but what color? Finally decided on the aqua. Then there was an additional 15 or 20 % percent taken off by the lady who checked me out even tho I hadn’t brought with me some coupon that went out in the mail – she gave me that discount too. It was truly a bargain and after she rang me out I realized I had only bought settings for 4 – even if it’s just me I don’t want to be doing dishes that often. So at that great price, went to get another set but none the same color left. Since I had been debating between the two, decided one set of each worked just fine so got the purple ones. Now I’m just waiting for the dishwasher to finish so I can stack these all in there and wash them.
Now that I’m back home, groceries put away, new clothes de-tagged and hanging in the closet, I’m trying to get myself enthused about doing some more cleaning (it’s not working well). I really want to go sit and work on the new sweater I started. I’m not far
since I fell asleep watching a movie (talk about crink in the neck when I woke up) but I’ve got a start. It’s knit from the top down and you may be able to see the first buttonhole on the left edge in the photo. I’ve never made single row bound off buttonholes and it was amazingly easy. I’m anxious to get down past the yoke part, which is all garter stitch – to the lace work bottom.
But I shall persevere a bit longer and finish cleaning up the knitting stuff on the couch (since I want to rearrange the furniture tomorrow) and then pick up my knitting.
WHEW! a busy day and if you’ve read to the bottom of all this rambling – you have persevered too! 🙂
Justquiltin with Denise Russart 