I read this in a class last week and got a positive response, so I'm passing it on to you on this gloomy first day of the week, maybe it will make you smile. I hope so. Mary Pat
I used to feel sorry for Jackie Onassis, no not for what you might think of --- like the tragic death of her husband or her brother- in- law, not that. I used to feel sorry for her because I wondered what she did when she was upset if she didn't have to clean her house?
I mean there are days I would give anything for help, HELP, help of any kind and especially household help, so much of my time is spent on nitty gritty housey things that I don't have time for much else. But, when I get down, when I get blue, when I find myself alone on New Year's Eve and about to feel sorry for myself, I go to the greatest therapy.
One New Year's morning, I awoke with a clean oven, don't laugh, I really did. The shower curtain was still soaking in its bath of various things and just had to be scrubbed a little more and rinsed. Then it would be like new and to think I used to throw them out and buy new ones. Of course, I hate to tell you how much I hate the color of this particular shower curtain and how many times I've wanted to throw it out but now it’s resplendent in its cleanliness, a little too resplendent for someone who doesn't favor an ‘orange crush’ color. But, I love knowing that once it was really really grody and now it’s wonderfully clean and beautiful. Although, again, it clashes with the red of the geraniums blooming on the windowsill. Ouii.
Hmm --- yet, another thing to attack --- the plants --- prune them, water them, soak them from underneath, rid them of ‘toxins’ for the grand new year, oh, there is so much scrubbing to do, so much therapy to be had. I know I only buy shower curtain liners at discount stores and they only cost a dollar or two but what a feeling of accomplishment on New Year's Eve to clean that baby up.
New Year's Day will be the floors, a huge closet, more of the insides of the stove etc., etc. How did Jackie do it??? How does anyone who doesn't clean get through those times when your stomach is sitting on top of your not very well-polished shoes? How do women who have ‘help’ get through the blues? I guess they go buy things or have time to jog around the Reservoir (that would help) or go to a really good play and eat at the 21 Club after. I guess there are other things that hold people together but cleaning is a tried and true one.
Many ethnic cultures have long known that when the demons come crying --- work, work, work and scour, scour, then scour some more.
I'm sure it's what happened on farms of yesteryear when people just fell into bed at the end of the day, too tired to be depressed. Work, work, scrub, scrub, dust, dust, sweep, sweep --- oh, it will all come back again, that’s disappointing. But, for the time being, the demons sit back down; they leave the pit of your stomach and stop burbling. Until, of course, you get into bed and remember about them, until you have time to think. But, while you move around swinging various implements, while you run the water and experiment with various forms of foams and sure-to-work cleansers, they’re quiet, quieted, quelled.
MPKane
Monday, October 3, 2011
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