Monday, November 10, 2014

Rambling…


The bathroom is down to twos and threes, from sixes and sevens. Even worse than sleeping in the guest room and traipsing down and upstairs for a toilet a couple of days has been finding the baskets my heart desired for my storage shelves. The first set became too wide when door trim was added. 

The second set was returned when I learned it is necessary to inquire which dimension is which, shopping online. Length, width and height are interchangeable, I found; set two was returned, set three is being shipped.

The faithful old toilet brush, veteran of almost thirty years cleaning, did not reappear when the renovation was complete. Inquiries returned blank stares, so I shopped tonight for a new one. When did toilet plungers and toilet brushes become a combo? One base, two handles. Pop it open and one handle belongs to a plunger, the other the brush.

I stood in the aisle sadly surveying the display of brush, plunger combo packs. Suddenly in the back, almost behind the mop display, a single handle. I pulled it and found a brush, not a plunger. Granted one must open a little door to transfer the business end to the toilet; nevertheless, bonanza, and less than half the price.

Sitting here I realize I missed one item on my mental shopping list. Coffee filters. My monitor is liberally splattered with coffee. You know why. I read it can be dabbed away with a coffee filter dampened with distilled water. We’ll see, when I remember the filters.

I had an hour around town tonight, returning the nine inch deep and ten inch wide baskets, shopping, because Laura’s art teacher is up and teaching, although only two of her old students. The hip replacement was extra complicated and Mrs. P won’t be back in her upstairs, downtown studio until next year.  We went to her home, an hour’s walk from Laura’s school.

Laura’s art assignment over the next two weeks; turn her sketch of two fried eggs into a color portrait of two fried eggs.  The yolks are orange yellow, she explained on the way home; the whites are really grey white, but with crispy brown edges. I like mine over easy, with many little crispy brown circles looking back, but hers already are sunny side up.



A house in town. The ivy makes this tree seem to have leaves, but look at the bare branches beyond the flag pole. We expect winter by Wednesday.

25 comments:

  1. Storage baskets are SUCH a good idea. Sigh on the toilet brush front.
    I hope winter comes gently and treats you all kindly.

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  2. I've never seen the brush/plunger combo. I bought a brush when I moved here. Cheap at Target. I hope I have contributed to you laughing and spitting coffee on your monitor. A number of people have blamed me for their choking and/or spitting.

    Love,
    Janie

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  3. A good toilet brush is a must. A combo pack? Obviously invented by someone who has a cleaner.
    Jane x

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  4. The designer of the toilet brush/plunger combo has obviously never had to clean a toilet, then again... I use mouthwash for cleaning mine, so who am I to talk?

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  5. Oh no, winter so soon? Interesting art project Laura has; not sure I would be able to do it! That is weird with the plunger/brush combo. I definitely wouldn't like it!

    betty

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  6. "twos and threes" - hah! good one :)

    It makes me so sad when good basic stuff disappears from the shelves, replaced by "new and improved" that really aren't.

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  7. Reno's seem to drag on forever don't they?

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  8. Hari OM
    It is always the 'fag-end' of refinement which can cause as much inconvenience! The end in sight though. Minne'snow'ta has been hit so I guess it can only stretch South to you now... and as all our weather comes from over the pond, it might be here by Christmas.....sigh..... YAM xx

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  9. Dear Jane,
    you often are are source for amplifying my 'treasury of word'. How extraordinary sounds a "plunger" - we don't have the combination here (though I will not deny its worthiness - we just call a plumber, but that's city-life).

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  10. When we redid our bathroom in August, I spent more time choosing the little things than the major parts. I was back and forth to the stores buying and returning towels, rugs, curtains, lighting, baskets, pictures, etc. When I went for the essentials, tile, vanity, mirrors, and hardware, it was one and done.

    You just reminded me. I need to get a new brush/plunger. Here, I thought I was done.

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  11. that's one of the big drawbacks to shopping online, the pictures can look so good and then you get the item and can be disappointed.

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  12. can't wait to see the painting of the eggs

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  13. I had to look very closely and carefully to see that the tree looked like it has leaves when actually it is the ivy. Nature !!

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  14. My mother always used to call these 'the dark days before Christmas'. Once Christmas is over and with it the
    shortest day, the daylight begins to creep back and soon we are no longer getting up in the dark - that is the bit I hate most.
    I love that tree covered in ivy - cheers one up to see the greenery.

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  15. "faithful old toilet brush" - what other kind is there?

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  16. A thirty year old toilet brush?? What was it made of? I buy the cheap plastic ones from Cheap-as Chips, they're $2 and they last a couple of years before the base of the bristles starts to look rusty, they must be held in with something metal, after that they still hold together for several years before the bristles start falling out. About five years or so.
    Love the ivy covered tree, I thought it was just leaves too, and of course it is, but ivy leaves not tree leaves.

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  17. I see on the weather channel that Ohio and Michigan will be seeing snow on Thursday. I was raised in Michigan so I always check out their weather. So winter is definitely headed your way. Even the Pacific Northwest is going to be experiencing very cold weather beginning on Thursday -- looks like rain mostly. But the weather doesn't always follow the weather man -- maybe all these predictions will change? -- barbara

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  18. Yep, I am scared about the morning.

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  19. Matching toilet things, well I never.
    Merle........

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  20. Wonderfull tree, •
    Have a nice week, greeting from Belgium

    http://retriever-louisettesblogs.blogspot.be/2014/11/armistice-tombeau-du-soldat-inconnu.html

    http://louisette.eklablog.com/mes-autres-blogs-p842116

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  21. I just wasn't ready for the jump from toilet brushes to coffee filters!

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  22. haha that was some toilet brush you got rid of joanne!! that egg painting sounds cool--please share when it's done----love the ivy tree and it looks like an unusual house too-----hey don't forget the coffee filters :)

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  23. winter by Wednesday? not fair! we should not be having winter before you. Of course, I suppose it depends on what you call winter.

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  24. I created a fried egg painting (abstract) in college art class. I took it home and it has wandered to various relatives' homes. Do not know where it ended up---Good Will?

    Your brush lasted 30 years? Wow. We bought our current one at IKEA five years ago. It is well designed, and has lasted. But then, the kids all have their own homes.

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  25. I had no idea about the scrub brush/plunger combo, either. Guess that tells you how au courant I stay when it comes to bathroom accoutrements. I anxiously await the outcome of the basket hunt!

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