1. Have any of you seen that show on A&E called "Hoarders"? I just did a full-body shiver thinking about it. A month or so ago Brian and I rented the HBO movie "Grey Gardens" - which is about a couple of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy's cousins, Big Edie Bouvier Beale (the mom) and Little Edie Bouvier Beale (the daughter). They lived in this gorgeous home in East Hampton and both of them fancied themselves singer/dancers. That's fine when you've got money and friends. Big Edie's husband leaves her for another woman (I don't think they actually got divorced) and the money runs out. Then the friends run out. Pretty soon the house falls into disrepair and the two women quarantine themselves from the rest of the world inside. After some years, the Beale's situation is brought to the attention of Jacqueline Kennedy and she pays them a visit. 
The ladies are living without running water, without heat of any kind, garbage and rodents (including a few raccoons) occupy every inch of floor space in their once beautiful home. The walls are black with mold and a tree has come through a window and started growing into the house. It's heartbreaking. The worst part is that the women don't seem to think anything is wrong with the way they're living. (Jacqueline Kennedy arranges for the house to be cleaned up and pays to have the water and heat and all that turned back on.) A couple of documentary film makers find out about the Beales and make a movie about them. Little Edie does song and dance routines and Big Edie sings for them.Anyway, this hoarding stuff is for real. It's a full-on mental illness. One of the women on "Hoarders" didn't use her toilet for two years. She used diapers and when they were soiled, she'd take them off and toss them behind her. She slept in a chair in the middle of a tower of garbage in her kitchen. I should be freaked out by this, right? Yesterday I gave away several of Bridget's baby things (high chair, exersaucer, bouncy seat, etc.) to The Road Home and today I cleaned my family room and I was ruthless. No one is going to find me in a pile of trash that I considered too sentimental to throw away! I choose life!
2. This is my last week of teaching piano lessons for this year. I've taught approximately 560 half hour lessons this year. Sometimes when I wonder why my house is messy or why I don't seem to have time to work out or why the phrase, "I didn't have time to practice" is becoming my "How about a game of Solitaire?" hypnotic suggestion, I need to remember that 22 is a lot of piano students to have. Baby steps to total balance.
3. I made 80 car seat covers this year. And those aren't the only things I've made. I had to go on a Fabric Fast in November because I recognized the problem. Then I binged on fabric the day after Thanksgiving. Now I'm right back where I started - embroiled in addiction. After Christmas I'll justify myself with an impressive display of what I've done with all the scraps from the car seat covers. Who doesn't love justification?
4. Bridget and I made crown-shaped cookies yesterday afternoon. In this photo Bridget is wearing her sparkly skirt that Aunt Allyn made and the scarf Aunt Katy made her is wrapped around her shoulders and neck. She calls the scarf styling her "Cinderella dress." She has a real Cinderella dress, but the scarf is the dress the mice and the birds made for Cinderella - the one that gets ruined. Remember how the birds cross the sash from the waist to the shoulders and tie a bow? REMEMBER THAT? Anyway, Bridget has replicated it exactly.Speaking of exact replications, here is the get up Bridget fell asleep wearing the other night:
It's a towel/turban like the one Mommy has on her head most of Sunday morning before blow drying her hair. Bridget also has her favorite blankie wrapped around her waist for a "skirt." (While you're at it, get a load of that awesome pillow she's resting on. I used car seat cover scraps to make that. Jealous much?)In conclusion, I have written this post to the tune of constant chatter from Bridget. Off I go to throw more stuff away.
8 comments:
Hoarders makes me sad. It's so amazing how people can live like that.
I remember the first dress from Cinderella. Kudos to Bridget for re-creating that. :) I will have to watch "Hoarders". I come from a line of packrats and am trying to kick the habit myself. But by the same token, I am glad that I'm not THAT far gone!
I saw Gray Garden's and EWWWWW! I don't think I could even tolerate the A&E show. There is very little in this world that gives me more pleasure than throwing things away. I seriously get a high from it. Sometimes it make my husband a little cross when some of his stuff goes missing.
Also, I love piano teachers. My daughters is awesome! We drive clear to Bountiful every week just to have her teach Mary Kate. So worth it. Love piano teachers!
I can't wait to see what you did with your scraps,and finally, Bridget is very, very cute. I love how obsessed she is with Cinderella.
I'm amazed at the rampant cleaning I did today before I even talked to you or read this post. The upstairs is freeeeee of all clutter (OK, except my dresser, but give me a little allowance). I must move on to my computer desk that is currently grossing me out. I can't see my desk top (or my desktop). Cleaning and de-junking continues.
I love minky pillow cases. That's all we have at our house now. And all were made from scraps. And none are matching. Hee hee.
Last, but not least, the word verification for this comment is "kiestri." Do you think it knows how close that is to my name? Weird.
Bridget's Cinderella dress kills me! You've been a busy girl this year. Good work.
Hoarding is a disease. And yes, hoarding fabric is included (mother). It takes courage to get rid of things that we think we'll need some day, but haven't used in the past 5 years.
Love the turbin, just like Mommy's.
Eww the idea of hoarding make me sick!
So this is going to be the most random comment from me, ever. For Thanksgiving I was up in Utah, in Draper at the Harmon's by the freeway. It was on Wednesday night around 5:00 and I saw a lady and a little girl that looked like you and Bridget. I wasn't sure if it was you or not. It probably wasn't and I didn't want to be that crazy person in the grocery store that follows you and your daughter and then asks "do you have a blog?!? Because I read it all the time even if I don't comment much..." and turns out it isn't even you.
Long story short, I thought of you on Thanksgiving and I was wondering if you live in Draper?
Have so wanted to see that Grey Gardens movie but it seemed a bit off, yet intriguing. I am still interested. I am waiting with such suspensful (is that a word?) feelings for the post-christmas blogging of all the creations you have, especially the ones made from leftovers. Oh - inspire me!
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