On Sunday JoAnn and I had this one-way (notice how I say one-say, which should give you a clue as to how it went) conversation about cleaning up her sewing room. It was getting to where you could hardly get in the room and it had been weeks and weeks since she last sewed in the room. Of course she was working on Mike & Allison's quilt and that did require more space, but while she was off doing that the material seemed to breed and multiply on her desk. So I put my foot down and said, I want that room clean. Yes, it hurt when I put my foot down.
I got home after a late class yesterday and walked by her sewing room and it was "beautifully clean." I was so impressed. I went into the living room to tell her so. She was busy at the dining room table cutting out material for her next projects (note that there is more than one project). I really wanted to let her know just how wonderful and clean and organized the room looked. And it did and does. She was gracious in receiving my appreciation, even though I probably should have been skewered for suggesting she do something when she has been so busy. So she met the spirit and letter of the request (not the law as I published in the title.
I'm really impressed. It's clean and ready to go. I hope I don't have to make my desk look this good.
I really didn't pay much attention to the rest of the living room until we got ready to sit down to a bowl of soup and as I looked around me, there were piles of material everywhere (maybe a slight over exaggeration). My first comment was, "So, we moved the material from the sewing room to here?" She quickly responded with a spirited, "Well yes, the room is clean, isn't it?" I was boxed, what could I say. So much for the spirit of cleaning - or at least that was what I thought. I could not have been more wrong. Oh, I was right about the material hanging around the living room couch, but wrong about why.
Later she shared with me all of the piles individually and intimately explaining how each was a project and what it would look like when completed. It took all my patience to get through this. She unfolded item after item and showed it to me. The whole time I'm telling myself, I don't need to see the whole thing, and finally I said that (I know, dumb idea). To which JoAnn responded, "I want to see it again, it's so beautiful." I was trapped, but also aware I had judged too soon. I wasn't looking at random piles of material located on the couch to avoid storing them. No, I was looking a multiple projects, all carefully thought out and organized. I know there is a lesson in there for me and someday I will have to ponder it out. For now I'm just happy I was wrong.
It looks pretty ugly, but I thought I took 2 photos. No just one and I could tell you it looks like this so you wouldn't know what they are - but you know me too well.
4 comments:
That is what you get for telling mom to clean!! You then have to listen to us!!!!!! ove it!!L
I know why the second picture was blurred! They are all Christmas projects! You can't give any clues away before they're done! Yeah for mom getting the room clean, I sew in the kitchen and it's really hard to keep clean!
Go Mom! Cleaning is the hardest thing sometimes and it takes some serious motivation. But it looks beautiful!
You should never tell Mom to clean her sewing room. Don't you know by now that every pile is a project waiting to happen! Also when you told her you didn't need to knoe everything she is doing just remember ALL of your projects she sits through (and not to mention moods)! But seriously Dad I laughed through this whole post as I read. If there's one thing I've learned from my Father-in-Law, you don't make demands from the woman who prepares your meals - she can always start burning the food!! Anyway more posts like that are needed because they are just so funny! we love you!
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