Last Wednesday found me once again in the ophthalmologists’ office. A different doctor this time, checking to make sure cataract surgery was healing as it should.
First the young (by my standards) technician came in to do the pre-exam work. What could I see? Not a lot yet but what I could see was more clear.
As she donned her pretty purple surgical gloves, I voiced my envy. I had just been to the hardware store to get more disposable gloves for painting my house. I’m a very messy painter but the job gets done. I could only find gloves that said “one size fits all.” How can that be?
Took these back to the store.
I put them on and the gloves from the hardware store fell off. Well that wouldn’t work. How can a glove made to fit a much larger man, fit me?
I told the technician about my dilemma. She told me I could buy the kind they used there, at their pharmacy. What size did I need? I replied I thought a small would work. She handed me one. Yes, it did. She gave me a second so I had a pair. Off we went to the pharmacy and purchased a whole box of these lovelies. The cost was less than what I paid at the hardware or grocery for half as many. Just to let you know how messy I am, I buy an outfit at the thrift store for painting only. At the end of the seasons painting, it usually is so covered in paint, it just goes in the waste bin. Yes, I wash them in between. Painting is hot work.
I love these. Perfect color and they don’t fall off.
How many areas in life are we accepting the notion of one size fits all? Many clothes are made that way. How about one size fits some.
Education is designed to have one method of teaching for all the children in a class. All teachers must follow the one set of standards. If we only had one sized car, we either all drive a big beast of a vehicle or a family of 6 or 8 would have to cram into a Mini Cooper.
Different vehicles for different applications.
This would be a great one for short trips to the market. You couldn’t buy much though.
They don’t make one sized can of paint or one brand. Why just one size glove? How would one genre of book work for everyone? We are all such unique human beings that nothing should be one size fits all. Who came up with this hair-brained idea? I think they need a smack on the back of the head.
Even thoughts don’t come in one size
How many areas have you seen the “one size fits all” attitude inflicted on you?
From my heart to yours,
Marlene Herself
insearchofitall 
Comments on: "One Size Fits All" (59)
I hope your eyes heal very fast and you are able to get back to doing all those things you love!
Linda
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It’s at least a 4 to 6 week process. I’m expecting good things. I still do things, it’s just harder than before. Stopping isn’t an option. You know how that is. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
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In my house we always used to say One size fits no one.
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And that is the real truth of the matter! Well said! 🙂 Thanks for the visit.
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I never understood the ‘one size fits all’ thing either. I’m glad you found gloves that fit in a pretty color too. 🙂 Hope the eyes keep getting better and clearer. Have a great week, Marlene. Big hugs!
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Thank you, Jackie. Some days I think it’s getting better and lately I feel like I’m struggling more. Thanks for stopping by. I’m so busy reading posts, I rarely get around to writing one.
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Hi Marlene! I once bought a t-shirt which had a “one size fits most” label!
I am glad your eye is so much better, and that you get to paint in style!
Have a nice afternoon! 😉
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Worked on a quilt today. It did not go well. Oh well. I did my best and it’s out of the sewing room. On to the next project. Are you getting excited? I am for you. 🙂
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All your quilts are beautiful Marlene! I am getting excited! I have been cleaning up and did the front yard clean-up today. Now I am tired and ready for some downtime. I’m not sure if I’ll make it down to OC on Wednesday. I will try! It would be good to get the butterfly bushes started while it is cool and they are hydrated from all the rain.
Have a great quilt group time tomorrow. 😉
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I’m going to leave early. Eyes can’t take it that long. Probably around 2. 🙂
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Maybe I’ll try to come after that, if it works for you!
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:)))
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I’ll call you before I leave!
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Gives me the excuse to leave early. :))
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👍
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What a big heart your technician had! Glad to hear the eye is getting better – small steps still can get you there 🙂 Happy painting in your snazzy well fitting gloves!
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Thanks, Pauline. So close yet so far away from the finish line. But the house is looking just wonderful. I love the happy yellow color. I still have some fencing and railings to paint so those gloves will get a good workout. They are wonderful for craft painting as well. The technician was a doll and I let her know how much I appreciated the information. I can hardly wait for new glasses. Hope you are doing well as autumn comes your way. My favorite time of year. 🙂 Hugs.
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I’m really happy to hear your eyes are improving, Marlene. I never got the “one size fits all.” I wonder if that was invented by a man…
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Had to be a man, a woman would know better. 🙂
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Hey Marlene, you’d be totally surprised at how much stuff I fit in my Mini Coop, including my chocolate labby. Seriously, though, things that fit do work better.
By the way, how are your eyes doing?
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They are healing nicely but no way to tell the end result until I get new glasses. I will always have more vision limitations than many but try not to let it slow me down. I just make adjustments. My son loves the Mini and at 6 foot tall, enjoyed driving one. but he loves a car with a bit more leg and head room. I wouldn’t mind one for short runs but mostly my beast is a working truck. It hauls lumber, concrete and all kinds of stuff. A different vehicle for different needs. I loved your mini. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
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Have a great week!
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Oh, another truck woman! Mu family think i’m nuts, but I, too, love a multi-purpose truck. Still miss mine and don’t have one at present. Maybe one day . . .
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I bought my suburban new in 2006, it was a 2005 and they wanted it off the lot so I got a good deal. It will be my last vehicle and I treat it accordingly. Mostly my kids drive me places in it. My son wants it when I finally give up driving completely. I did have to put a brand new engine in it this year. 😦 Bad gas left something behind. It should last as long as we can get gasoline now. 🙂 That truck works harder than I do. 🙂
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Hey ho Wonderfrau ! So you’re painting up a storm? Way to get things done. You must have the nicest place on the block. I was just at a garden centre today and loaded up. I’m off work till Thursday and must get it all done.
That ‘one-size’ thing is a conundrum. I bought some really, really cute, ‘one size’ stockings in San Francisco. They were black cat stockings. I excitedly tried to put them on when I got home but realized immediately they were entirely meant for someone way smaller. I sent them off to Dani in Australia for Tottie. She sent a photo back and they were adorable on her. So all was not lost. xo B
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It’s not the nicest place yet but I’m working on it. 🙂 I’m still getting areas ready to plant and waiting for my kid to help build planting beds for veggies and herbs. In the meantime, just keep plugging along.
I don’t get the one size thing. Even beds come in more than that. 🙂 I would have loved to see the cat stockings on Tottie. Did you post the pic on Facebook? It’s great you have some time off. We all need it now and then. 🙂
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Boomdee, you crack me up with your never-ending supply of pet names. Wonderfrau, indeed. I think Marvellene from the last post is my fave for Marlene so far. You must be too small a person to keep that much pure fun energy bottled inside, and it bursts out in every post and comment. I’ll bet you speak that way too. I want a wind-up Boomdee doll that has a new happy thing to say each time I pull the cord, ha ha.
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I love it. Wind up a Boomdee doll and have her say something happy. I think you have a marketable idea there. She is a treasure, that one. I like both my nicknames here. 🙂
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Crystal ! You dang spoiler 😀 xo Tis a thing I reserve ‘just’ for Marlene, Marvellene,
Marlene-a-go-go, Marlenie-bean and my personal favourite Wonderfrau or Vonderfrau (if you’re feeling very European). A silly tradition I began to entertain yours truly. Now, a wind up Boomdee doll you say? Good grief, the word may never recover from the chaos. I still have a doll from my childhood that talks when I pull the cord. I thinks she’s kind of creepy now, Ha! x Boom
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Glad you are improving. Even sizes like small, medium, large, extra large are fairly meaningless, who decides which was what?
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Thanks for stopping by, and I have no idea who makes those decisions. Probably a man. 🙂 Those gloves have some stretch to them but one size fits all is just ludicrous.
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It’s good to know that doctors and nurses don’t settle for gloves that don’t fit! And how nice of the tech to be so helpful. I’m impressed that you’re painting–I hate to do it and would definitely use cataract surgery (or a hangnail!) as an excuse not to bother!
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Thanks for stopping by, Kerry. I love painting and could hardly wait for the all clear to begin the job again. Anything that makes my home look fresh and bright is on my list. My son insisted on doing the really high spots as I’m not supposed to be on ladders. 🙂 I just go on the shorter ladders. So far, so good. 🙂 I can’t afford to have the job done for me, so I do it myself! DIY. It looks so happy, all yellow. 🙂
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I’m fortunately able to attain the size M that I need, through the same pharmacy that sends me my meds. I use two or more, daily to meet my needs, and one box lasts for a couple months. One evening, we were able to fit 3 full-grown adults and a folded wheelchair into one of those Cooper Minis. 🙂
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They are wonderful little cars. My son loved driving his friends. In Europe, they mostly drive tiny cars and that’s a good thing. I drive a truck car because it’s always been a working vehicle. It hauls a LOT of stuff. 😉 I had no idea that you could get those gloves from the pharmacy. Learned something new that day. I’ll have that box for a year or more. 😉 Thanks for stopping by.
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You’re so right, Marlene. Too many things in life should NOT be deemed suitable for all.
So glad your eye is improving. Good luck with all the painting ~ it will look awesome when it’s done!
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Thank you, Carol. It is looking so nice already and we are so close to done. Nothing in life is suitable for all. 🙂 We are all too unique. Isn’t that wonderful?!!! Thanks for stopping by.
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Three cheers for our uniqueness, Marlene!
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Love that you got some surgical gloves that fitted you and your needs.. We buy a box of similar gloves and use for the real messy jobs.. And used a pair similar for painting our shed.. But managed to splash on my old gardening trousers…
You should see me some days in the garden when I know I am going to weed or dig.. Out come the old pairs of pants and tops.. 🙂
Yes I agree about your thoughts on education Marlene.. They often teach a lot of skills that are never going to be used when adults.. I am thankful that when I was in school they taught home crafts, baking and cooking. I learnt how to sew, and made my first dress in school..
One of many skills which proved invaluable later in life.. 🙂 unlike algebra which I never had the cause to use Once! 🙂
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Our working outfits are just that. For working in. I’m a sight too when I come in from the yard. I had such a spotty education in so many different schools that it ended up being my mother that helped me learn my multiplication. I had to teach myself everything else. My mother sewed but she taught herself and refused to teach me or allow me to try. So once my children came, I taught myself to do all the things I wanted to try. That’s why I love books. You can learn anything from them. I’ve never used algebra either though I wish I understood geometry better. Great for quilting, I think. There were no art or music classes either and I think we need more, not less of that. You were very fortunate to have a broader education. I’m saving your quest series to read all together. 🙂 It’s going to rain all next week so I will be indoors. 🙂
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Ooooh How wonderful that you taught your self.. Yes I attended an ALL girls school.. It was a secondary school one which those with not the greatest of brains attended LOL as we were in those days set an exam called the 11 plus.. we took aged eleven.. If you failed you went to secondary schools they were always segregated in those days to girls and boys schools.. The posh school was then a school called the Lady Manners named after a Lady of the Manor in Bakewell.. It had music and languages and you could go onto University from there if your parents could afford to send you.. 🙂
But I was lucky in our girls school as in the last term they also had a small cottage which 6 girls in the last year at school would take it in turns for several weeks to attend..
Here we would run it like a home.. Bring washing to wash, iron, mend, make curtains etc.. And cook.. And learn to live on a budget.. We would invite daily teachers to lunch which we had cooked.. A great learning tool for any would be house wife to be 🙂 that was in the 60’s
And thank you for that info of reading all of Muna’s Vision Quest together.. I hope I loaded all pages upon the link for easier reading .. A great honour you do me .. Thank you xx
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What a good idea to go to Goodwill for a painting outfit each year! A simple solution to a recurrent problem. I am going to use your idea. I got another good one yesterday when I talked to a professional lawnmower man. My fixed-up lawnmower has a new attachment that they thoughtfully replaced because it had been torn off at some point in the past. Now there is a large plastic safety cover over the place where the clippings blow out, making the mower about 18″ wider. Too wide to drive it into the shed. I said, “Hey, since you do this for a living, you must have a suggestion.” He sure did, and showed me his DIY bungee-and-hook fix to pull the safety guard out of the way. Just think of how lovely the world could be if we could somehow give all our great ideas to others who can use them.
One size fits all makes me think of social attitudes. I’m all hung up on my frustration with people’s intolerance lately. Otherwise good human beings can waste so much time on cultivating bad energy, hating Republicans, or Mexicans, or transgender people, or Palestinians, or Christians, or new popular music, or kids who spend a lot of time online, or graffiti artists, or the homeless, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. Gah! It makes me want to shake them all by the shoulders. Just because one version of what a good life is works for you, does NOT mean it is the good life for someone else. So stop judging! And find your peace.
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Crystal, your analogy to people, faith, gender, race is right on. We are not all alike, any more than we are “one size fits all”.
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I have very few clothes that are suitable for work wear. If I have something to paint or work in, I usually wear it out. I love picking up work clothes for next to nothing.
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You make me laugh, Crystal. I understand your frustration with intolerance and we get intolerant of the intolerant. I’ve hit an odd point in my life. I figured out we are supposed to be different and have different points of view. I love it. The Universe speaks only love…of everything. Don’t speak unless you can use that language. My own kid gets frustrated with me. We are all supposed to be different and since there are so many of us, the differences are expanding. There was a time when I didn’t like white walls. Now I love them. It’s wonderful that I get to choose a different viewpoint and let it be ok. Life is supposed to be fun and joyfilled. If you are being judgemental, you can’t be in joy. Nuff said. 🙂 I think those things people have shown you are what are now called life hacks. Easy ways to do something and share them. I’ll bet there are lots on Pinterest. I’m glad you had some time to stop by for a visit. 🙂 Hugs.
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Yes! Life hacks. I have heard that expression. Your response here reminds me again that we are destined to be friends. Love you, ❤
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That makes me very happy, Crystal. I can use a best friend. Miss you too. Giant squishy hugs.
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Marlene, I wonder as your wrote this post, if you knew it would lead to such an interesting comment section.
I’ll be happy to send you a whole box of gloves. I only have blue right now, but I have small (which is what I wear).
Keep on healing, my friend
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I didn’t care about the color Laurie, just the size. There were 200 in that box!!! It could take years to go through that many or at least one they way I have gone through them. Thanks for the offer though. I love coming up with a topic that leads to great conversations even though unplanned. Thanks for stopping by. Healing continues. 🙂
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Marlene, obviously you found a subject that resonates for a lot of people. Many years ago (like early 80’s) there was a TV show called Square Pegs, and the theme ended with the declaration “One size does NOT fit all!” How true. “One size fits all” ranks right up there with “your call is important to us” and “for your convenience…”
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Ah yes, those other two thorns in the side. Forgot about those. I found a package of gloves under the sink today. It was leaking so guess how we spent our day. The gloves actually said “one size fits most!” I was shocked. I think those stayed on better than the one size fits all . 🙂 I think we are all getting fed up with”for our convenience” Great point.
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You have had a time, haven’t you? I really hope your eyesight improves. You still have many tasks to complete it seems as well as many stitches left to sew! Being on the larger end I have hated the one size fits all since I was often left wanting for a few extra inches to cover my one size. I do think one size ideas are only good in theory but despite our similarities we really are also different in our preferences, needs, and learning abilities. I do like that the schools have recognized this and offer more options.
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Get new prescription tomorrow and order new glasses! 😉 I’m lucky in so many ways that I don’t let the little things get me down. I know so many who have things tougher. I know what you mean about being on the larger end. Though my son’s hands are large, there are men with much larger hands that don’t fit the size L gloves. I realized they make what they can make the most money from but it’s frustrating when you don’t fit in the box. Some schools have better options, most still don’t. My kids got an average or below education. I took it upon myself to do my best to provide what the school didn’t. We spent a lot of money on books and traveled with our kids. If they had a question, we would try to answer it or find someone who could. I’m glad to see you drop by and hope you are doing well. Miss you. Hugs.
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Thanks Marlene. So many blogs so little time and keeping up with my own has become increasingly difficult. I’m going to hang in there because I actually enjoy it. Glad to hear you’re getting your glasses. Yes, parents need to be so active in their kids education (and lives) many are just too busy. If we don’t invest in our youth where will our world be in the future? You do have such a positive outlook and always a kind word for everybody. I’m definitely going to let you know when I’m in Portland. I would love to get together for a coffee or iced tea!
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I’m looking forward to a visit. Love this town. I’ve been having the same struggles to keep up. If someone writes everyday on their blog, I pick one a week to read and let the rest go. Just can’t read it all and do everything else, There is a lot to do. 🙂 Hope you are doing well and have a happy Memorial weekend. Hugs.
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Ha! Great point Marlene! That is rather silly isn’t it? But how great that you got your purple painting gloves right there at the pharmacy and for half the price…just goes to show, you never know who might help you out with some good advice. Great to hear you are recovering so well from your eye op. And I did laugh about the cars, I had a mini (first ever car) and used to cram in all my friends, goodness knows how (and we’re talking the 70’s so no seat belts) and I also had a Chevy Surburban in my California Mom days. By then it was the kids’ friends not mine I was ferrying around, and happily. Miss those days… 😉 I never did get the education thing. My daughter absolutely hated PE and her PE teacher was horrible to her for that. Just how can each child be expected to be cookie-molded into the same shape with the same abilities? But that makes for a whole other story! And the painting? Honestly, I am exactly the same, I ruin anything I wear when painting. Your idea of going to the thrift shop to buy a painting outfit is a great one – I’ll be heading there soon when we paint our upstairs, thanks for the tip! 🙂
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how are you now?
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I am wonderful, as always. Vision still inadequate but I learn to adapt. Thank you for your comment and for stopping by.
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I never seem to fit in any box, Marlene. My arms and legs are long, so women’s stuff never fits right. I buy men’s jeans and Tshirts and that’s mostly what I wear. I did buy some designer clothes a while back when I worked in her store and she was going out of business (therefor great discounts), but the best thing was I bought yards of her hand-batiked-in-Bali rayon fabric, which I’m hoping to keep, as I love to hand-stitch. In the 70s I hand-stitched all my dresses (long ones, of course). I ;have an idea for a bunad-style dress made with the green batik fabric; it would be much lighter than an authentic woolen dress, although I wouldn’t mind making one of those, either. But I’m only half Norwegian by heritage, so am thinking it might be ok to design my own take on it, starting with the traditional designs from my maternal grandparents, who were born in different areas, so their traditional clothing is different. Anyway . . .
My Aunty who passed away last year taught herself to sew very young, as she was under 5 feet tall and mostly the stores only had children’s clothing in that size. Not much of a fit, either, as a woman’s body is somewhat different.
I don’t fit in other boxes, either, but I’m not here to complain 🙂 I think by my time of life, we have to do what you have done; recognize the amazing variety of people and learn to love our own uniqueness. You do a great job showing the way.
I love the colours of your home; so cheerful and bright. I love yellow in a kitchen so that I can get up to a sunny morning no matter what the weather is doing. I love painting, too. These days I would probably choose mostly white and then change the accessories seasonally, but I don’t know. my most successful room (I think) was when I was living in a building that had been a boat-building place and then a bakery. It was a fairly large place, with a powder room and a fair-sized workroom inside the whole. As I lived in the smaller room, I wanted something bright that would set off a lovely pastel of a whale underwater that my husband had done, then given to me. It’s all blues and quite stunning. So first I put up painters’ tape to create lines that ran above the doors and windows (all at different heights); then I spent an hour or more a the paint shop having the exact colour mixed; I’m sure paint shop staff cringe when they see me coming, as I don’t tend to like the pre-mixed colours. I start with something, then have them add a drop of this and two drops of that until I get what I like. In this case, it was what I can only call ‘neon salmon’. I painted the room in a day. AS the sun went down across the lake far below, it shone right in the large west window and the room resembled the inside of a live fire-coal; I began to think I had finally gone too far, but it was too late. Still, once I’d set up a place to sleep, concrete blocks and boards for my gooks, hung the painting and arranged my plants, it was just lovely! So I was not discouraged . . .
Of course, in a rented place I can only paint if I re-paint when I leave, so I don’t bother. I just live with whatever is the current fashion. My last apartment was all tannish taupes and browns, sort of like cocoa inside a mug, with a chocolate feature wall. It made everything I owned look so shabby and ugly. I hung white sheets where I could and set up white bookshelves someone gave me and that helped a lot. But I never really felt at home there.
Well, this is a long comment, isn’t it? I hope not too much for you. I need to spread out my remarks a bit, methinks . . .
Glad your eyes are recovering; I know it’s a long process. Mum and one of my Aunties had it done and were happy with the results. I may yet have to do that myself. Once I’m back in BC.
Have a great week, Marlene. I’ll be back. Big hugs from the cooling northlands . . .
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