I admit it – I’m plagued by multiple, silly frustrations this morning. I want to be reflective like the chimes in the photo above, but I fear I am not. I want to be writing my next book and I know I am not.
The weather hasn’t been conducive to outside clothes drying for a few days. Today the sun is out and the sky is blue. I did two loads of laundry and filled the line but ran out of clothes pegs at the end. Seven forlorn socks stared at me from the basket. No problem. For years there has been a round pail full of clothes pegs stored in the back room. I brought them home from my dad’s place when he died. Though I’ve never had to access this resource, whenever the clothes pegs have run low, I’ve always congratulated myself on having this bucket tucked away.
I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this story. When I went to get that bucket of clothes pegs, it was no longer where I had seen it sitting for years. A futile ripping apart of the back closet was fruitless or more accurately, pegless. They had disappeared – and not even in plain sight.
The case of the disappeared clothes pegs resulted in a pointed accusation directed at Bruce. He must have moved them because I sure didn’t. I caught him in the middle of trying to pump up a flat tire and get to work. Oblivious to my need for these particular clothes pegs, he said, “I don’t know where they went. I can’t deal with this right now. I’ll buy you more clothes pegs when I’m in town.” You can imagine how highly unsatisfying that reaction was.
His response brought out my inevitable rant over dissatisfaction with limited storage space and our differing approaches to storage. I look at storage from the perspective that less used things should be buried in the back and the more frequently required items should be easier to access – a logical and common sense approach as far as I’m concerned. Bruce looks at a limited storage space like he’s building a jigsaw puzzle. If a particular item or box (whether we need it once a year or every ten years) fits in a certain spot, that’s where it goes – be it front, back or centre.
To be honest, I’m not sure where a bucket of clothes pegs that has not been required in the last five years should be stored.
And what of this irritation about not writing? We have jam-packed a mini social whirl into the last four days and, don’t get me wrong, it has been wonderful. We had a family guest who arrived Friday afternoon and stayed for dinner and overnight. I picked his brain for all sorts of interesting details about his work. I stored those away for future use. We said goodbye to some dear friends who are leaving the area after forty-five years. They made the trek out here for lunch yesterday. And last night, we had a riotous visit with our nearest cabin neighbours. The wine and conversation flowed. The laughter bounced off the walls and out over the lake. At one point, I’m sure all five of us were talking at the same time.
It’s vital for a writer to be out in the world with other people. Inevitably, this will take time from one’s passion for writing and thus we come, full circle. I’m frustrated I’m not making progress on the new book but at the same time I want these other experiences, too. I’m frustrated with social media because I want to be writing the book but I also want to connect through the blog. And how can I deny my pleasure at checking into Facebook and seeing my granddaughters having fun at the beach, a picture posted not five minutes ago. And finally, I’m frustrated at the loss of clothes pegs that are really just things, no matter the satisfaction I imagined I would derive from using them. Oh the sweet dichotomies of life.
With all that off my chest, I’m off to write. And as you can see in the picture below, the dilemma of seven forlorn socks was solved by double pegging.
disappearinginplainsight 
Why is it that it’s always an ODD number of socks left?
Enjoyed this post, understand your storage frustrations and loved the two little girls in their bathing suits – so cute!
Thanks, Jenny. Oh ya, those granddaughters – over the top on the cuteness scale, for sure. What is that saying? You can never have enough closets or book shelves. I agree with that one.
Nice. Yes, social life intruded here , too … family wedding anniversary, trip to London for that – and to see the kids … paying guest arriving tomorrow – etc … and the frustrations of book production of course, including writing the e-newsletter on Mailchimp! Have got to know that Chimp better, however!
Writers will just have to get comfortable with the idea that as humans, we are social beings. We are human, right? Not sure about the Chimp but here’s hoping (for the sake of newsletters) your relationship grows.
Yeah … chimp supposed to be bes tway to e-newsletter around – however, encouraged that even son no. 2, who works in computery things, finds that chimp a pain in the a**e!
I think I may have your sock… How cute are your grandchildren, the shades, ah!
I did wonder if you had that sock, Roy. The shades and the hat – that little one 🙂 She’ll actually keep stuff like that on for hours. The older one would never wear a hat and trying to get that kid into socks is like the 7th level of hell. She should have been born on a South Pacific beach. But cute – yes indeed – they have that going for them.
err…I moved the bucket of pegs…I was distracted myself, not writing, wandering, restless…moved the pegs…who knows where…sorry…
First Roy with my missing sock and now you, Jackie, moving my clothes pegs. They told me blog friends would end up being like real friends but . . . well, I’m at a loss for words. No wonder I’m having trouble writing another book – the loss for words thing. If it comes back to you – where those pegs might be – don’t hesitate to pop back over and let me know.
Sorry about your weather. It did rain a little this afternoon but they say it will be very warm from tomorrow for a few .
Evelyn
The day turned out to be bright and sunny and two loads of laundry were crisply dry and smelling of the great outdoors. I’ve read that the smell of laundry dried on the line is actually an absence of smell. I don’t believe that, though. The smell is honeysuckle in bloom, and fresh cut grass, and trees, and wind, and sunshine. Not letting go of those, for sure.
Ah yes the sweet dichotomies of life! I know how you feel 🙂 I find it especially difficult to stay focused on my writing during the Summer months because of the weather (oh glorious sunshine!) and social activities.
It certainly does beckon – that sunny weather. Now, of course, I could work outside. Lots of nice little spots for such things. Bugs are pretty fierce this year, though. I fear the secret might be discipline and since I consider writing to be wildly indulgent in the first place – oh no – I’m faced with another dichotomy.
Look again at the photo of those adorable grandchildren, Fran and all of your frustrations will melt away. They certainly brought a smile to my face. :)Spending time with family and friends will ultimately result in forward progress on your novel. Perhaps you’re just a little sleepy today after your night of fine wine and good company. 🙂
You might be onto something with the fine wine and good company comment. Reclusive types like myself need at least a couple of days to recover from the joys of even a mini social whirl. If I’m ever in the dumps, I do use pictures and videos of those two cute granddaughters to cheer me up. Sometimes I think they could be packaged and sold as an instant picker-upper. I’ve been looking at a short video I did of the two of them dancing and singing to “Let it Go” from the Frozen movie. I want to edit it down a bit but can’t stop laughing long enough to seriously do the job. Life is good.
Double pegging! There you are; there’s a solution to everything,eventually, even misplaced pegs. Hope the frustrations soon scuttle off to the land of the missing socks. They will be trapped there, for it is my experience that missing socks never return from that dark place. 😉
Where there’s a will, there’s a way – especially when it comes to drying clothes outside on a line. And the lost sock turned up in the dark load – stuck inside a pant leg, I suppose. Bodes well for shaking off the frustrations and getting to work.
🙂
Fruitless, pegless, you may not have any more words for your book just yet but your blog post makes for good reading 🙂 I hope the words keep flowing onto the pages of your book soon.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I spent a lot of time at the beginning of my blogging journey wondering what the overall feel of my blog should be. I decided that it should be just the way this post came out – real life, in the moment’s lived, it’s all grist for the writer’s mill.
Yay for making do and figuring it out with the clothespin thing. Seems like there is about one event a day in my life like that. You new book — you’ll get there. I’m not a writer, but I probably don’t understand. What I DO understand is that you are very talented and will get there in due course. And I will be patiently waiting for the Kindle edition. 😀
Thanks for the kind words of support, Rose. Today, July 1st, is Canada Day for us Canadians – everyone eating cakes decorated with the flag and new Canadians receiving citizenship – it’s a good day to kick myself in the pants and get moving.
Cake! I would have celebrated Canada Day with cake, as well, if only I had known! Go get ’em, Francis. There are tons out there who have read the first two and would put down the book they are reading now to read your third.
I got to the second paragraph of this post and then jumped up and hung the clothes on the line (LOL). I remembered I’d put them in the wash two days ago and it was too windy to hang them out yesterday. Then I saw my mother-in-law in the yard and we talked about the vegie gardens I’m building for her and father-in-law. Then on the way back to my house I remembered the builder is coming to fix a wall on Friday and I haven’t cleaned up the area for him to work in. Now it’s an hour later, I’ve read your post and fully understand your dilemma! Hubby and I are always looking for things around here – there is so much construction going on that everything seems to get ‘lost’. ‘You must remember where you put it?’ is said here on a daily basis. Oh dear, one day we’ll get back to normal and talk about stories and writing instead of money and building! 😀
Too funny, Dianne. We do tend to get distracted with the many tasks associated with our homesteads, be they ever so humble. Bruce now seems to recall repackaging the clothes pegs because the pail was cracked. So, now I don’t even know what I’m looking for. The garden for your in-laws sounds like a great project. Let’s hope we recognize normal if we ever get back to it.
This was such an enjoyable post, Fran. We all have our hang-ups (e’hem, pardon the pun), but I think every writer can relate to this one – wanting so desperately immerse oneself in the imaginary world we are creating, wanting nothing more than the elation that comes with the pure creative spirit. But stupid life keeps getting in the way. It’s one of the many reasons I “rise before God” as my husband so tactfully words it. The world doesn’t care what’s happening before sunrise, and it’s the only time of day I know is all mine, with no distractions or demands. Still, I’m glad you solved your clothes pin problem. You’ll have to let us know if you ever find that blasted pail. I’m sure Bruce unknowingly found the perfect nook for it.
Hang-ups – indeed 🙂 As I was just telling Dianne, Bruce thinks he repackaged them because the pail was cracked. Until he remembers in what, I don’t think I have a hope. I might just get up one day in the early hours and go on a search. At least I’ll be undisturbed.
Enjoyed reading this…funny how one thing leads to another and another…
if it were me those socks wpuld nevet have gotten on the line…I would have been rummaging till the moon came out 😉
That describes my husband to a T and we can’t have two such people around this place. Focus, focus, I’ll be heard screaming on many a day. But somehow, things always get done – no matter our various working styles. Thanks for dropping by and commenting, Doris.
Oh my, How I relate…on ALL levels.I really think any writer with a family and/or other responsibilities shares these feelings.
Don’t worry, Francis…we’ll make it big one day and we’ll have ‘people’ to do all the time consuming things that are not exactly what we want to be doing… 😉
That sounds good to me, Hazy – I need someone who will locate lost and misplaced items for me. I’ll put together a job description for use when I’m rich and famous.
I’m sure men have a different approach to tidying, if they do it at all. Leaving it in the most convenient place for them at that point in time seems a favourite, even if that place is slap bang in the middle of a traffic area. And of course this system has the disadvantage that when they want to find the item they can’t lay their hands on it as it wasn’t stashed somewhere we women would consider logical.
This will ever be a contentious issue between the sexes, I think. For many years, when my kids were younger, I thought being a wife and mother was defined by every single sentence directed my way began with the words – Where is . . . And, honestly, I never knew where half their stuff was. How would I? Well, those days passed but I still have a bit of an inward cringe when a sentence starts like that.
Francis, I know that you have no time for this sort of thing right now, but I cannot resist sending you this link. Just, you know, in case… (-:
Top 10 Unusual Things to Make With Clothes Pegs: http://theverybesttop10.com/things-to-make-with-clothes-pegs/ … via @Worlds_Top_10