Saturday, May 27, 2023

What Is My PROBLEM?


The last approximately 24 hours has been a fucking klutz-fest for me. It started out yesterday when I was making my crumble and reached for the oatmeal in a cabinet above the stove and somehow managed to pull the container over which caused the plastic lid on it to fall off which allowed oatmeal to spill over everywhere. Cabinet. Stove. Floor. Under the stove. All the places. 
That was incident number one. Not so bad, really. Just annoying as hell and wasteful and I was in a hurry which is probably why it happened in the first place. But I managed to clean it all up and get on with the crumble-making. 

Then today I decided to do something about the chaos in the pantry which led to doing something about the chaos in the cabinets too. You know how that works. One big but-first after another. I wanted to relocate some items in the pantry to the bottom of my Hoover cabinet and that involved throwing out some of last year's sweet potatoes, some of which, unbelievably, are still fit to eat. But some are definitely not and these are the big bad boys that were just about the same size and shape as one of Big Foot's feet. So I tossed those in the compost pot along with some other things and took it out to where we dump the compost and I did that and when I came back to the house, I fell UP the steps to the kitchen door and for a second it was that horrifying experience of what have I done now? 
Well, for one thing I blew out my Croc flip flop and the way the toe piece got messed up somehow pulled my big toe with some serious torque and no, it's not broken but it's probably sprained which is no big deal. It just hurts a little and it's slightly swollen. 
HOWEVER. My knee which took my not-insignificant weight and which was already teetering on going out on me was my main worry but hey! It's okay! It's swollen and a little painful and has a small bloody delineation where it must have hit the edge of the step. 


Somehow this looks more like a leg that should belong to an elephant than to a human but what can I say? I used to have beautiful legs and now I don't. 

So. Whatever. I can bend my knee and nothing appears to be knocked askew in there so- Carry On! 
Which I did. 
And then I dropped a pot lid on my little toe on my other foot and thank goodness it wasn't one of the cast iron lids because if it had been, I would probably be in a pain-killer coma at this moment. But why does it hurt so much when you drop something on your foot? 
Who knows? Not me. 

Next up on the I-can't-believe-I-did-that wheel was doing almost the exact same thing with a box of tapioca that I'd done with the oatmeal. I pulled it towards me, somehow pulling it over and releasing tiny grits of tapioca all over the...cabinet, countertop, and floor. 
Sigh. 
But I was not done yet! There is more! 
I picked up a package of black-eyed peas not realizing that it was open and...yes. You guessed it. Black-eyed peas all over the cabinet, the countertop, the floor. 
Well, all that shit needed cleaning anyway. 

And eventually I got things at least neater than they had been but I didn't really do much good because mostly the only things I threw away were some questionable home-canned goods. Not too many of those but a few. I don't throw out the jars or lids (unless the lids are rusty) but the mystery pickles and preserves went into the compost pot along with swept-up and wiped-up tapioca and black-eyed peas. 

Well. Here's what the pantry looks like now. 


Part of it, anyway. 

I did throw out a few flashlights that looked like something you'd get for free at a gas station or something. We have so many flashlights and miner's head-lamps and lanterns and so forth due to the preponderance of power outings here in Lloyd but we have the generator now. Still, as Mr. Moon said when I told him I was going to throw some of those things out, if we do, that will pretty much guarantee that the generator breaks down. 
And if that doesn't sum up why we hold on to shit we don't need, I do not know what would. 
Now, why I am holding on to a GIANT bin of rags is another matter. I doubt I could use all of these rags if I used each one and threw it away instead of washing them after use. But they're such great rags! Old cleaning rags that Mr. Moon used in his car business, old dishtowels, old napkins, old washcloths, old pieces of toweling, old pieces of tablecloths...
I don't even know. Hell, there could be pieces of the Shroud of Turin in there and we'd just cut it up and use the strips to tie up tomatoes. 
I might use more rags if I dusted more than once in a blue moon but, well. 
No.

And that's what I did today. I was going to work outside because it is unbelievably cool and beautiful here in North Florida for this time of year. Just perfect weather. It got down into the fifties last night and will do the same tonight. But I thought that I'd get that pantry done in an hour or so and then I'd change into my work overalls and do some yard work but things rarely happen in as timely a manner as you think they will and now, with this knee, it is going to be impossible to do my weeding and crocosmia pulling. 
GEE DEE! 

Life will go on. 

And I will try to be more careful, pay better attention, and concentrate on the tasks at hand. Etc. 

Love...Ms. Moon


41 comments:

  1. well, that is some daytime activity for you! dig a hole fill it up and in the process fall down , rip your toe in a croc and damage the knee. WOW, Some days you should just do nothing at all- most of my days are that. Your day has just confirmed my conviction of "do nothing". Life is too short to make it even more so by cleaning out the pantry or going up the stairs or taking out the black eyed peas for a scatter around the kitchen.
    Thank you, I feel vindicated for my sluggish ways .

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    1. Ha! You are not sluggish. I remember you getting ready for that baby shower and if I had done all of that (fat chance) I would still be resting.
      It does truly make me happy to see the pantry in better shape so- that was worth it.

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  2. Damn! What a day! Maybe Saturday night should be another martini night...
    :)

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    1. Not martinis but drinks were involved. And I spilled and dropped nothing nor did I fall.

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  3. ‘One big but-first after another’- I know too well what you’re talking about! I make grand plans of things I’m going to do- but first… I call it the domino effect😂Sorry you hurt yourself, glad it wasn’t worse. Hope your evening is peaceful🙏Xo, Rigmor

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    1. Yes, yes! The but-firsts, the domino effect! Same-same. Never ending. Take a ten minute task and turn it into a four hour job.

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  4. good lord! A day of clusterf***s for you.........and I trust you are icing your knee? Good heavens, woman! But....you've got clean floors and a tidied pantry to show for it...not easily come by, along with some bruises and pains. Argh.........
    Oh yes, agree with Jennifer....another Martini should be on the agenda for sure!
    Susan M

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    1. You know what? It never even occurred to me to ice my knee! And no, I didn't and haven't. They're saying now that the ice actually may hinder healing because the inflammation is part of that process. Who knows?

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  5. I can only sympathize. At least nothing is broken.

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  6. You shoulda stood in bed! I don't know why I think these pratfalls and attendant injuries are funny, because here I stand, a person who this morning briskly shook the apple juice jar without checking the lid was on..all over the counter, into the knife drawer, down me, onto the floor. All sticky.

    I have a bucket of lovely rags, many hand knitted, which do in fact get used by my cleaning family, yay. I never seem to do anything other than wipe spills, between their visits though.

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    1. I shoulda stood in bed!
      Oh god. I hate spilling juices. They are the worst.
      I bet I have ten buckets of rags. I should go through them and throw some of them out but how do you discern that a rag is no longer useful? I mean- they're RAGS.

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    2. When the rag is a raggety rag and has holes in it and is falling apart...when it's synthetic and doesn't work....when it's full of paint/oil!! I adore your writing and read enthusiastically every day. Moyra NZ

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  7. Your last 2 days sounded like a fair share of my 'weeks'. I swear I'm one
    Depend's away from a nursing home. Glad nothing is broken. Your pantry
    puts mine to shame. Mine looks ghetto compared to yours. You've inspired me (or embarrassed me) into doing some deep cleaning and purging. Thank you! Take care, Mary. I'll try and do likewise, though that seems harder these days.
    Paranormal John

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    1. Okay. That made me laugh. One Depends away from a nursing home. Baby, I know what you're talking about. My pantry is beautiful because Mr. Moon built it. He also built his bathroom which is a lovely bathroom. The man can do anything! Hell, he often beats me at Wordle, too.

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  8. Oh that awful crunch underfoot of spilled things. Once is bad enough but THREE times? Mary, you have outdone yourself.
    I hope the knee feels better soon. Falling upstairs is a common occurrence chez Merlot.

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    1. Knee is still swollen today. I have a feeling this is not going to go away overnight.
      I have probably fallen up stairs more than I've ever fallen down. Weird, huh?

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  9. Oh dear. I've had days like this. You have my sympathy. My cup over floweth with sympathy... luckily, not on your floors. My big wild crazy thought of the day? WTH am I keeping all these yogurt/cottage cheese/ricotta cheese/sour cream containers? Why? I cleaned out my over flowing tupperware cabinet. I felt so guilty. But now that the deed is done, I do feel much better and my tupperware cupboard looks just great!

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    1. I am the same way about perfectly good containers that held all of those things. But you know what? You can't see what's in them and so you don't use them. At least that's what happens in my house. I actually bought some sort of snapware or something and am using that. And of course feeling guilty every time I throw out a fine plastic container.

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  10. Might I suggest putting the oatmeal and tapioca in screw top containers?
    It hurts so much when you drop something on your foot because feet just don't have as much cushioning fat as the rest of the body. I love your newly organised pantry and dusting once in a blue moon is fine with me.
    My ex-the-first used to fall upstairs on his way up to our flat, usually drunk and carrying a pizza which he would then fall into, one time while he was wearing his dress uniform!

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    1. Oh dear. That story about your first ex sounds like a sit-com running joke. I can only imagine that it was not that funny at the time.
      I did put the tapioca and black eyed peas in ziplocks so they at least are safe. I buy the HUGE container of oatmeal and don't really have anything big enough to contain it. I will think about this problem though.

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    2. It WAS funny, he was always a happy drunk who then fell asleep.

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  11. Dropping a bottle of olive oil all over the kitchen floor is also great fun! A day to stay home if ever there was one! I hope you feel better by now!

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    1. Oh yes. Oil on the floor may be the absolute worst. Although, come to think of it, my wooden floors would probably appreciate it.
      I feel fine, thank you, sweetie.

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  12. Your little accidents sound like moments in a Charlie Chaplin movie. As for rags, I have lost count of the number of times I've come looking for old rags in our house. There never seems to be one anywhere so I am envious of your bin filled with rags!

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    1. Shall I send you a few pounds of rags, sir?

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  13. Oh drat, now I have to go and organize my pantry. I enjoyed the flashback to ripping up and using rags to tie up tomato plants. I don't have space for a garden anymore so I garden vicariously through others.

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    1. You do not have to organize your pantry. But you can if you want!

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  14. Argh, hope you will get your knee and your verve back soon. It has been my experience that too often we fail to recognise and respect the power of gravity.

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  15. but you persevered. I probably would have just given up before half that shit happened. I should probably clean out my pantry too but well, probably not gonna happen. I did clean the drawer where I keep the boxes of zip lock and vacuum seal bags. took it outside and dumped all the big roach poop out and then sprayed it with cleaner and wiped it out.

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    1. When I clean out drawers (I vaguely remember doing this once or twice) I go through the same routine although it's usually mouse shit I'm dumping out. My cats are not doing their jobs!

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  16. Yeah, sometimes you need to just sit down, Mary. You are too busy some times! Glad you were not hurt badly tho. Now put your feet up and relax!

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    1. I just hurry, hurry, hurry. I have no idea why. What am I in a hurry for? I need to be more conscious.

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  17. No! Not the Shroud of Turin!!! Better get it in the postbox. Those people over there in the Middle East or in Rome have been looking for that for years!! You could send some of the other stuff along in case they are in need of cleaning rags.

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    1. Heh-heh. I can only imagine what they might find if they started doing tests on these rags. Could be scary.

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  18. 37paddington: Whoa, that was a lot! So many mishaps but I’m glad you’re basically unhurt. Just minor dings. I wonder what you’re puzzling out below the level of consciousness, distracting you. Take care, dear Mary. Love.

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    1. I think I just get involved in the book I'm listening to and thinking about the next thing I need to do and I'm just not paying attention to my surroundings and what I'm doing. I need to be better because falls at this age can be brutal.
      Love you too.

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  19. That was a lot all at once... yet, you got your Pantry looking so orderly, even after all of that, I'm envious!

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  20. Well, you definitely had a day, didn't you? When I was a kid we used to have a "rag bag" that contained a bunch of old clothes but I don't ever remember using them for any purpose. Maybe washing the car.

    Falling up the steps is better than falling down them.

    As for dropping the black-eyed peas and stuff, well, you were cleaning out the pantry. You were probably handling a lot more items than you would on a normal day. So maybe your ratio of dropped items to handled ones was actually pretty much the usual!

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  21. I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt, but I do have a question.
    Are you me?

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.