Wrinkly Bits
A Blog by Gail Cushman
I couldn’t go to sleep last night, too much on my mind, I think. We are packing for another trip, this time to Washington D. C. to take “stuff” to my newly married grandson and his bride who have a mattress, two sleeping bags, and three pans. When the Cowboy and I decided to combine our households, it meant that we had between two and twelve of everything, so we have spent the last few weeks sorting, stowing, and shelving the contents of two houses, so we now have a hazard-free path through the house. And now we are generously donating a trailer filled with quality, though gently used, merchandise to the unsuspecting bride and groom. A U-Haul trailer of wedding presents.
I just now realized Cowboy Bob is OCD, which is something I’ve never dealt with before. I like order, but he likes ORDER. I think I mentioned that he makes the bed before I crawl out of it, so packing for the bride and groom took on new meaning. I am exaggerating here a bit, but not very much. He filled the B through D boxes (Blankets, Cords, Dishes) marked with red, listing in detail what was in them. I filled the remainder of the boxes and labeled them E or M, also marked in red, “Everything Else. Miscellaneous.” They can figure it out.
The Cowboy had three empty toolboxes, so he filled one with essential tools. What young bride wouldn’t want a tool chest with five hammers? As he explained to me, there is a difference between a small and large ball-pean hammer, a large and small claw hammer, and a tack hammer. He added three chisels, sixteen screwdrivers, a picture hanging kit, and an electric screwdriver without a charging cord. He was undecided about the stud-finder, but I mentioned the bride already had found her “stud,” and he left his stud-finder collection intact. Somehow, the Cowboy makes do with only one tool, his Leatherman, the tool of real men.
Between the two of us, we had four recliners, but one was undependable, so we loaded a mostly dependable recliner into the trailer. We added one of our extra TVs, meaning we are now down to three. We filled the trailer with three glass-topped tables (small, medium, and large), and a rather large box of electric cords, mostly power strips, and a chair that was sturdy but matched nothing.
The bride’s “wish list” included the central theme of “Pioneer Woman,” which I have no idea what that means, because I was one of many of us who “made do,” with what I had, sometimes it was pioneer, other times 1950 chic, all readily available at garage sales. I am sure you remember the pink refrigerators, lime green stoves, and turquoise blue sinks. So lovely.
Cowboy Bob recalls his father taught him to make a crowbar out of flattened steel, heated red-hot then quenched to hold its temper. He hung it up on the wall next to the Ford wrench, a place of honor. As we sorted these wedding gifts, Cowboy Bob said, “Perfect for a Pioneer Woman,” as we packed a pink and white checkered tablecloth and several hand-quilted blankets.
I’m not sure if the bride and groom will appreciate all the goodies we are transporting across the country, but I recall our first home, empty and waiting to be filled.
We added some items that aren’t usually given as wedding presents, but everything has a purpose. Still, I have to wonder about the box of clean and folded rags Cowboy Bob threw in for good measure. Usable? Sure, but as a wedding present?
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