Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Cabin Fevered

I have cabin fever big time. I have only been out, briefly, the one time yesterday, in days. Man alive I see how cabin fever can drive folks up in Alaska nuts.

As for Christmas, I have no plans. I e-mailed both brothers, asking what their plans are, but I have gotten no response. I tried to call one brother yesterday, or was it the day before, no answer.

Well, I know I am on my own here. But for some reason, not sure why, during holidays, I like to pretend I'm going to some big family gathering, with all the drama that brings. Big warm and wonderful where everybody is glad to see one another, warm fire, that sort of mishmash, as many would call it.

I know the reality.

It's not just my reality. There are tons of people out there all alone.

I personally think its' sad so many people really have nobody at all.

I guess it is our culture maybe. I don't know.

In other news, I have to figure out what to do with this darn mattress. Those folks shouldn't have brought it if they really were never going to bring the box springs, frame and headboard they said came with it. Guess it was some friend of theirs, cleaning out a storage unit that it was all in.

I thought about tossing the box springs from my single mattress. The cover around it is rotted away and the cats have begun making themselves at home inside the box springs set, which sits on the floor with the single mattress atop it. This other mattress is bigger and in better shape, but I can't get up and down off floor level to sleep on it on the floor. I thought about putting the single mattress atop it and tossing the box springs. But this other mattress is quite a lot bigger than my single that I currently sleep on. And thinner than the box springs, meaning I'd be really low to ground level. It isn't as easy for me to get up and down off the floor anymore.

I need to learn to reapolster things. I guess I would need a sewing machine to do that. This computer chair, given to me by someone who got a new one from their family, for a Christmas or birthday many years back, is losing it's padding and the cover to the pads, not only on the seat but on the arms and back. I've duct taped it over and over, but it's getting way beyond that.

My couch, too, is falling apart. I got it at Goodwill two years ago. It wasn't in good shape to start with, but the clothe is rotted and falling apart, thread thin on the sides. Last night, I screwed a couple old boards on the edges of one end, where the cloth covering the ends is falling off its so thin, leaving large openings.

The fix job even is bad, due to my current shortage of scrap wood. My brother took the majority of my scrap wood away when I moved over here. I don't think he realized how much I rely on scrap, to make things and to fix things. I'll have to seek out a source. Some of the boards I have I have used over and over and over again, to fix various things, or make things that I then take apart.

I also want to get rid of this basically useless dresser. There's some fancy name for it. It came from Recyled Gardens. Someone donated it used, to sell there, but it never sold, so Keni brought it down here. I has six very shallow almost useless small draws at each end and in the middle, three extremely tiny drawers, that will hold almost nothing. There's a huge toppley mirror attached to the back always in a state of "about to fall over". I've been worried about that thing since it came, falling and hurting me or one of the cats. The thing serves no real use, holds almost nothing, is ugly as sin and takes up space.

But, getting rid of that would leave me almost no furniture. I don't need furniture that I don't use, except the cats like to perch atop the furniture. In the spare bedroom where I now sleep I have a very small wooden desk that I don't use either. Got it at a garage sale. I have an entertainment center, that is also unused totally, except for the cats perch atop it to look out the window. I have a nightstand, which I do use, and then the box springs and mattress I sleep on.

I got that mattress and box springs from Love Inc. when I lived in Corvallis. It's one of those refurbished mattresses. One a store takes in used, then cleans and sometimes like puts a new covering on. At least I think that's the process. Anyhow, when Love Inc.'s float passed in the Christmas parade, the short time I was able to watch, due to my shoulder injury, I cheered up a storm. They didn't know why, I know, but I did.

If I were in a normal state of motivation and physical ability, along with having just a bit of money, I'd make myself a bed frame and stand just as I wanted it. I'd use four by four's I think for the four corners and maybe for the four frame pieces, at the bottom to hold the mattress, bolted together with large bolts. I'd put heavy slats to hold the mattress, even a piece of plywood, but I can't get one in my car.

The corner posts would be probably 7 feet and at the top, I'd have a bunk and shelves and other fun things for the cats. I'd have it by the bedroom window, so they could watch out both windows rather than bother me all night!

And if I did have the motivation, money and working tools, I'd build an enclosure for this computer and its desk so that the cats could not work as easily at destroying it!

Hahahahaha. To foil the cats at their most treasured work, that of disregarding the importance of our human sacred objects to the point of using them like toys, perches or even litterboxes, that would be my most masterful acheivement of all.

6 comments:

  1. well as long as they can get a delivery to you, you'll have my package with a few litle gifts inside to open on Christmas....you can put them under your tree till then - except the cats might unwrap them lol....so don't. just put the package under the tree...and there's a little something in it for the cats and kits, too......
    Make sure you treat yourself to a good dinner on Christmas - and a great dessert....with lots of cool whip....you do have a big family - its just a virtual one lol...and a furry one...
    I hope one of your brothers at least emails or calls you...

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  2. Hey, you know Mark would help you haul wood home from the store. We can fit a sheet of plywood onto the jeep. He does it all the time.

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  3. your most lmasterful achievement sounds like our friend,Keith....he emailed me to tell me how he was teaching Charlie the kitten to catch treats between his paws, like his other three cats can do...and then added, "So this is what my life has gotten down to...teaching my cats how to catch food."

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  4. Oh Jeannie, you and Keith again. What is going on there?

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  5. lots of eeeeeeeeeeeeeemail.....

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  6. If its any comfort, I'm going to be quietly home alone on Christmas too :)...I need to get a lot of work done, and this will be the only chance I'll get.

    I'll be with you in spirit on christmas, Strayer! Think of me and I''ll think of you!

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