Limiting Space

If you build it they will fill it...

One of the reasons that we bought our current home was storage space.  LOTS of storage space.  Not only did it have an attic and a basement, it had TWO linen closets and (wonder of wonders) a real pantry.  A "step in" pantry - that means that it is definately a separate space rather than just an extra bunch of shelves hidden among the cabinet doors. It is really more of a large closet rather than another (small) bedroom.

And we have filled it.   When you have the extra space it is easy to purchase that box of 1000 plastic spoons - and there they sit even when nobody has used one in years.  The pantry contains two shelves of food (cans of vegetables, bags of pasta, packets of sauce mix) and one of baking supplies.  That is the sum total of edibles in the pantry.  The original idea was that there would always be stock in the house if I decided to cook something specific.  It would cut down on trips to the grocery store.  In fact, it hasn't.  I am ALWAYS one can of tomatoes short, or have cream of chicken soup but NOT cream of mushroom.  And who on earth thought that we needed 6 cans of clam chowder - all of them from diffferent manufacturers?  me.  I have elbow macaroni, but not penne pasta; rice but not spaghetti  - thus necessitating a change in the menu or run to the market before dinner can be constructed.

In our new home there is no pantry.  At first I looked on this with trepidation, but as I think about it I see that this is a chance to consolidate and stop the madness of the twice a year "clean out" of the pantry with the resultant donation to the local food bank.

And the attic?  And the basement?  And the (two) linen closets?  Just an exentsion of  the pantry.  Just a bunch of overstuffed storage spaces...we are in deep trouble with this upcoming move.

thwuup. thwuup. thwuup,thwuup,thwuup

Pay no mind.  It is just the sound of my rotors as I hover.

Those who rail against helicopter parents maybe just don't get it...

What normal 19 year old is savvy enough to stand up to a bureaucracy?  Not too darn many.  When most of them are told, "Oh, sorry.  There's nothing we can do."  or "I'll do it.  I haven't taken care of it YET, but I WILL," they  just walk away feeling used and disillusioned.  And they wait.  And wait.  And wait.

The very idea of an adult in a position of power making a mistake and then leaving the 19 year old victim of that mistake to clean up the mess herself just seems to me to be a bad idea all round...

Yes, there is a time to step back and let your child stand on their own two feet.  This was not one of them.  I hope that Ms. Flippers has now learned that there is a time for patience and a time to kick problems to "the next level".  I hope that if this ever happens in the future, she will now be able to take care of it herself and I can just stand back with my rotors at idle.

and now my hairbrush is missing

Barring tsunami, tornado, or other disaster (like a run on the banks) we will be closing on our new property in 2 weeks.  We are ALL in various stages of advanced stress.  Some of us are not sleeping (The Bearded One).  Some of us (me) are clenching our teeth so that our jaw does not open to permit the entry of solid food.  SOME of us are phobic about the possibility of being "unconnected" to the internet during the 15 minute trip from our current house to our future one (Stubble).  I understand that there may be help for him in a thingie called "EasyTether".  Ms. Flippers (who found the new place) is floating above the fray except for losing (in the last week) her house keys (twice), her passport (once), and her cell phone (still not found).  Also missing are three of twelve salad forks, three cereal bowls, and four 12 ounce glasses, although Stubble and I must share the blame for these missing items.

Yesterday morning Ms. Flippers used our shower in the morning as Stubble was hogging their shared bathroom right when she needed it.  She left her shampoo and conditioner behind.  And now my hairbrush is missing.