One of the best mistakes I made last year was dip dying a cotton painters drop cloth to use as a patio curtain. It was a mistake at the time. The colors didn’t come out as I’d hoped, they ran together in spots I didn’t want them to run together, and they faded badly in the wash. Not the look I was going for on the patio. I had to buy more drop cloths to dye for the patio using better dyes and a simpler technique, but was so sick of dye (my legs and arms were the colors of the desert sunset) by then that I haven’t done them yet. I’d put the finished one in a closet until I decided how and where to use it. I was considering using it as a tarp in the barn, but when I held it up to the light, it showed an inkling of magic. It’s first in-house use was as a bedspread the cat couldn’t destroy. It’s best use so far, however, is as a curtain that brings the lovely colors of an AriDzona dawn into my room in the morning. It’s quite thick enough for privacy and to help keep the room cool, yet shear enough for the sun to light up the cheerful colors. I never thought I’d like these colors in my room, but I’ve actually enjoyed them. My first weekend task, was running the curtain through the washer and dryer while I scrubbed the window.

On my final day of the bedroom cure, I’d planned to have my son vacuum and mop the ceiling, clean the ceiling fan blades and take the glass off the light fixture so that I could wash it well. Unfortunately, he had to work and I don’t have a wheelchair that will jack me up five feet off the ground to do those things, so I just didn’t look up.

I vacuumed under and behind everything, cleaned my switch plates, and put the final coat of paint on my closet door and the door that leads to the patio. Those two doors, clean walls and woodwork, have upgraded the level of cozy in this room to a point I’d forgotten existed.

Since the only one that used that door to the patio was my husband, I’m going to find a nice palm or something to put in that corner and perhaps a framed nature photo or two.

Other than adding a couple of wall shelves (a project I decided upon while cleaning and ramming my wheelchair into the bookshelf) repairing and repainting the walls and finally laying tile in there this spring, the bedroom is done. My son is off work today and is picking up a friend of his to spend the day out here at the farm. He’s promised to clean my fan and ceiling before he leaves.

For the first time, in over a year, I won’t have to run around cleaning hysterically before company comes over. My kitchen is still clean, desk is still clean and organized, I dusted the den yesterday when I ran out of things I could reach in my bedroom, and my bedroom is so tidy and pretty that I can even leave the door open while company is here. Thanks to the Cure and the inspirations and encouragements from everyone participating in the discussions.

No, I didn’t miss anything when I was vacuuming under the bed. What you see under the edge of the bed is the blankie the dastardly dachshund duo dragged under there for their snoozing comfort. They wake up long enough to eat and then go back to bed. Yes I am jealous.