Comforts of stuff

And yeah, I know, apparently the trend now is decluttering or tiny-houses or pre-death-cleaning-to-keep-your-heirs-from-having-to* but I still find I need stuff around me.

Books. Having big stacks of books where I can pull one out at random. Different books for different purposes so I have cheap and potentially-disposable mystery paperbacks to read in the tub (in case I drop them) and nice Folio Society books for more careful reading especially  when I want ILLUSTRATIONS and books small enough to cram into my purse in case I'm going to be stuck somewhere.


(*But what if we all go out in a nuclear blaze? Not much point to living out your life in a white empty box in deference to your heirs if there won't be any heirs or any stuff)

And enough plates and spoons and stuff so I'm not always having to do dishes, so I can go a day or more and just bung the stuff in the dishwasher instead of having to laboriously handwash it so I can reuse it. (There is no frustration quite like knowing you need a particular size of mixing bowl and remembering it is in the fridge holding leftover salad or something)

And clothes. I think I said yesterday laundry was hard? I wanted to wear a particular dress yesterday but it was in the wash and so I had to find something else. (I did make myself do some laundry last evening, so at least it's clean now).

And lots of those little blankets. I have two fleecy ones from Five Below - one with unicorns, one with kitticorns - that I keep near my bed in case I get chilly. And I have the afghan I made for my dad on the back of my recliner now. And I have others...and I am slowly making a ripple afghans. Wrapping up in a blanket is a big source of comfort for me (and part of my distress with the ongoing heat is I can't do that) and having more than one or two around is good.

But also: Getting new yarn. I've bought some recently despite not doing much knitting, because it feels like a promise to myself, that I will eventually (a) feel more like knitting and (b) make the time to knit/have the time to knit.

And stuff in the mail. It doesn't matter too much what it is. I ordered some cosmetics I needed to refill from Ulta. Yeah, I might have been able to have driven down to the store nearest me tomorrow afternoon (piano is moved to Friday for this week) or on Saturday, but, meh: I'm still slightly "off" driving in heavy traffic, and it's supposed to rain. And it's just nice to come home and find the box on the porch and be able to open it, even if it's stuff I ordered and paid for myself.

And also my stuffed animals. Laugh if you will but they are making my life a little easier and more comfortable in these days - at night, sleeping with Pfred pushed up against one side of me and Polaris and my big calico cat on the other makes me feel less....cut from the pack or something.

And Bunny, the lavender-filled bunny that now sits on my desk. (She doesn't need a more complicated name than Bunny, I think). She's helped me get through some hard days, there have been times I've pulled her off the shelf where she sits and just sat with her tucked under my left arm (i.e, the side not visible from the hallway) or with her in my lap. Or once or twice, rested my head on her when I put my head down on my desk.

And to combine mail-order and stuffed animals....well, late last evening I did some depresso-shopping (like drunk shopping, except you are sad instead of drunk) and went to the Build a Bear site and saw a 25% off coupon, and looked around....and considered a red panda and then a sloth but then I saw an Okapi. I like okapi, I think they are cool looking, and after cats, most of my favorite animals tend to be ungulates of some type. And I also remembered seeing on someone's tumblr about a Snorlax someone ordered and gave a hilarious name to ("Baby Got Back") and I realized that I kind of wanted a ridiculously-named okapi WITH CLOTHES.

I was not particularly creative last night so her name is Miss Thang, which probably actually works OK. (generally: slang for a woman who thinks she's "all that" and is slightly conceited, so I guess I know my okapi's personality now). And I ordered a skating-style dress I hope will fit her, and a set of unicorn-themed pajamas....and I might either make or get more outfits for her (I am wondering if the 18" doll outfits that can be had from places like JoAnn's would fit; I think the BaB animals are about that size, but maybe fatter).

When I was much younger I had a stuffed koala that I made from a McCall's pattern who could wear baby dresses, and for a while I changed her clothes every day....I don't know, the idea of a toy with a lot of clothes is just appealing, and being able to change the clothes from time to time. It's dumb and it's little but sometimes the dumb little things get us through the day.

So I eagerly await "Miss Thang" (and yes, it is going to say that on her "birth certificate")