I Wonder

You know, sometimes I see something that makes me wonder. Things that I cannot explain, but it doesn’t stop me from wondering. I thought that, today, I’d share a few of those things. The dad of a couple of my kids when I was the school super on the Eastern Plains called these situations – Wonderments.

I do the laundry. I usually sort through the trousers’ pockets or the shirt pockets to make sure there are no foreign objects or tissue in them. Truth-be-told, sometimes I forget and, usually, it is the tissue that is left to swim out of the pocket and clutter the washing machine.

There was a time when I would spend time to take those large lint pieces off of the laundry before putting them into the dryer. Then, I figured that’s the dryer’s job, isn’t it? So, now the tissue-ladened laundry simply goes into the dryer and, when retrieved, the white stuff has gone into the screen that catches other lint from the load. It may be that the next load of laundry also produces some lint, but that’s okay with me.

Daughter #3 worked for an older lady helping with household activities. When doing the laundry, she was required to shake out each piece of laundry before putting it into the dryer. I always wondered “why” she was required to shake out the pieces. Again, isn’t that the job of the dryer – to tumble the items so that they will dry, eliminating most of the wrinkles.

I also have done away with adding a dryer sheet to each load. I think, but am not sure, that it was Daughter #3 who encouraged me to replace those dryer sheets with wool balls. For me, this exchange has been quite fine. I no longer need to purchase the dryer sheets. I always thought that there might be some kind of something in the dryer sheets that might not be good for humans. And, for me, the wool balls do a fine job of removing the potential wrinkles in the laundry items.

As long as we’re talking about laundry, let’s talk about something that frequently happens with pockets – pants’ pockets. Most of the time when I remove the tissues that have hidden in the pockets, I like to leave the pockets turned in – not out – of their place in the pants. The washer does its thing. Agitating the load, making sure that cleaning is done. It has the water, the detergent, and, occasionally, a “Color Catcher.” (There’s a special place in heaven for the inventor of the “Color Catcher”!)

Remember that I said I don’t shake out each piece of laundry when throwing them (yes, throwing – the dryer is across the room from the washer) into the dryer. The dryer is started – right temperature – right length of time. When the dryer’s finish-bell sounds, I start pulling the pants from the dryer. I often find that the washer has turned the pockets inside-out. Before I hang them on their pant hangers, I must stuff the wayward pockets back into the pants.

I find that it is not always both pockets that get this treatment – most of the time, it is only one of the two! Why not both? They have received the same treatment.

And, when I intentionally have pulled the pocket out of its place to be sure that the lint that can collect in the pocket is washed way, the washer does not turn the pocket back into its place. Wouldn’t you think that if the washer can pull the pocket out of its place, it could also put it back? But, that never happens.

This inside-out phenom doesn’t happen only with pockets. I find that socks, pant legs, and sleeves get the same treatment. And, again, if these items are sent to the washer inside-out, I wonder why doesn’t the washer reverse the process?

At the risk of making you think that I’m crazy. Lost my marbles. Can’t get my act together. I’m going to tell you this occurrence. I’ve told you before that I have a ghost who lives with me. Jenny is her name – I don’t know how I know. She is in her early twenties – again, I don’t know how I know. But, I do. I only know she is here when I smell her perfume.

And, now, I have something else to report. A phenomenon that I cannot explain. When the house quiets down in the evening, and I’m watching a movie on my computer, or writing a blog, or anything else that I do between eight and midnight, I hear things in my house. I will describe this phenom thus: I hear voices; voices speaking but I cannot define the words. It’s as though there is a gathering of some sort going on just on the other side of something. A wall? A window? A portal?

We have had science fiction writers telling us for years that there are such things as portals. The ideas of science fiction writers are not all science fiction. I would remind you of the Star Trek communicator – our current cell phones? Or, the ability to go to the moon. Or, the possibility of seeing a person with whom we are talking on a hand-held device.

So, are portals only part of science fiction? Is there a possibility that they are some kind of opening between our understanding and that of somewhere else. This happens when I go to bed, as well. I no longer look for those voices in the back yard or the street.

What I’m telling you is I just hear them. And, I cannot really decipher what I hear. Actually, it sounds like a party – a quiet party – is going on in the next room. A party that I am not privileged to join.

I have a friend who, about three weeks ago, said that he and his wife heard a sound (a consistent sound) in their hallway. They did not, then, know nor have they, since, learned what that sound is. The sound currently seems to be “giving it a rest.”

I’m telling you one more time – I have not lost my mind. I am a sentient, relatively intelligent creature. and, I do hear these sounds. Just as I’ve told you in the past that I sometimes hear footfall on my stairs to the basement. And, I’m left with wondering what is this phenomenon!

I work at a desk – a small desk, to be sure. The top of my desk has my computer and accompanying keyboard and mouse. It has my hp printer. There is room for one shelf unit – two regular-size shelves with a much smaller one beneath. I do not have a desk phone on the desk – I have a cell phone that acts as m primary phone. In fact, the only reason for having a house phone is so that I can find my cell phone when I lose it.

Nothing else needs to be on my desk except the “stuff” that I’m working on at any time. Well, maybe, that is the best place for my cell phone, too.

That is not what happens! My desk is capable of accumulating papers, a lighted magnifying glass, as well as a decorated can container (a present from a Grand) where I keep pens, fingernail files, and other assorted items for desk work. I suppose you think those things could be in the drawers. Perhaps.

The drawers, however, hold “yellow stickies” of various colors, scissors, rulers, page points, staples, one extra stapler, markers of every color. I could go on …

One of the drawers is for holding files. And, while there are some file folders in it – for useful items such as three-ring notebook dividers, actual three ring binders, and the like – it is not filled with file folders. Those are kept in two separate, free-standing, rolling file carts. They hold – well – my life, actually. Paid bills, records for income tax, subscriptions, memberships – again, I could go on.

I usually find myself working in a space about twelve inches square. Working around papers here; papers there; papers – papers everywhere! Periodically, I clear those papers so I can actually see the brown of the desk. That lasts about fifteen minutes. My efficient hp printer is so good that it prints anything I ask it to print. Providing me with all of the papers that end up on my desk. Or on the top of my printer. Or, on the shelves that are also on my desk.

What I wonder is this: why can’t I get and keep a clean desk? When I was the school super for the district on the Eastern Plains of my state, my staff gave me a cup with “Mistress of the Messy Desk,” inscribed on it. And, it appears that this is still a viable description of me and my desk!

My “keeper” Rita will be here on Wednesday. Maybe, we can get a handle on this desk. Or, not. And, I’ll be left wondering – why not!

Be Safe and Be Well.
The Cranky Crone
Thoughtful comments are always appreciated.