I'll start with the ashtrays; dirty, smelly ashtrays! It's as if I'm carrying one around with me where ever I go. This is my first sign that Spring has sprung. The itchy eyes and ears, runny nose and sneezing would be daily occurrences if I didn't take Reactine (Zyrtec in the US). I was taking two a day until we got rid of the carpeting. Then I only needed one a day but with the arrival of Spring my outdoor allergies kick in and I can add headache and odd smells to the list of symptoms. The first odd smell is of dirty ashtrays or as if I had a cigarette butt shoved up each nostril. I am a reformed smoker so you can imagine how disgusting that smell is to me. As the season progresses and more pollen is cast into the air the odd smell turns into the odor of three day old cat urine. Everywhere I go I smell it; my house, my car, the grocery store. I've just started the ashtray smell this week and I got a prescription for something a little stronger than Reactine when I last saw Dr Duck. I'm getting the prescription filled today.



Now, on to bad habits. We all have them, whether they are visible to others or not. Mine is very visible. I have a nasty habit that has been an embarrassment to me most of my life. Throughout my childhood I chewed my nails. Not so bad that the skin bulged out over top but I did occaisionally rip a piece off a bit too low down. When I finished school and started my first job I stopped biting my nails. They looked lovely and I stocked up on nailpolish. Shortly after, I found myself slipping but now my nails looked so nice I didn't want to ruin them so I began gnawing on the skin around my nails. During times of extreme stress my fingers were raw and scabby from ripping a little too deep.
Well, during my recent doctor's appointment, as Dr Duck examined my fingers he noticed my thumb in particular and said he could give me a cream for that rash. I told him it wasn't a rash but the result of my nasty habit and he said, "You have to stop that." I don't know why he said that. It's not exactly life threatening. I've never even had an infection from it. Maybe I should have asked him why but I didn't and for two weeks I kept hearing him say, "You have to stop that." in my mind. On Tuesday I stopped. I got myself a pair of white cotton gloves and every time I get the urge to chew on my fingers I slip on the gloves. It's working! My hands look so much better and this is only day five. If I can keep this up I can knit in public without embarrassment or shame. I can stock up on nail polish. I can wear and show off my rings. Our hands are always on display and now I won't be ashamed of mine. If I no longer have this nasty habit by my birthday, April 2nd, I'm going to reward myself with a manicure.



Finally, we come to the doors. They are our old bedroom closet, bi-fold doors. I've been told by two different carpenters that they are solid mahogony and I've been trying to sell them for two months. I'm asking $20.00 per door, that's $10.00 per board, or $100.00 for all six doors. One would think some carpenter/handyman would snap them up quick but I've only had a few enquiries and nothing has come of them. By the way, if you really don't want the item you've come to look at, please don't tell the seller you just need to find someone with a truck to take the item away and then never be seen again. If you don't want it or it's not what you expected, just say so. Currently, I'm waiting to hear from a fellow who wants them but only if they're not mahogony laminated onto another type of wood core. I got this guy's name and number so he won't leave me hanging.


I hope I don't have to give away the old doors. They would make beautiful bookcases.


These are the new doors. Yes, DH is staining them in my craft room. Grrrrr!