WHEN A COVID-19 LOCKDOWN DAY TURNED INTO A SPRING CLEANING DAY!

Happy Easter everyone. If we have survived the coronavirus pandemic lockdown till now, then my belief is that we will all get through this, together and triumphant!
Yesterday, my daughter ( who is home with me  because their university in Chicago is closed)was looking for a toe nail clipper. She barged into my bathroom and said “I am  sure you have a manicure set somewhere in  here”.
I was so sure I didn’t and said to her “No dear I don’t! Go ahead and  take a look”.
She opened one cabinet that had some toilet rolls arranged neatly in it and I quickly jumped up and said” Don’t touch those ! I counted the toilet rolls in there so do not touch any!”
She glared at me and said “mom ! What’s gone into you?  I’m looking for a nail clipper not toilet paper and Weren’t you the one offering a neighbour some toilet paper a few days ago and she didn’t even ask you!“
Then I heard a gasp and
“ mom what’s this??”
I looked to see what made her gasp and there she was holding the door of the second cabinet open! Then she said “mom , we need to do some spring cleaning , and we need to start right now!”
One by one she brought out the things in the cabinet. First she help up one curling iron, then another one exactly the same and then she dug out a third, and oh no, a fourth curling iron!
“Mummy, there are 4 curling irons in here and you don’t even curl your hair!! I’m throwing them away but I think I’ll keep this blue one, it’s pretty.”she said.
I stood there mortified, wondering when , and how I had acquired Four curling irons!!
Every time she brought out an item I don’t use or that I have more than one of, she ll scold me with a look and a shake of her head like I used to do when they were kids and they did something naughty.
I could only mutter
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know I had so many things in there but I can explain why I have more than one though …” she cut me off again with another scolding glare.
“let me explain”
I pleaded.
“You know it’s difficult to repair these items and if one got spoilt or blew out while using it, I needed to have an alternative handy” I offered lamely.
“Sure mom. Three will blow out while curling your hair?” she asked sarcastically.
This was getting ridiculous ! Daughter had become the mom and was giving it back to me for always preaching that one item was enough as there were many starving children in the world.
In a calm voice she said “mom, I won’t throw anything away. I will save them and send them with the items you ll donate to charity the next time though I doubt that they’ll be needing curling irons..!” and then she chuckled!
Oh! I was off the hook then. She proceeded to take out the items one by one until I heard a triumphant yelp
“Mummy look, mummy look, didn’t I tell you? Look mummy!” In her hand was a leather case containing- yes you guessed right- a manicure/pedicure set with clippers!!
The rest of the evening went well. Not more than 2 of each item were allowed back in the cabinet.
Helping her this time we did the same in all the other cabinets and cleaned out and rearranged everything like we were expecting a covid 19 inspector!
What struck me was the number of items that we had and did not know were even there!
If it had not been for the coronavirus lockdown, I might have rushed over to  the nearby cvs to buy another manicure set!
Next week, I’ll share some of the good, the bad and  ugly of the effects of the coronavirus lockdown.
In the meantime, please STAY HOME & STAY SAFE.

Aunty Grace