Riches

Sometimes, from out of the blue, a thought will hit me and just knock me over!  I know I've talked about how much I dislike ironing, but today as I ironed three of my linen blouses I suddenly felt rich!  Having three blouses hanging up, ready to wear actually made me feel rich!  How odd is that?

Maybe it's about having less, you appreciate simple things more...?  I recently received an email from my pen pal of many years and in it she wrote:  "The older you get, the more meaning you find in simple things don't you think?"  I think losing so much makes you aware of what is really important.  And while I will go to my grave hating ironing, it's nice to know I found something of value in it.  I never had such a feeling even when I could afford to go to the cleaners at $5.65 per blouse!

Which brings me to the question of why are cleaners so expensive?  A few years ago, after the cleaners I'd been using, lost a pair of pants and wouldn't reimburse me for them, I tried a new cleaners that was recommended to me by a customer in my store.  It didn't dawn on me to inquire what the cost would be for a blouse.  So you can imagine my jaw hitting the floor when the clerk brought the two blouses and said that'll be $20.70.  I was speechless.  What rare and priceless extra special services had they performed to make the cost twice what I'd been paying at another cleaners?  I certainly couldn't see any difference.  Maybe they charged extra for not losing items...!  Needless to say, I never returned to that establishment.  Looking back on that little event, I wonder how people can afford it!  I concluded back then that at the rate of $10 a blouse, I could buy a new blouse about every 6 cleanings!  It just struck me as ludicrous!

Maybe it's a group of experiences that suddenly gels in the brain and pops out as a unique thought, I don't know, but having three fresh and ready to wear blouses hanging from the door jam made me feel positively rich.