Saturday, July 9, 2011

WORKING HARD




Or hardly working? My new white curtains have been draped over my ladder at the foot of my bed for about a week. Every time I wake up during the night, I see this ghostly figure at the foot of my bed, unnerving me, until I wake up slightly and remember it's my drapes! Today, I decided I would get them hung, period! Well, everything is harder for an old lady. First off I had to disconnect the TV from the Dish, then unplug from the wall, and after that move the sewing machine my TV was sitting on, just so I could get the ladder up to the window. I was already tired by then. My brackets are the double ones, for shears on one rod and the draperies on the other. The nails that came with the brackets would not hold in the sheet rock. I knew better, I just thought I would try anyway. Finally I found some sheet rock anchors in my "tool" box, that would fit that bracket. So, back up the ladder I went, pounded it in and positioned the bracket, and screwed the screw in, the bracket had a center hole, and that is where I placed the screw. The top and bottom hole is for the nails, which wouldn't hold, so I left them off. Back down the ladder, move the ladder over to reach the other side. I carefully measured, to make sure they were the same distance from the ceiling, and edge of the window. Then I pounded the sheet rock anchor in the place I had marked with my pencil. Placed the bracket and then screw in the center hole as I had done the other side. For the life of me, I could not get it screwed in. I was having to reach over to the left, and hold my bracket with my right hand and try to screw the bracket in the anchor with my left hand. Now, I am NOT left handed, and I found this very hard to do. I kept dropping the bracket, so I tried holding the bracket with my left hand, reaching over my shoulder with my right hand to screw the bracket, well this didn't work either. Had to take a break, as my back was killing me. While sitting in my recliner, on ice, I thought, I have a cordless drill, just get it out, and use it! Move the ladder again, get the drill, find the right screwdriver thingy, up the ladder with the drill in one hand and holding on with the other one, couldn't hold the drill up long enough to drill. Too heavy. Then I tried leaning really hard on the ladder, and holding the drill with both hands, still couldn't do it. Damn, being old is not fun! Had to go and rest again. My sugar was dropping too low, so I took a break and had a bite to eat. Sweat pouring off me, but I am determined to hang my drapes! So, up the ladder I go again, to heck with the drill, I took my little nub of a hammer and hammered the screw in, and then the screw driver and clung to the ladder with my right hand, screwed that sucker in. Then I noticed that I had hung the brackets upside down. Well, they are staying that way! I hung up the shears first, no trouble, then the drapes. The draperies have tie backs, so I again had to try to screw in a hook for the tie backs. Couldn't do it, so I used thumb tacks. Got them started, and then my trusty hammer, wham,wham, and we are done! Don't breathe to hard, if they fall, I will have to ask for help. As I said the brackets are upside down, and they are going to stay that way. Kandi is so upset during all this, she stayed under the bed. I am tired, and I still have more drapes to hang, but not today.My back is killing me, so I took 1/2 pain pill, I have tried ice, and now I think I will get the heating pad out. I will be so sore tomorrow, I may not be able to get out of bed!

3 comments:

  1. Heat always works best for me. I wish they would make all this stuff easier for us older folks to do. What you did get up really looks great.

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  2. Your drapes and curtains really look nice. I hope you feel good after a sleep. Hang in there!

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  3. It's a darn shame that trying to do a job that would have once been a snap, now becomes an ordeal that tires us out before we're finished. You aren't alone!

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