I like to trick myself that I’ll get to that project “some other time.” I can get away with it for a long time, but finally I am so tired of that-big-thing-in-my-closet-that-has-been-on-top-of- that-pair-of-shoes-I used-to-really-like that I am ready to strain my self to take care of it. This past weekend’s episode of that-big-thing-in-my-closet-that-has-been-on-top-of- that-pair-of-shoes-I used-to-really-like involved a 4” thick King size memory foam mattress topper that was somewhat rolled and folded in half, taking up all the walking space required to actually reach the closet. For 3 months now, I have been settling for the shirts I could reach and the shoes that pretty much matched…. The item arrived via UPS with all the air sucked out of it packed tight in an average sized box. Once released from his extra thick plastic prison, Mr. Mattress Topper geometrically expanded way more than the Grinch’s heart grew on that fateful Christmas day in Whoville (no Tartookas or Whohoopers popped out of it – also no roast Beast.)

Saturday was the day I needed to hang some stuff up (no more dresser knobs or door frame ledges to hang things I had worn and washed that were ready to be stowed.) I figured out that I could squish the foam a lot by pushing down on it with all my body weight of my upper body and squeezing with my arms, but it re-expanded once I moved to try to shove it in the king sized pillow case (sporting far larger internal capacity than the box it original arrived in). With all my stubbornness, I managed to get it started. At some points in the process, I had to shove my whole arm along the internal border to help the part that was inside the pillowcase squeeze down some more to move farther inside the case. (I honestly felt like my arm was going to get stuck and be intombed with no hope of a third day resurrection.) Once I had half the topper in the case, that was all my limited strength and mental stubbornness could manage for that side. So I decided to come at the other side with another sheath. I found an extra large vacuum seal bag in a drawer. This is the testament to my magical finding ability. I see stuff in my memory. I knew I had seen a vacuum seal bag in a drawer under a wardrobe. At first I couldn’t find it, but I could see the blurry image in my head (this happens a lot) and I dug deeper and sho’ ‘nuff, there it was – although buried under 3 years of other junk. Much squishing and much sweating later and the topper was reduced by 2/3 in size and now I can reach my shirts in the closet. Turns out I wasn’t as enamored with those shoes anymore as I thought I was. But I still feel really good that I finally reached a “some other time.”

Until Next Time,

Your Friend, Tracy