Sometimes we all need a secret hiding place (02/06/06)

I finally got the last of my pictures back. I shot a roll of black and white film while I was in Texas at the beginning of the year. Apparently black and whites take longer to develop. Most people use color film these days and that is what the photo processors are set up for. I could have gotten the pictures back more quickly if I had taken them somewhere else to be developed but I prefer the quality and service I get from the little shop uptown. Sometimes I think I’m the only one who prefers quality over speed. I think a friendly face makes all the difference in the world and if it means I wait a little longer for my pictures, then so be it.

I was leafing through the prints when I came to one that made me laugh out loud. My daughter’s sister’s kids were grinning like maniacs through the mesh door of a dog kennel. They had kicked the dog out and replaced the dog’s toys with kid toys before climbing in and shutting the door. They played inside happily for a good long time. They do this quite frequently and as soon as they outgrow this activity baby Emma will be at the age to take over the space. The dog just rolled its eyes, gave a hearty sigh and went about its doggy business. Little does he know that it will be a very long time before the house belongs to only him.

There is something about small spaces that attracts children. Sometimes the world is too big and there is security to be found in bringing things down to a more manageable size. When I was much younger, we used to drape blankets over clothes lines, chairs or card tables and while away the afternoon. I suppose a dog kennel is the modern day equivalent of that. Lest you think it is child abuse to have a child in a cage, please remember that they are the ones who commandeered the kennel and also that the door is too difficult for them to latch by themselves.

There are times when I wish I had a private place to retreat to when the world is too much. I don’t think I would like a dog kennel but a place where it is quiet and organized would be nice. I want a space that doesn’t leak when it rains; a space that doesn’t rattle and shudder every time a loud car goes by; a place where there is no television, no noise; just small enough for me and maybe the cat. I would like a retreat from the cacophony, the hassle and the toxic people in my life.

As I can’t retreat to a dog kennel in Texas every time I am feeling overwhelmed, I am considering building a garden shed this summer. True, it wouldn’t be immune to the noise pollution from passing cars but it would be small enough to be a refuge from everyday life. It would be big enough to hold all the various flower pots that now spill out of the bottom of the closet. It could store the various garden implements that clutter up the garage. It would have to have plenty of windows to let in uplifting sunshine and a door to lock out the world. Best yet, there would be no electricity to plug in a yammering television.

It is almost time for our annual trip to the flower and garden show in Ohio. We usually get some great ideas as to plants and structures we would like to have in the future. Seldom do the ideas and plans come to fruition. Sometimes we are looking for specific plants or plans. Sometimes we just go to see what we will see. This year I am going to be scouting out potting sheds and little outbuildings. Maybe we can find something that we can both agree on that will fit into our yard.

It’s true that we have more pressing demands on our time than to build a shed in the middle of the yard. But sometimes one has to take time out to do something for the soul. Besides, the few square feet it occupies will be that much less grass that my husband has to mow.[[In-content Ad]]