In which I Tell You What I Want, What I Really Really Want.

I have wants. Quite a few of them, it appears. I have been innocently engaged in all manner of random tasks, and abruptly, a "want" will force its way into my mind, and dislodge all else going on in there. Here are some of the things that I want, Spice-Girl style...you know, as in "really really want".

1.) I want my basement to be dealt with, once and for all. I spent many gruelling hours this weekend, cleaning and organising, and, while I now have a pantry/laundry area that is up to snuff, (in all but aesthetic details. Sigh) the rest is the work of the devil. While some of this is our own messy, slobby, pack-ratty fault, (Lee, raise your hand here!) some of it is not. As many of you know, I moved into my house after my grandfather had an accident and couldn't be here any longer. Word to the wise: never ever take over a house in which an 80+ man has lived alone for some years. It is not for the faint of heart. Slobby? Packratty? While G.Mac. was an exemplary soul in many ways, his housekeeping skills left a little to be desired. I am STILL coping with vestiges of him some 15 years down the line. And, yes, while I'm guilty of not purging stuff better, I DID NOT personally purchase the packet of pickling spice from 1976--I wish this was a joke--that was, until Saturday, still cluttering up my shelves. So, this all goes to show that I'm a little behind the 8 ball on the basement. I want it all to be nice. I want everything gone, except that which we use and need. I want a decent looking play area for the girls that isn't going to frighten visiting children, etc etc.

2.) I want a nice holiday somewhere "holiday-y"...like to a place where you need a passport.

3.) I want lots of chilly bottles on champagne in my fridge at all times. I want to replace them as soon as they are consumed, so in case of some sort of gigantic global crisis, I will have bubbles to sustain me.

4.) I want paint jobs on most of the rooms in the house. The living room and dining room would be some sort of rich, gorgeous pale browny-red. Our bedroom would be shades of rose and cream, the hallway would be a smooth, buttermilk colour and god knows what the girls' room would be. Doubtless they would choose some particularly noxious shade of magenta.

5.) I want to eat takeaway from Aida's Bistro ALL THE TIME.

6.) I want to go deep within my being, and find the will to change out of my pajamas of my own volition and not merely on those occasions when I absolutely have to. I would like to be motivated to dress in clothes regularly. About the only times in which I will be seen in actual clothing are situations where a pajama-clad me would cause untold mental misery and shame to other members of my family. It would be good if this wasn't the case.

7.) I want a handbag with fairies on. Ideally, this would be a big frame bag, with double handles, in a pale spring-like shade. The fairy/fairies would be simple and kind of feral-looking, with little crystal accents, and done in watercoloury tones. Such a purse does not exist, I am sure, which is why I'm having to contemplate somehow creating my own. I'm quailing before the prospect, but I don't know how else to proceed. If anybody has any ideas on how this can be done or designs for such fairies, send them to my address, c/o the Fairymaster.

8.) I want more coffee, with a glug of Frangelico in, so I have to stop now. I received a lovely new bottle of Fran for my birthday, and it's crying out to be busted open. I'm singing the Spice Girls are I walk off to the kitchen...