I recently put up a decorative curtain rod and hung
new floor-length floral curtains in my master bath. Putting up rods is stressful.
The task brought to mind a few “curtain fights” with significant others over
the years. Now that I live alone, I attempt simple household tasks by myself with
my limited supply of tools.
Getting those curtains into place was important, as
my only line of defense for a few weeks was the translucent blind on the
window, hanging slightly crooked from worn-out strings. Every morning during
those weeks I took my shower with the lights off; thus, I had to wait until it
got light enough outside to see where the soap and shampoo were. I could find
everything else.
Every day my process brought to mind a scene from
“Seinfeld” in which George Costanza visited his mother in the hospital. As I
remember it, she was hungry and asked him to go to the cafeteria and bring her
a sandwich, but George stayed put because he was mesmerized by what was
happening in the next bed.
“It’s six-thirty. Time for your sponge bath,” the
nurse said to her patient, pulling the curtain closed between the beds. George
then enjoyed a “cinema in silhouette” as the nurse slowly sponge-bathed the shapely
female patient.
I didn’t want to be backlit and displayed like a
shadow puppet as I went about my morning routine. A viewing audience outside my
house at 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. is unlikely, but people do walk their dogs and get
their newspapers. My neighbors and I share sidewalks, and most of my home is on
the ground floor.
When I moved into this condo, the previous owner had
left mini-blinds on all the windows, so I didn’t put up curtains right away.
One day a neighbor told me she could see me in my room at night. She was doing
me a great favor, letting me know my mini-blinds with their gaps and bent slats
were not affording me complete privacy. Live and learn.
The recent curtain installation went smoothly after
I exchanged the first rod I bought. (Note to self: Measure the window before buying the hardware.) I have no
power tools, but my hammer and screwdriver did the job. I left the blind in
place. The curtains not only added a layer of privacy; they also look pretty. Because
they match the ones in my bedroom, they visually define the space as what it
is: a master suite.
Sweet!
