Ragdoll's blog: "good stuff"

Feb 25, 2007

 Tarnish and The Copper Teapot Current

 mood:accomplished

Good Sunday To Everyone...I hope that wherever you are its a Warm Atmosphere full of Love, Family and Open Hearts! ______________________________________________________________

Two nights ago , on Friday night I found myself without the kids..they had elected to go to the bowling alley and hang out with friends there until midnight. Those moments are kinda rare for around here. The weatherpeople had stated a blizzard was approaching, and we might be in for at least a foot of snow.So before the kids went out for the night, I went into town to get any last minute items we needed in case we got everything they predicted we would get. In Machesney Park, the snow was coming down pretty good, at home nothing yet..but the night was still young! It was heading this way. So We were prepared for whatever Mother Nature was going to give us. Now home, I really didnt have anything to do. Mentally I was going to go stir crazy.

 Over the past few days, I had been going thru things stored for years out in the garage. My late mother's things, my grandmother's belongings..all my crap that I packratted over the last 25 yrs and carried with me thru 2 marriages, divorce,death..ect ect. I needed to go thru this stuff once and for all and give to the trash man, custody of his share. Letting go has been hard for me to do. I dont know, I think that by trashing this stuff, I am in essence throwing away a part of the loved ones that I miss alot. But something has to give...They are just taking up every available space I have and doing nothing more than giving spiders and mice a place to hide! I cart all this stuff out and going thru it piece by piece.

I Get myself into cleaning mode and gear up for what lies ahead. Im sorting save, sell and trash, just like the show on tv. But there is no cameras rolling and no consolation gifts at the end to be had. I come across a very old solid copper teakettle, wooden handle, and tarnished and banged up pretty good. I 'm not too sure how it came to be in my possession, but I know that I had held on too it for at least 9 years. Not once in those nine years had I ever cleaned it. It was badly tarnished and almost black looking. Amongst the other items, I had found a bottle of tarnish remover. I thought to myself..maybe I can clean this thing up and take it from there. I spent a good hour just rubbing the liquid on. It immedietly turned into a thick paste that just seemed to cling onto the dirt, filth and grime of the years of the past. As quick as it would cling to it, it would dry into this hazy film. It was gummy and yucky, not willing to come off. Almost like this teapot was saying.." No dont take this covering off of me" "This is my dirt, my history, my evolvement, my past" "I am just supposed to be this way..it is my character"..... I just let it sit there on a plastic shopping bag. I put yet another layer of this goop on it, thinking that maybe this project is futile and just a waste of my time. After all, the kids are gone...shouldnt I be soaking in a nice long hot bath relaxing and washing my own tarnish off from the day? It was midnight already! The kids would be home in 15 or 20 minutes tops.

 While the teapot was taking up space on my table, I did manage to go thru another 4 boxes of packed things and finding spiders and mousepoop galore! I washed up the other things and put what I wanted up in the display hutches, washed clothes that were now 5 sizes too big for me, getting them ready for donation. Finding those clothes and knowing they would never fit again, did alot to elevate my blah mood.

 Ashley came in and asked what was I doing? I told her that I was soaking this old teakettle to clean it up. She was a little anxious to see what it was going to look like, so I got my rag out and sat down with her. I re-wet my cloth with some more solution and started rubbing it into the copper. Some shiny spots were started to come thru. It was actually pretty underneath all those layers of yuck and obvious years of abuse.. I told her most people would probably just see this filthy old thing and just pitch it out. That it isnt worth their time. Hell Even I thought that! but maybe with a little time and some good elbow work we can get this thing shining all the way to see it's beauty....I commited myself to this.

 She said..." Kinda like what youre doing with me? It hit me like a ton of bricks. Baby...

You are beautiful!

Mom, not everyone sees me like that.

 Ok...even if they dont, thats ok. They are just looking at the tarnish. They cant appreciate you...the real you thats underneath all this other stuff. If you want to shine up and be pretty lets do it like this teapot then...we have to get rid of the grime and the filth. Its gonna take some work, but we can do this.

 Mom this teapot is gonna be really pretty, I cant believe how well this stuff youre using is working!

 Well the bottle says it is used in the worlds finest museums and hotels....

 "I love you mom, You got an extra rag?"

Sure I do, Ill cut this one in half and we both can make this thing shine...

 I dont think we were talking about the teapot anymore......but thats ok. It was a moment that was far more valuable than the copper itself.

~Hug Those dear...even if they look a little worse for wear...rub them the right way, and sooner or later they will shine~

 ~Ragdoll~