Random Objects

 I lost £5 the other day. This never happens to me and it irritated me beyond all reason - to the point where one of my friends said she'd give me the bloody fiver.
I searched through my bag thoroughly but somewhere between the pet shop and home, it had gone. I did however discover a unique and interesting selection of objects in my bag. I challenged the others to have a more random selection than me but of course, I won hands down.
In my bag I had;

• a sock (briefly worn - just one)
• hayfever tablets
• a change of name deed
• two colours of nail polish
• a speech transcript
• a usb lead for my ipod
• a plaster

I could go on and I daresay if I went and checked the bag now it would have a whole array of more random objects than I've listed but I may appear even more of a loon.
My desk is a similar story. As I look about now there is the fairly normal pen, post it notes, calculator.... but then there is also a fir cone, more nail polish, two lots of tablets, some craft materials, leaflets about befriending, two hello kitty memory sticks, some strawberry earrings, and a spare mobile phone. This is a good day- there have been far worse days!
The letter from the local MP has now made it to the bin as I have decided I can no longer deal with the pointless battle I have with him over his prehistoric views.

I strive to be tidy and organised both at home and at work. I fail. I have too much stuff. Too much clutter and too many treasures. Maybe I should take inspiration from some of the people I've worked with over the last ten years. Firstly there was Chris. She put all her 'this is beyond disgusting and I will not afford it houseroom' gifts from children at the end of term on a special shelf in the classroom which she had labelled the Treasure Shelf. This means she never gives them houseroom, but shows the children the value of their treasures by having them on permanent display. Genius!

Then there is my current boss. I have been to her home twice and last time I was there, I was shown the now famous antique post sorting cabinet. It has its many sections and these are carefully labelled with each letter of the alphabet. Then all the toot is filed thus- sellotape under s, with string, superglue and scissors, blu tac under b with buttons and batteries etc, p is for pens, pencils and paper.... you get the picture. It is always a talking point, it sorts the clutter and everyone knows where to find all the stuff!

Today is the last day of term. I bid my boss goodbye after seven very happy years working for her and I'm more than a bit devastated. Up until our final gathering at half two, we shall all be having a tidy up. I wonder how far I'll get. At the last supper last night, we talked about how one of us at the table thinks drapes are the solution to all ills. "Cover it with a drape, no one will see", and how that by next parents evening, a new drape is needed. Before long it can become something that Tony Robinson and the Time Team can come and excavate. At our place of work, the other place is under the staffroom table which drives our finance lady  nearly to tears. She drew the line at many, many pots of mud from the layers of soil dug up during the building project and consigned these to the final resting place at school- the shed.

My own place is the spare room. Challenge me...ask if I have a bauble, pop up puppet theatre, Fisher Price record player, board game, boxing gloves?....
They are all here.