Search This Blog

Sunday, May 20, 2018

MAN CAVES VS SHE SHEDS!

A reasonably new craze has taken a grip here, and perhaps everywhere.  It is the 'She Shed'.  Supposedly, in response to the 'Man Cave', we are seeing adverts where the said venue has burnt down, and the insurance company is promising complete restoration, including contents.  Other commercials are showing how to run the cable television to the remote building and then there are those with decorating ideas.  A small 'Wendy House' at the bottom of the garden has not really been of particular interest to me.  

I do not, have never had, and frankly thought I did not have in my future, a 'She Shed'.  One radio presenter made a reasonably good point, when his female host suggested it was a 'fun' idea.  "What was the purpose of the 'Man Cave', originally?" he asked, rhetorically, so it would seem, as he then continued, "It is because you, as in you women, have the whole of the house.  The kitchen is yours, the living room is yours, the bedrooms are yours, to do with as you please.  What was ours, was the garage!  The original 'Man Cave'.  Why do you need somewhere else?"  This caused much laughter from both presenters, and from me, sitting alone in my car.  My own personal space.  My 'She-Shed'. 
No automatic alt text available.
"You are in my way", said Dana, as I asked why he was standing in the middle of my kitchen, with a cup of coffee in his hand. It appeared that I was using the counter top that he required in order to 'doctor' his coffee.  (An odd saying but one used regularly in my house.)  "But the kitchen is supposed to be my area", said I, with a slight hint of a smile in my voice.  "Not when I want to doctor my coffee", came the same smiling response.  The 'She Shed' was starting to show some appeal.

Coffee was an item that was on my list this week.  Not that it is an item that I purchase from anywhere but Joe's, but because we had an 'instant win' prize in Randall's, the local supermarket, game of Monopoly.  Unlike any other game of 'Monopoly' I have ever played, this has a constant run of 'chance' cards, and there is never one that sends you to jail.  I suppose that would only be an option should you steal another person's pieces! The 'Monopoly' game lasts for a few months, and I think this is the third year (at least) that we have played.  

Although Randall's is not my first port of call for a large shop, as it is a little more pricey than other stores, there are some items in which they specialise, and they have an excellent ongoing deal on their bagels!  Dana and Samantha enjoy a bagel, of differing varieties, each morning, courtesy of yours truly, who seems to be the breakfast chef.  For some reason, between the hours of nine and ten 'a.m.', the back room of the office has been proclaimed a 'She Shed' and it is my domain, unless (as there is always an 'unless') Dana needs to make breakfast for the dog!  (You can see who takes priority here!) 

This years game of 'Monopoly' started in February.  Dana came to the office with three or four 'pieces', and he gave them to Samantha. As is her way, she shared the load with her mother, and we opened them. Prizes vary from 'instant win' items, to money off items, and 'codes' which can be input electronically, and other instant prizes can be won.  Sometimes, the prize is another two pieces.  With every 'piece' there are four pictures which can be placed on the board so, in effect, the game is more like 'Bingo', but who am I to suggest that there is a discrepancy, after all, I am merely a 'guest'! Towards the end of the 'game', there are opportunities to get '3x' the pieces on each purchase.  It is at this stage of the game when you really want to stand behind someone in the queue, who has just bought a month's load of groceries, and states that they are not playing the game, then turns to the next person in the queue (Samantha) and says, "Are you?"  Sometimes, the '3x' is on top of a 'double point' purchase, and you walk out with around seventy pieces.  This is where the 'Monopoly' becomes 'roulette'.
Image may contain: sky, tree, outdoor and nature
However, I digress.  Perhaps another reason why I should have a 'She Shed'!  The bottom line is that although we did not win the 'big' prize, (and I really do not know what it was; probably an amount to make you independently wealthy,) we did 'win' quite a lot.  The 'game' became a bit of a 'treasure hunt' in that we had to go searching for our prizes, which included for us, in the region of, a dozen tins of tomato sauce, four bottles of aspirin (?), a dozen or so packets of gravy mix, coffee, jerky, potato chips, salad, and a lot more which I did not commit to memory.  Kitchen towel!  How could I forget the kitchen towel!  Perhaps it is because the kitchen is no longer my own!  A dozen rolls of kitchen towel could be considered a 'big win', I suppose!

The 'game' finished just in time.  Our daily walks to collect our prizes (and towards the end of the game, purchases were not necessary as they were giving pieces on redeemed items!) were coming to an end, as the temperature was rising rapidly, and walks were to be replaced with swims!  The dog was disappointed this week, as his daily constitutional consisted of Dana walking him around the office complex, once, and a couple of trips to the post box, which is about twenty yards from the front door!  The overnight temperatures were such that the water was not too cold.

On our return to the office, on Monday, we had to stop by the supermarket.  Dressed in my office attire, rather than the shorts, t-shirt and cap that I wear to walk, I am not always recognised as the same person, until I open my mouth.  We went to the customer service desk, as although the kitchen towels were quite a big win, the little 'Bingo' pieces had proved to be quite worthwhile, and Samantha had to collect a $5 gift card, and $5 cash.  We approached the desk, and waited.  The customer service assistance was busy in another room, talking to someone.  Eventually she appeared, looking rather miserable.  Perhaps it was her insurance agent to whom she was talking, and she found out that the contents of her 'She Shed' was not covered!  "We are not sure what to do with these?" I said as Samantha handed her the completed 'board'.  Her face did not change.  Perhaps the whole 'Shed' was not on the insurance policy!  One of the shop assistants came over to the desk.  "They did real good this year", he said to the lady behind the desk.  "Yes", I agreed, "We were playing diligently".  No change.  The shop assistant walked way.  Samantha remembered the expression from last year.  "But 'She Shed's weren't a thing last year", I blurted!

"You are in my way", said Dana, as I asked why he was standing in the middle of my kitchen, again.  "The 'She-Shed' is becoming more and more attractive", I said, as I moved, towards the sink.  "You are in my way", said Dana, as he came over to the sink to rinse out the coffee grounds from the filter.  "That's it!  Costco have a really good deal on garden 'houses'," I said, with attitude.  My husband continued to walk around my kitchen as if it were his very own 'Man Cave', and I retreated.   "The kitchen is yours", I said, and all that sail in her, which means cooking, cleaning, stocking the pantry....".  I regained ownership rather more quickly than expected!
Image may contain: drink, indoor and food
The weekly trip to Costco is something that Dana would find most unappealing.  One trip a year is somewhat of a treat, as on the odd occasion when he accompanies me, he enjoys the selection of samples on every corner, but he calls himself a 'hunter-gatherer' and does not 'contemplate' very well in a supermarket.  If an item he would like is offered my many suppliers, and he has to compare the quality with quantity and price, he quits!  However, to Costco Samantha and I went on Saturday.  

Smoothies were being prepared by a lady towards the back of the warehouse, in her attempt to sell the latest model of food processor.  "You can do anything with this.  Make soups, smoothies...", and she rattled off a list of wonders that could be prepared.  "Cocktails for the ladies when they come over to spend the afternoon in the 'She Shed', I countered.  I had given her a new angle! I settled for the smoothie!

In the middle of the store stood a shed.  Perhaps big enough to put a couch and a television, maybe a fridge, and a small (very small) table, it did not compare to the venue I recently 'reclaimed'.  A cocktail party would really not be an option, unless it was a very, very small gathering!  Samantha stepped inside, and as she knew I would, I shut the door, and put down the latch.  I felt rather ashamed, not at my action, but at being watched by several children, who looked on in a state of shock, as someone the age of their grandmother, was 'being silly'.  I opened the door, and received 'the look' from my daughter, and an even more distasteful glance from the youngsters.  "So, what do you think?  Enough light?" I said, desperately trying to regain ground, and maturity!  It did not work.  

As if to add insult to injury, as we continued along the aisles, I managed to spill my smoothie, all over the floor.  It did not look pleasant, as it had been made with avocado and mint.  A young boy passed by with his father.  He gasped and then asked his father if I had perhaps had an 'accident', although not using the same words.  His father looked rather more embarrassed than me, and the 'She Shed' was back on the menu!  Only this time it would be a 'hide-out'!

My usual 'hide-out' area was rather busier than usual on Saturday afternoon, although no surprisingly so.  The pool had a few more visitors than I am used to, but it did not stop me from swimming. I swam my self-allotted amount of laps, and then sat down to read.  Everyone finally left, and I started to doze.  The breeze was refreshing and the solitude relaxing.  Who needs a 'She-Shed', I thought.  If I was married to a man who was content to go out into the garage with his friends to watch 'the game', and drink a few beers, then I think I would be more than happy to have my friends over for cocktails in any other room in the rest of the house!  Why have less space?  I am sure there will be many answers to that rhetorical question!  As I dozed, I was aware of people coming to invade my privacy but was delighted to see that it was my next door neighbours, with their six month old son, who had not yet ventured into the pool.  Who needs solitude?  I enjoyed every minute of their company.

Today it is raining.  My 'She-Shed' would have to be very 'weatherproof' to withstand the downfall that we had this afternoon.  The thunder ricocheted through air, and the tornado watch would have had me in a real cave, rather than a mere 'Man-Cave'.  An internal cupboard, rather than a freestanding 'box' would be preferable.  

As my afternoon will now not be reading by the water, I shall have to come up with an alternative.  I could watch the programme I recorded yesterday morning, which included footage of a wedding.  (No, you cannot escape mention even on this page!)  I could make a cake.  (My carrot cake this week was hailed by my other-half as 'spectacular' - another reason for him abandoning the kitchen.)  I could just sit and think, "What can I write next", for ........... another story.


No comments:

Post a Comment