Hmmm, where to start? Well, first let me say that this is the sole toilet of a house with a three-year-old. Thus, the basket of makeshift bath toys (a gravy separator - R calls it a teapot, a baster, measuring cups, two halves of a plastic Easter egg, bath crayons, a squirty turtle, and some suction-cup/non-slip froggies). (We've spent money on other "real" bath toys, but these are R's favorites, mostly sniped from the kitchen.) The recently potty-trained three-year-old is also the reason behind the package of wipes (underneath the box of tissues), which work so much better for wiping little boy butts than even the softest toilet paper.
The other two items: the box of tissues and the Curel lotion are for me and A respectively. I have year-round allergies and require a box of tissues in nearly every room in the house. A has really dry skin and eczema, and Curel is one of the only lotions that helps him.
Before R came into our lives, the back of our toilet looked a bit different: less crowded and minus the bath toys and wipes. There were usually the tissues, Curel, and either a tiny vase of fresh flowers or a candle. When we have friends over now, I put everything in the bathtub except for the tissues and add either the flowers or candle. (For my local friends who are reading this, my secret is out! If you look behind the shower curtain, you'll see the reality!) So my toilet leads a double life, you see.
Now, on to the bigger issues. Notice how our toilet seat is white while the toilet itself is green. That is a problem for me. As is the green tub and the pink and black tiles. And the (not pictured) stained, pink wall paper with pictures of fish and treasure chests and nets. And the black electrical tape holding some of the tiles in place.
Our bathroom needs a complete overhaul, but we are lacking two things: (1) the money to do it (we've received estimates in the $15K range) and (2) the ability to go without showers or a working toilet for more than a day. A's friends have offered to come do it for us, but they would have to work on it over many weekends, and I don't think I could bear that. And, I wouldn't want to go away somewhere for the time while the work was being done because then I couldn't be around to make sure it got done correctly. So, we live with the bathroom in this state and I try not to let it bother me too much (until I took a picture of it to share with the world - LOL).
The other thing our toilet points to is the lack of space in our bathroom (storage and otherwise). I can barely get between the toilet and the bathtub to clean. And there is no storage except for the world's tiniest vanity underneath our sink, which is only inches away from the toilet as well. The previous owner of our house had hung several strange little cabinets and shelves on the walls - all different colors and shapes and at all different heights. When we bought the house, we took all those down because it made the bathroom feel incredibly claustrophobic. It feels a lot bigger now, so I'm afraid to add shelves back onto the walls.
Despite all this, my toilet is clean! Do you see the reflection of the seat in the tank? At least I can take pride in that! :-)
To sum up, my toilet is indicative of my current life: in need of some TLC and organization, but there's no hurry. Now is the time for playing with toys and cleaning up little messes and wiping noses and finding joy in simple things. It's the time for having fun without spending a lot of money. And, it's the time for not worrying about how something looks to other people because I know it's clean and I've got far too little time as it is to spend with one perfect, sweet, funny, little boy who thinks I'm the most wonderful woman on Earth. :-)
Now, what does your toilet say about you? ;-)
3 comments:
Well, dear I think your toilet is very interesting....green, white, wipes....but really, Where's the glamour shot.
As crowded as ours our (with two little girls), I think our toilets say "No comment!"
I have a secret for YOU. I have always looked behind your shower curtain. It's a habbit I've formed over the years from watching way too many horror flicks. I can't pee in someone else's house before I've looked behind the curtain and in any closet doors that open into the bathroom. There is no way I will ever be hacked to pieces by some maniac that was hiding in your shower!!!
I know. I need to get out more.
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