Wednesday 16 March 2011

Upon The Pleasures of a Tidy Underwear Drawer and Dressing Table

I never went to boarding school, and to be honest I don't think it would have been as Enid Blyton led me to believe in her Mallory Towers and St Clare's series...but I did long to pack up my trunk (with my initials stencilled on the side of course!) and tuck box and board the steam train! My sister and I used to play at making Lists Of Things To Take and drew out plans of the school in notebooks, made lesson timetables and the like. I used to read about playing lacrosse and going on nature walks, and the exams - drawing maps for geography - even sounded rather exciting!

One thing that featured at the start of most of the books was a scene in the dorms listing what each girl had on her chest of drawers, and of course you could tell a lot about the girls from that. Vain Gwendoline had brushes for her long golden hair, and jolly nice Darrel had photographs of her family. One of them had a photo of her horse, as she was, of course, horse crazy!

Boarding school has been on my mind lately, as my 11 year old god son is being sent to boarding school this year. I feel sorry for him on one hand because he does not have much family, and to go away from them seems a little cruel almost, but another part of me knows he will have a fabulous time, learn to be self reliant, and he does already board at another school 2 nights a week, so it wont be a complete culture shock. I am already making plans to send regular parcels down to him! So it may have been a coincidence, but yesterday afternoon I was overwhelmed with a sudden urge to tidy out my chest of drawers in the bedroom, the top of which I use as a dressing table, almost as though matron woudl be round to do an inspection later!

I threw out any tights that had ladders, folded everything up nicely and rearranged things. There is a great deal of pleasure to be taken from a well organized underwear drawer! I will treat myself to a new packet of tights today to swell the ranks, and perhaps sew a lavender bag or two to slip in.

I have a pretty cup and saucer on the top of my dressing table which holds my necklaces, earrings and the like, and also my dried out bridesmaid's bouquet from my sister's wedding last year. There are all the little bottles of lotions and potions that go on before bed time or upon rising, and bottles of perfume, all in their boxes to prevent spoiling, too. As a finishing touch, I went out and bought a tiny bunch of sol narcissi, which are so heavily scented it is hard to believe it comes from such a small bunch!

2 comments:

Yvonne said...

Mimi, It's interesting that you are going through your bureau drawers, since I have been doing the same thing. When spring time finally comes to Indiana I always feel like "lightening things up" a bit in my wardrobe and decorating. Its fun to think that others are doing the same thing.

Dinahsoar said...

I too have a pretty cup and saucer on my dresser to hold jewelry, and a corsage from a mother daughter banquet from years past.

Now I detest organizing my underwear drawer..LOL...but you make it sound so pleasurable.

You have a wonderful memory. I read a lot as a child, loved reading, devoured what I could, but when it comes to specific details, I have little or no recall.

I have to laugh because one of the details I do remember from reading fiction based in England is that the rich 'walked the grounds' of their estate. I can remember walking around our tiny yard on an early summer morning and pretending I was walking the grounds.

Another detail I recall is that they oft walked the moors...I had no idea then what the moors were. Since then I have watched a lot of BBC programs and seen the moors..they are incredible. I do love the English countryside.

But I love everything English as well and that is why it gives me such pleasure to read your blog and The Vintage Kitten. I can travel and never leave home.