That Mrs. Hillbilly.
We went for a walk around the harbor the other day for like the first time in 3 {maybe 4?} weeks? First we didn’t walk because her mother was in town, then it was because I was out of town, then her sister was in town, then she had a busy work week {I think, or maybe she just needed a week off from all the crazyness}.
Anywho, as we walked on our 4 mile loop she mentioned she hadn’t had breakfast yet, I may have said I was craving tea a few times, and towards the end of our walk she said she didn’t want to go home, that she wished we could prolong the outing so she didn’t have to go home and work, or do laundry and all those other little things that must be done but can totally be put off for another day.
So we ended up at one of our favorite spots. The NetShed. I ordered a pot of breakfast tea.
She ordered an iced tea. Which you know, seems totally reasonable at 9 in the morning on a 50 degree day if you’re from the South.
And then, because we’ve been friends for 11+ years I can’t help point out the obvious {it’s a sickness I tell you} while we wait for our food.
You know, things like why do we always seem to end up looking like we’ve wandered out of the woods or something on our walks? Mrs. HB had {wood} smoke holes and paint stains on her clothing and was wearing thermal underwear {like the kind you get at Costco} that she’s always trying to pull off as stretch pants {THEY ARE NOT STRETCH PANTS!!!}
I can say that because we are friends. Just like she can tell me the peach fuzz on the side of my face is glistening in the sun and I need to shave it off already {NEVER!!!} Or that my pants are way to short and I need to pull them down so it doesn’t look like I’m walking around with high waters on. Then there was the whole discussion of my choice of shoes {no arch support!}
She can blurt out things like my closet is ridiculous and I need to post a picture of it on the blog because it’s not normal. I am not normal. Normal people do not use less than half of a closet she tells me. Normal peoples closets are filled with clothes.
I can take a picture of something in her car and then she’ll be like WHAT!? What now? What do you see? And I’m like… you don’t see anything unusual?
Like the used dental pick sitting casually in your center console? Who does that? Who is practicing dental hygiene while they’re driving? And not only that, c’mon now, why would you leave a used dental pick in your car? Aren’t they suppose to be disposable? Is it really that hard to floss at home? How many times are you reusing this? How long has it been sitting in your car? And seriously, whatever happened to just using floss?
Why do I even notice these things? It’s like I have a hyper sensitivity to any and everything I deem out of the ordinary. And not only that, if I don’t point it out to the person I feel like I am going to burst.
I immediately check for lip balm. There were only 3 this time. {Miracles do happen!}
And then Mrs. HB whips out her lipstick and demands I take a photo of it and share. She’s trying hard people, to use up every last bit.
And then we talk about how good the vanilla pear french toast we had for breakfast was.
Like so good you want to lick your plate and you insist on telling the waitress the restaurant needs to bottle it up and sell the recipe as body lotion {or lip balm} kind of good.
So ya. Licking plates and arguments over dental picks. You know, just another day with my trouble making, up for anything, they look like stretch pants {no they don’t} friend.
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone,
~Mavis
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust
Linda says
I have a dental pic too! ♀️
Suzanne says
You guys are hilarious! That breakfast looked amazing. And your closet is the size of my bedroom.
Toni says
I have a dental pick in my car too!
Jennifer says
Friends like these are hard to come by! Glad you two enjoy each other’s company so well and there are no hard feelings on the topics of discussion.
Laura says
Love your friendship and it is so fun to feel like a fly on the wall for your conversations. Hope you had an awesome visit together!
Linda says
Mavis you are like the winning ticket of a lottery drawing, only one in 300 million. Mrs. HB and you are funnier than George and Gracie Burns (you probably don’t even know who I’m talking about). Keep us laughing, you probably will never know how many people’s lives you touch.
Mary says
Have you ever looked into your Enneagram number? It focuses more on your motivating fear and the way that impacts your behavior and choices. I am a Type 1, and I definitely spot the things that are out of place/weird. When I voice my observation, I think I am helping someone fix something or make it better… Apparently, most people only hear criticism… Anyway, I wanted to let you know that you are not alone Mavis!!
Brianna says
My hubby carries dental picks in his car too because he is constantly in front of people teaching and nobody needs to see reminants of his lunch. I always have to remove the used ones because it just doesn’t dawn on him that several used ones sitting in a cup holder is gross. I can’t help but wonder where all of the flecks of food he picks out go, but they are probably on the visor mirror. Yuck!
My laundry room looks like your closet. An oversized space with the essentials in it and the rest is empty space. I am storing sleeping bags in it right now and my garage sale pile just to ‘use’ the space, but it doesn’t bother m to look at emptiness. My house is empty of furniture and we sold 3/4 of it and I haven’t bothered to replace or buy anything yet. I kind of like not having all of the furniture to dust and vacuume under.
You could spread your clothes out 6” between each hanger to make it look more full if that is what visually appeals to people. It will all your house better not having a cluttered closet and bins and other closet accessories because that means there is a storage issue to me.
AJ says
The only thing I think is strange about your closet is that you haven’t used the empty shelves for storage yet! If I had that space in mine (I don’t because HH and I share a smaller one than that), I would fill it with my yarn/projects or use it to store bulk items from Sam’s, like our TP stash for the next few months. 😉
Mavis Butterfield says
Ya. But what would I possibly store on the shelves? 😉
AJ says
Wool! 😀
Mavis Butterfield says
Stuffed in the sideboard. 🙂
AJ says
Weeeelll… my mom used to keep wrapping paper, exercise weights, iron/ironing board, and all the (other people’s) clothes that needed ironing in her closet.
Lucy says you should stock up on doggie biscuits. Those shelves are perfect for storing a giant stash. 🙂
Helen in Meridian says
Was that a diagonal slices of french bread they used? Imagine Mrs. HB is in crisis and needs a MacGuyver tool to help. At least she didn’t throw it in a parking lot. I see them there and wonder if they can’t puncture a tire? Chewing gum, tooth picks are all things we were told were unlady like. Now dentists and hygienists tell you to use them, chew them and use dental picks to keep your gums healthy. .French bread for french toast….who da thunk it. Some of our red lights are so long that I may invest in a box of picks too.
TJD says
I have floss in my purse, in my desk, in my car cup holder, in both bathrooms, in my makeup kit, on the nightstand and in the living room on a end table (inside a cute decorative holder). I do this because in between my molars on my left side there is a tiny gap. If I feel ANYTHING in there I have to get it out… right now! That’s me. Lip balm I might have 2. Dental floss 30 is possible. 😉
Angela D. says
Same here! I can’t concentrate on safe driving with food stuck in my tooth gap. “Used dental flossers of the world—Unite!!!”
Mavis Butterfield says
I love it!! 🙂
Yvette says
Add me to the list of “grossies!” I feel lost without my flossers and travel toothbrush! Haha
jamie says
My mouth is small, so flossing is both gross (i feel like I have to put my fist in my mouth) and hard to do for me. I LOVE floss picks! they keep your fist outside your mouth and can get in-between the tight spaces of my teeth. We keep a bag of them inside the glove compartments of each of our cars. Nobody wants to see leftover food in your teeth and it drives my tongue crazy too. My car is private space and I have no problem flossing there! It makes me laugh that you have a problem with this, but lick your plate at a restaurant. That must be truly amazing food!
You have WAYYYYY more clothes than I do. I take my whole wardrobe in my carryon luggage when I go places. My closet is much smaller than yours and mostly filled with towels, my girls formal dresses, and my most prized possessions my family pictures or things like grade school crafts made with macaroni or clay, but mostly family pictures.
Rita says
That tree is gorgeous. The french toast looks plate licking delish . I wish I had your closet!
Lolly says
I love you and Mrs HB! So funny!!
Windy says
Mavis love the quote and cameroderie! I share about what you have filled with hubby so I am with you on not needing that much space. But would probably store luggage or other things but we live in a older smaller house so closets are smaller and space is premium! Which helps me keep from getting clutter or junk. You inspired me with your getting rid of things quest and now I am trying to do the same. It is liberating to have space and not stuff!
Marcia says
You guys crack me up.
First, the high waters. I picked up my kindergartner yesterday – and I said “what is UP with those pants??” I couldn’t find the tag with a quick check. But when we got home, he took them off. Size 2T! (He’s FIVE.) Daddy let him go to school like that. They were 5 inches too short. Not that I’m comparing you to my kindergartner.
Don’t shave the fuzz.
And the closet is a little ridiculous. Ours are PACKED, but in my defense, our TOTAL closet space for the entire house is probably the size of your one closet there. We have no garage, so our closet holds paperwork, clothing, and my yarn and fabric. Kids’ closet holds a metric ton of legos and toys.
JB says
Love the floss stick! I confess both my hubby and I keep them in the car! That way at least I floss once a day I keep a bag in the car and my kids also use them after going to restaurants.
Chris says
I’m glad to read these comments cause I always have dental floss picks with me – in my car, in my purse, in my gym bag. The sell a small pack at the dollar tree that I bought once and refill. Can’t live without them!
Katherine White says
My closet is the size of a small coat closet and there is still plenty of room to hang clothes. As far as the floss picks go, they rock!
Linda says
If I had closet as big as yours i would look like that. I really thinned my clothing out. If you are a stay at home mom you need less clothing- I always thought ours should be made of denim- wears well and lasts. I also wonder who really pay the clothing prices listed in magazines- I guess I am bargain queen- I haunt the resales till I find what I want. I’d like to find classic and buy one each of all the colors I like and be done with it.
Alice says
At least you had some money with you to buy food. When I walk I usually only carry my phone. I don’t even need a house key, I just use the code. I’m not to the point of using my phone to pay for snacks.
Julia says
I usually carry some money with me when I walk in case I run into a yard same or a friend wanting to get coffee or a snack at our local market.
Lisa says
Licking plates? In public? I have never seen another human being do that. My 11 yo just did in the privacy of our own home and I told him not to do that. Ever. I’m not even that much of a stickler on table manners and even I thought that was going too far.
sharon says
What did Mrs. Hillbilly come out on her personality test? I was shocked after I took mine and looked at the comments on your site. That even though I had a common one, no one ells commented that they were the same as me. SO odd??
Love her outfit!! She knows comfort. 🙂
Carrie C says
I’m almost done reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I am not too cluttery of a person. I don’t buy or keep knick knacks but I do keep papers, bills, coupons, etc. around the house that drives my hubby mad. I am hoping to get better at that. I keep all my clothes in a dresser and a very small closet (house was built in 1928) but I could still pare down some. I can’t wait to get started on my big purge! My goal is to fit both of our clothes in our bedroom closet and dresser so we can eventually use the other for a future child’s closet. I know your closet looks stark to most but to me it so freeing. I’ve been holding on to clothes that are in good shape but just don’t fit right and they never get worn. It’s such a waste of space.
Mavis Butterfield says
It’s freeing to me to. 🙂 Good luck with your purge. 😉
Nancy from mass says
I have a baggie of dental picks in my car right now! I was driving home today from NH (had to bring my 90yo mom to the doctor and shopping for a coat). We had lunch and since I now have invisalign, I’m supposed to floss/brush before putting them back in. I couldn’t brush, but I could floss!! I did remember to take it out when I got home, but am guilty of forgetting before.
gina seaton says
Not only would I lick that plate, I’d want to roll around in it like a little piggie! Looks SO delish! NOM!!! Plate lickers ROCK!!!
Sarah Hamilton says
Yup, I am a car flosser!
Tracie @ SomewhatAwry.com says
I love these posts. Thanks so much for sharing with us! You and Mrs. Hillbilly are welcome at my house in Virginia anytime!