Meditation: Not Om . . . but Hiss . . .

I love ironing.  I know, there aren't too many of us out there . . . (maybe there's a blog . . . ).  I use a Rowenta iron, which I've owned for close to 15 years.  I remember how guilty I felt when I bought it all those years ago . . . I think I paid over $100 for it, although now you can find it for considerably less.  It seemed like an outrageous amount of money to pay for an iron, even though I was ironing a lot of shirts every week while the boys were attending Catholic school . . . but I seem to have gotten my money's worth . . .

For me, ironing is a way to relax while still being productive . . . I love the smell of water vapor being released . . . And then, there's the hiss of the iron (set to maximum steam if possible) when it touches the damp fabric . . .  It's a multi-sensory experience!  Some people burn candles or incense when they meditate . . . I use my steam iron . . .

Our Laundry Room is small and does not allow enough space to be able to leave the ironing board unfolded and ready to go.  And, between the lack of convenience and my busy life, I end up taking a lot of stuff to the dry cleaners that I once ironed myself.  But I'm very particular about my tablecloths and napkins, and I haven't found a cleaners nearby that will press them to my satisfaction.  I mean, is it too much to ask that all napkin corners match when folded in half . . . ?

Or that they give me a crease down the middle of the tablecloth and that they fold the tablecloth in half the long way . . . ?  These dry cleaners insist on folding the tablecloth in half the short way, even when I specifically instruct them to crease it the other way . . . I've given up and just press them myself . . .

This is one of the tablecloths that we used on Christmas Eve . . . now nicely pressed and waiting for the next dinner party . . .

A beautiful tablescape begins here . . .