I`ve become one of these pillow- people. I have pillows in my windows.
No, nothing like these sitting benches with decorative pillows. Here, there`s no such thing as thick window sills while snuggling up. It`s strictly about preventing light from coming in. I just want my sleep.
Well, yes, of course. In an ideal world, I `d prefer curtains. Sure. However, realistically, my dream isn`t so much about curtains anymore. All I want now is roller blinds from JYSK. Simple as that. I`d love a blackout lining, but really, everything would be okay. Ideally, I would go for the ones without chains, strangling- precaution- wise. But, I mean, if the chains are on sale…You gotta do what you gotta do.
It`s funny how flexible we really are. It hits me every time. In 2013 curtains were “the big thing” around here. During one of my worst nesting- periods they were even measured and hand- sewn (not by me, obviously. I just paid). Although, after a couple of years with escapism and delusion, wanting ready- made curtains in velvet, I finally decided on roller blinds. Self- knowledge conquered and, thankfully, my ambitions went down.
I`ve seen it for decades already. Those who save up for curtains. And the ones who save up for blinds. All depending on how far along in the process they`ve come. It was the same with me. I can`t remember explicitly the first time I used a pillow, but I think it was sometime, last fall. Surely, the idea had struck me a couple of times prior. After having ruled out sheets in the first place. I didn`t need the full isolation, there were more the lower regions I wanted to cover up. The thing is, my bedroom window starts at knee height, with my next-door neighbours right down there. Not to mention, their televison screen pointing a certain way. Sometimes, when there have been men rushing around, I couldn`t help but notice how their lights suddenly went off. It could have been my imagination, of course. Totally. However, in order to show the guys some respect, I guess 11 inches of clearance would be great.
For one year now, I have been looking for pillows. Unconsciously, I mean. Thickness. Fit. It`s like a puzzle. With narrow window-sills it`s a real challenge. I started out with three or four pillows. Nice, decorative ones. In tone- on-tone style. However, after a few weeks, I was really feeling it. The sofa in the hallway looked robbed, and every time I passed, I made a run for it. And clearly, buying things was out the question. Then, I could just buy the damn curtain instead. Well, that`s not entirely true. There were some undeniable price differences. And I knew all about the baskets at JYSK.
Baskets filled with pillows. Pillows that didn`t match. Pillows without seam. Broken seam. Pillows for one dollar. Two dollars. Three dollars. They were right across the river. Just over there. But something about it felt so final. This was only temporary, I mean. Just until a knight, with velvet curtains, came riding in,- on a white horse.
If I were to go all big spender, and buy roller blinds, I couldn`t just buy one either. Then, clearly, my kids should get the installation as well. They did, three or four years ago, but things fall apart, don`t they? For the past three years now, I have successfully convinced them that vitamin D travels through windows. When the sun has been at its shiniest. But the sun always sets, and the windows can still be opened. At the very least, they`ll be flexible kids, who can fall asleep anywhere. It`s hardly the worst thing you can do as a mother.
While dreaming of four blackout blinds, the pillows are doing fine on the window sill. They`re on a 24/7 shift, otherwise it might get a bit messy. The kids get their vitamin D, kind of, and I get my privacy. It works somehow. We`re survivors. I`d rather have a pillow in my window than a real estate flyer in my hand. Not a particularly difficult exchange to do, really, when you think of it. Once in a while, when I`m out for a walk and see my room, I smile. There you have them, the pillow- people, I think to myself. Up there, yet another survivor. Nothing wrong about that. Also, having dreams is actually quite amusing. Maybe my velvet curtains will come galloping one day. Maybe NAV will miscalculate my disability pension sometime soon. Maybe I`ll have enough, next year.
Maybe one day, far, far away, there`ll be blackout blinds in every room. Who knows? Maybe.