Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Blind Justice

Besides accidently damaging my air conditioner, I have had a fit of cleaning befall me this month. It is a pernicious and dangerous disease, especially in a messy old farmhouse such as the one I reside in. It all started with noticing dust on the plastic adjustable window blinds.

The mistake was not in noticing they were dustier than a mummy’s tomb. The mistake was in deciding to try to clean them. That brought forth a curse worthy of Tutankhamen's burial site.

The resulting dust cloud drove me from the room and forced me to run the air purifier at full speed for a couple of hours before I could return. Ah, dust mite allergies.

Having condemned the blinds as uncleanable as well as ugly, I started looking for matchstick or bamboo blinds to replace them. Prices on the Net were not wonderful, but not out of the question. But it would be over $20 for each not counting shipping. It would be November before I could swing any. Old cheap plastic ones left over from yesteryear were going to have to suffice for the time being.

So it was with great surprise that I wandered into the local Alco discount store and found matchstick blinds marked radically down with a promise of a further 20% off.  Only one problem – they were all 48” wide when 36” is the largest my windows could handle.

Humphing to myself, I noticed one oddball two-tone set in the plastic ones on clearance. Eureka! They were 36” and would be perfect for the most important window that gets the most sunlight.  $7.00?! Okay, they are mine, I thought.

Digging one last time amongst the plastic blinds turned up another natural colored matchstick blind with a 31” width. Just enough to cover the other window, but no price on it. Eh, with a discount it would be worth it anyway.

So off to the register I marched, blinds slung over one shoulder. Combined and with sales tax, I scored them both for just under $11.00.  Now to get them put up once the cordless drill recharges.

No comments: