Curtains, why bother?

I've never liked curtains. Not for me the the big fully lined blackout that keeps a room in darkness till noon. I want to know that the light is changing and to lift my head, half-awake and catch the dawn as it breaks. Or, as happened in my teenage bedroom, to lie on the mattress* on the floor and watch as the ceiling changed colour, reflecting of the flare from the local Gas Plant.

It all went horribly wrong when I moved to Glasgow and lived in a flat on a busy road. I continued my no-curtain policy till one day I wandered into my room naked from a shower. A movement from across the road caught my eye. In the window opposite, stood a group of young men waving enthusiastically. The curtains went up that same day. As if that wasn't humiliating enough, a few weeks later I told the tale while having a drink in my local pub. A young man at the table leaned over saying: " So that was you ! " He had been one of the window enthusiasts.

I may be softening though, last week saw us back in Glasgow shopping for the things you need after a bathroom and a living room have been decorated. I wasn't convinced that we needed a blind for the bathroom, after all we are one floor up and have frosted glass. Then I found the most beautiful blind ever - a Lucienne Day design in perfect colours. It has been purchased and placed with great care in our loo and I find myself wandering in every now and then just for a look.

In other news Kat was the winner of my pick a picture competition. My mother very kindly drew the winning name from a paper bag yesterday. Let me know what picture you would like.

* Not that I was was forced to sleep on a mattess due to parental cruelty. I was sixteen and thought I was being cool.