» Hoarding

Nature/Nurture....some things can be overturned through years of therapy
When I was a child, it became apparent to me from an early age that my mother was a hoarder, and hated to throw anything away. The best thing about her hoarding was "the ironing pile", which was so massive it seemed to take over most of the spare room (she also seemed to be permanently surprised by the concept that as a house wife, it would have been a good idea to do some house work). The ironing pile contained items of clothing that I had long since grown out of, and was an amazing place to hide the really disgusting cardi that some mental old aunt had bought me, or the dress that my mother though would be perfect for the school disco (yes, if I had been 5 at the time, but not as hormonally challenged teenager). It was simple, you claimed that you had worn said sartorial nightmare and had spilled something down it and put it in the wash basket. If you were really unlucky, it might emerge from the ironing pile after about 6 months during one of my mother's guilt ironing sessions, but invariably, it disappeared never to be seen again.

Through her influence, I went through some strange hoarding episodes myself, once spending several years collecting hundreds bus tickets and till receipts (what was I thinking), and had several drawers full of stuff that I may need one day.

Having spent the last 13 years living with someone who is pretty much OCD regarding cleanliness and tidiness, I feel like I have been in a kind of living therapy, and all urges to hoard have been well and truly sucked out of me. Now please excuse me, there is a drawer that need cleaning out in the kitchen....
(Sat 5th May 2012, 15:43, More)

» Morning After Souvenirs

Money, Teaspoons and Undying Love....
After a particularly heavy night out with my friends and the vodka fairy, I awoke to find £50 more in my purse then I had started the evening with, a phone with all sent and received messages deleted, several tea spoons and no idea how I had got home. After several frantic texts, my friends claimed I wasn't by myself at any point, none of them had any money missing and that I had got out of the taxi first and one of them had seen me in. It also transpired that I had also declared undying love to several exes and my best friend and god knows who else. I have no idea where the money or the teaspoons came from...Damn the vodka fairy, she is such a bad influence.....
(Fri 27th Apr 2012, 20:40, More)