Saddling Up

There was a big monster sleeping in my studio. For the last eighteen months or so I have known it was there and I had gotten very good at ignoring the fact that it really did exist. To be honest, that monster in there was rather scary to me. Lately, I would sneak a peek in there and try to determine just what I was going to do. You know deep down inside I just knew that the day would come that I would have to DO something.

This last week I saw robins in my yard. I have always thought that no matter what the calendar says, the day that I see robins is a sure sign that spring is here. Of course that is normally followed by about eight inches of snow. But all in all, I place great stock in the arrival of the robins. I think they know much more about the seasons than the weatherman does. Anyway, the robins are also the harbinger of another spring phenomenon –spring-cleaning.

This past weekend the focus of the spring-cleaning became the studio… and the monster residing there. I entered with a bit of hesitation but a firm resolve. Today was the day! I swept and cleaned and knocked down cobwebs and chased dust bunnies. Then I gently touched the monster. It lazily opened one sleepy eye and started unblinkingly at me. I stood my ground and did not run screaming from the room. Instead I gently wiped the dust from her belly bar.

“You’ve been gone a long time,” the Gammill monster sighed.

“I know,” I replied as I continued wiping the dust and lint from her frame.

“I could use some oil,” she whispered hopefully.

And so it began. Just like two old friends who had lost touch and didn’t quite know what to say to one another. There were plenty of awkward moments followed by embarrassed laughter. Slowly, we were starting to become friends again. We even managed to load a quilt and do a little playing. Nothing fancy mind you. Just a matter of stretching old muscles and remembering how it once felt.

Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway. —John Wayne