Living Independently - The curtain nightmare/ordeal

 I am writing after a long time. I hope this is the end of my writer's block and I will nourish and nurture my in-born writing talent. I hope OCD cycles will not take the pleasure out of writing. 

I want to document the curtain-setting episode. 

It started with an idea of just window curtains, window lace curtains. I took the measurement and sent it to my parents. They got the strings and the 'challa', not to mention the lace curtains. Only later I realized they had packed the strings along with the curtains. 

The curtains-strings stuff was got around June 28, when Papa had come over to deliver my IGNCA application form. On July 8 I finally became serious to put on the curtains. 

July 8

I thought the challa (ring) was a keel. I was somewhat dumbfounded when I saw the strings and the screw lookalikes, along with the curtains for the first time. The curtains did not have loops. The curtain and the string length were too long. It took me a moment to register what is to be done. And one thing was missing - screws. 

SCREWS

I had big screws that felt inapt for the curtains but Arjun said it is workable. The curtain length and the absence of loops did not matter. The string had to be cut short. 

But, that could wait. I wanted to use Arjun to fix the screws. Because the screws were big, fixing them into the frame BEFORE getting the string cut was a wrong decision. First, the right screws had to be bought. 

Or, better - Go out and buy the screws and get the string cut then do the whole together at once rather than doing it piecemeal. Mark a point on the string where you want it cut. 

But, due to poor time management, the screws were bought and fixed (thanks to the generous nature of Arjun) BEFORE getting the string cut. 

STRING

I wanted to use the Urban Company guys to cut the string.

Getting the string cut without a measuring tape was a wrong decision. The string was first still longer and then appeared to have been cut (in the second attempt) a bit too short. But, that could wait. A more visible problem was - the other string remained to be cut. And one challa remained to be installed into the first string that was just cut a bit too short. I guess I was banking on the challa to compensate for length. 

So, at the end of 08th July, two tasks were pending

- getting the other string cut to the right length

- getting the challa installed into the first string

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July 9

GOING OUT AND GETTING THE WORK DONE

I was all set to go to the shop. 

- The other string was cut to the requested length

- I had only one spare challa (which was accidentally installed into the other string)

End Result - I was with two strings, each having one challa. 

I had to get two more Challas (that I assumed I left at home)

SEARCH FOR ONE CHALLA

One challa I got from home and the other from the market after a wild-goose chase. 

End Result - I was with two strings, each having two challas, as desired

CHANGING THE POSITION OF THE SCREW (Back to Screws!!)

Because the string was cut too short the screw placement had to be changed.  

And now begins the ordeal - of fixing one new screw (- not happy with the sagging curtains), altering the placement of the original screw (- not a very neat arrangement) and fixing another new screw (At last, peace!!!!)

All throughout being concerned about damaging the wooden frame during screw hammering. 

TAKEAWAYS

- Use the right labour. Don't be pennywise and pound-foolish 

- Don't do carpentry/metal work (wire cutting and challa installing) piecemeal. 

This is only the beginning. Living Independently is only going to get more interesting.