So four years ago, I found a dead squirrel in the attic of my detached garage. I was in the process of blocking up openings in said garage's walls and roof so squirrels could no longer frolic in there, and I guess the dead squirrel decided life wasn't worth living without my garage. Anyway, I climbed up a ladder and took my garden rake and raked the squirrel over toward the ladder and threw him away. A little traumatic for anyone, I should think, but I got over it.
The rake was "contaminated" of course, but by the next summer, I had rehabilitated it. I've been using the rake without stress for years now. But the LADDER! I never even took the ladder down. FOR FOUR YEARS! I was going to, and then I found this weird dust on it. The dust was probably just dislodged by the opening and closing of the garage door, but my brain went to hantavirus. And that ladder stayed in its very inconvenient spot for, yes, as I've said, four years.
Last weekend, I wiped off the dust, set the ladder in the sun for a few hours, and put it away. Such a good feeling! I can walk in the garage again. This weekend I think I'll clean out the rest of the garage. Might even be able to put a car in there someday.
Posts
You are stronger than you think!
1 year ago
Karin says:
ReplyDeleteGood for you! Isn't it weird how long a 'story' ocd tells us can stay in the brain giving us the heebee geebees every time we see that item we are NOT going to touch. Congradulations. I am getting less spots like that in my house, but there are still a few i need to work on...one day.
Yay! It's the little victories that make a big difference isn't it? : )
ReplyDeleteDealing with my "mouse in the house" I have a whole new appreciation for this post. I totally get the "ladder contaminated by association idea" and applaud your accepting the ladder back into your category of "possibly dirty, but I'm gonna use it anyway!"
ReplyDeleteAdventures in Anxiety Land