Grabbing the Signs of Spring

 

We've had "spring in the air" the past few days, with sun and blue skies in the daytime, even if still frosty during the night. On walks into town along the river, I've noticed this little flower bed with snowdrops, and also a few yellow somethings starting to show... (Winter aconite, suggested another lady who also stopped to have a look. In Swedish: vintergäck, which might be translated "mocking winter".)

Alas, weather forecasts are warning us to expect another wintry backlash soon; but in the meantime, I still felt "inspired" today to welcome the month of March with a couple of changes:

First I called my hairdresser in the morning, asking if she could fit me in - and she did have a spot open at 11 a.m. So I went for a sunny walk into town, and had my hair cut. (Last time was some time in December.) 

Back home, and after lunch and a bit of rest, I also felt inspired to take on the job of changing the kitchen curtains. (Long-time followers know my routine by now... I change colour scheme in the kitchen for winter vs spring/summer.) 

Since my vertigo incident back in mid January, I've been feeling a bit extra wary lately of using my step-ladder, though. Or at least higher than the first step.

Recently I've been discussing grabber tools with Sandra the MadSnapper. I have two of these, since way back - one shorter and one longer.

 

In later years I've managed to put up and take down Christmas window decorations (Advent stars) with them, without having to climb. I've also used them to adjust curtains when those are already up. I've never used them to take down/put up the whole curtain rod, though. But why not?? The rod just rests on two curved holders - it does not have to be "snapped" into anything... 

I decided to try. It turned out easier than I thought - and certainly also easier than climbing the stepladder while at the same time balancing the rod (as I've done in the past)...

Not so easy that I also managed to take a selfie while doing it, though! ;-)
But here is 'fakie' that I took afterwards to demonstrate...

What I did was simply to lift and unhook one end of the rod with the grabber, and lower that end until I could hold it. And then the other end. Why on earth did that never occur to me before?? Putting it back up after the change of curtains was not much more difficult either - one end first, then the other. And my feet on the floor the whole time. No ladder.

Mission accomplished! (I have two sets of 'summer' kitchen curtains. I've had both for many years. Last year I had my yellow ones up, this year I chose the white ones with floral pattern.)