A Blue-Grey Christmas

Have you ever heard of the poem, When I’m An Old Woman, I Shall Wear Purple? It was an award-winner when it came out in 2001 and started conversations about aging. It’s about throwing away convention and refusing to fade away as one gets older. I’ve always worn purple and red and gold but the concept of loud colour in my home is just starting to appeal. My decorating mantra has been to bathe a room in neutrals and accent with colour – one colour, maybe two.  That’s where you pepper in the red or gold. Although I slathered the walls of my Burlington home in various bold hues, I’ve never purchased a major piece of furniture in anything but brown, cream or beige. Until now.

Okay, so it’s not super bold, but it’s bold for us. I had pointed out a red leather couch in a flyer and thought would look great. Derek nixed it. This baby is a shade of blue-grey that matches a bit of metal artwork on a wall in that room. Derek and I both saw this “gently previously enjoyed” couch independently, sold on Facebook by a pal, and were shocked that we both liked it. The old couch was moved off to the right and everything else in the room was in disarray for a few days. I wish I was able to tolerate clutter and things being out of sorts but I felt like a frustrated Border Collie trying to herd sheep that wouldn’t cooperate.

But I digress.

There’s nothing as exciting to a cat as a catnip toy unearthed from beneath a couch that’s been moved. Miss Sugar had just sweet-talked Spice into giving up the toy to her. She doesn’t think it’s a flattering photo, but I assured her that she’s beautiful from any angle.

My newfound attraction to colour is making me wonder whether I’ll join the Red Hat Society. It’s a group for women 50+ to form friendships and redefine what it means to be a woman of “a certain age”. Oh, and to wear a red hat. Will I toss away my cream and beige hats and go for bold on my head, too? And is this attraction to brighter shades a function of age, or just an evolution of taste? I don’t really know. But change is good for the soul and for the TV room.