A CHORE-FREE ZONE

Creating a chore-free zone--or inhabiting one--is not my idea.  A UK magazine I enjoy (www.thesimplethings.com)  has a monthly series on what makes a house a home.  One month the feature was about the joy of a garden shed.  The writer said that because the shed is isolated from the rest of the house it becomes a chore-free zone.  She said, "Time spent in the shed never feels wasted." Now I don't have a garden shed, but the idea of a chore-free zone where I could putter, day-dream, let the mess accumulate, and do only those tasks that absorb and give pleasure spoke to me straight off.  One Saturday I set out to create one.  

First I thought I would take a walk. Then I might get some ideas. I set out for the mossy path in our woods.  

I might as well take my rake, I decided.  There were sure to be leaves to rake off the moss and a few border stones to replace.  I walked and raked and neatened the path for almost an hour before I realized I better turn around and head back if I was ever to create a chore-free zone. 

When I got home I made a cup of tea and took it into the storage room off our kitchen.  This would be a quiet place where I could think about a chore-free zone.  The grandchildren love the storage room.  It is cluttered with boxes, old photos, toys and games, trophies from TaeKwonDo,  school projects, a vintage trunk filled with who knows what, spare chairs. . . in all a fine place to play or poke around. The Christmas decorations were already put back neatly on the highest shelves, but I couldn't resist straightening a stack of heavy old albums.  I opened the one that holds family photos of the farm-house-next-to-the-church-next-to-the-cemetary where we lived when our children were toddlers.  What memories! Soon almost another hour had gone by and I was no closer to my goal of a chore-free-zone. 

Maybe outdoors was a better place to think after all.  I may not have a shed but I have a potting bench.  I  rearranged the sea shells, watered everything, set out a flat of pansies.  The time flew by.  

Still without a chore-free zone idea and now quite dirty. I might as well check on my hanging garden.  Its just some skinny old dead cedar trunks found lying about in the woods that I have propped onto a few nails in larger shade trees.  A good wind always sends something to the ground.  But it was all intact.

Might as well take a rest on a chaise lounge.  A friend helped us create an outdoor room on some decking.  The morning was gone and I had thoroughly enjoyed it.  I began wondering whether I didn't have enough chore-free zones already.