"My Cozy Corner"

Our five bedroom home shelters myself, my husband, my daughter, my son in law, and my three grandchildren ages 16,14, and 3. Prior to covid, on any given day, you could add an extra five to fifteen teenagers, (sometimes more!) plus five to ten friends with their children who are visiting my daughter and her husband, at times a friend or two who are visiting me and my husband, oh and my other daughter and my son, their children and their significant others must be added to the total as well! Needless to say our home is active, full of laughter, love and chaos!

This is not to say that I don't NEED MY SPACE, heaven knows I do! My Cozy Corner is my bedroom, located in the corner of the very north end of the home, in an area that was once a double car garage and has been remolded and now consists of two bedrooms, and a bonus room.

Oh, the peace and solace I find there! In lieu of slamming doors the room is quiet and pretty much a safe haven from the noise and chaos the rest of my family engage in daily. Some days I find myself only venturing out for coffee, food and the restroom! Mainly because I just can't deal with the chaos, confusion, and open doors that leave the place ice cold! They don't care because they are all actively engaging in whatever is happening and have worked up a sweat!

There seems to always be a birthday, baby shower, graduation, engagement, wedding, divorce or anything one may want to celebrate! Then add the frequent "just for the heck of it" BBQ and there is never a dull moment. I make a quick appearance, give and receive as many hugs as needed, and poof, I am gone! Back to my sanctuary!

I have to admit it all drives me insane sometimes. That's why I find it so odd that I get my "feel bads" hurt when I am not invited to the occasional out to breakfast or dinner they all enjoy! Especially when I decline the offer most every time! I guess I just need to know I am thought of!

Anyway back to my "Cozy Corner", were the walls and dresser tops display items that are close to my heart. Every Knick knack and picture, clock, mirror, lamp, doily, elephant or painting has been given to me by my friends or family. A picture taken of my granny and granddad taken on their wedding day, sits atop one dresser, they look like Bonnie and Clyde only she is holding a puppy, not a gun! They are standing on a dirt road that runs through town in the state of Missouri and it looks like a dust bowl! Off to the corner of the frame is a small round window that holds a picture of my Granny's mom; my Great Grandma, who I never met, she passed when my Granny was only five-years -old. I feel very blessed to have these pictures! They remind me of who I am.

Of course there are other pictures, my favorites are of my mom and another of me and my brother (before I had an additional 5-siblings) they are black and white, but my mom has some color from an early attempt at color photos, we are all the same age, I think my mom is 3 y/o and my brother and I are 4 y/o and 3 y/o. I love these. At the same time they make me sad because at first this set included my dad at the same age. My Granny gave me these and at some point, and I don't know how, why, or when, but my dad's pic was lost! If I could ever find it I would be so blessed!

I have 3 dressers, one was my Dad's (so it means a lot to me) and one I received from my best friends mother before she passed and the other I bought for myself after I lost her and another very close friend shortly after each other. I needed something we liked (antiques) to help me feel better. Neatly cluttered on the dresser tops are lamps, several doilies I received from a good friend of mine; he has since passed away, jewelry boxes made by a friend of mine for me, various small elephants; my closest people have given me. I love elephants! A rubber very old Micky Mouse that was given to me by my husband years ago, perfume bottles that are mostly vintage and were gifts, vintage purses I picked up some were along the way. And my Dad's high school graduation certificate that stands next to a drawing of elephants I did for my grandson a while ago. My mom's Teddy Bear finds itself in various areas of my room on any given day. Needless to say there is no more room an any dresser top, I can barely fit my coffee cup!

The walls display a kind of Hodge podge of pictures, paintings and clocks that were given to me by family and friends. One painting is kind of an abstract of a single elephant with multi-colors all around it. This picture is very well done and I find beauty in it, I get many compliments on it. All across the wall are poster prints and other items I have been given. Hanging from the one corner is the cutest elephant swinging on a swing, this I received from a good friend. Love it! Also on this wall is a decorative cross with the Lords Prayer engraved on it, this hung in my office at work for years.

There is a table along this wall that sits in between two dressers it is an antique and hand painted, it has two shelves, one in the middle and the top shelf. The shelf in the middle holds the cremations of my two pet pug dogs Moses and Diva, they were a very important part of my life, on top of Moses's box sits a small ceramic angel pug. The top of the table holds an antique radio a good friend of mine gave me years ago. Also on this shelf is a vintage music box with a clown that dances when the drawer is pulled open to the tune of "Bring in the Clowns" this was given to me by one of the neighborhood kids that I "adopted" as a young boy, he brought it to me when he had grown into a young man. My 3-yo grandson loves this, and so do I. In the corner sits a elephant wine rack I have had for years, on it is the coolest elephant lamp I received from a friend this last summer.

On various walls hang my old mirror also given to me as a gift, tucked along the edges of the mirror are pictures of friends and relatives. A scroll with the Psalm 46:30 (which once hung in my office at work), reminds me to "Be still and Know I am God", this really should be out in the busy part of our home, Lord knows! Above the closet is a painting my husband did that I just really liked. Throughout the rest of the room are various paintings and other items I have been given over the years.

Now, I am sure to others this seems cluttered. But not to me, to me it makes me feel whole. It is this Cozy Corner of my world that I spend quality time with my grandchildren and children, other family members, and friends, a place away from the chaos and busyness of the rest of the house. Were they come to visit as if this corner were a separate dwelling, were they knock and I welcome them to come in were its warm and cozy, a place were stories are shared of cherished memories; initiated from the various items others blessed me with. A place were hopes and dreams are explored and set in motion. A place were I find peace, gratitude and contentment.

My Cozy Corner is filled with memories of so many of my friends and family that have passed, I feel close to them as if they are still here with me. I feel secure and find that most of my creativity generates in this crowded room full of my friends and family, there are many here and although they may all speak at once, they speak to my heart, soft and clear, not loud and over each other as in the rest of my home! At times when I feel down or I am facing one crisis or another I am reminded that everything is going to be alright. After all I have friends and family that love me, some have passed and those that have not, well, they are gifts themselves, I cherish the times we spend together.

In the middle of this room is my bed, my daughter gave me this bed and it is in the middle of this bed, that I shut out the rest of the world and I am one, whole and complete, and I need nothing more. It is here were I create! Were I have processed life's journey and put it to paper, were I have written poetry and books and learned to draw, were I explore my inner most places and find myself. It is my Cozy Corner!

For which I am thankful.

Pamela