# 40 BROKEN MORNINGS

Now I am one who believes that I am not on this earth to be entertained by Hub or put in a good mood through someone else’s heroic efforts. I firmly believe that when I plant my feet on the floor every morning, I am solely in charge of my good or bad day. It’s up to me whether I make it or break it.

But some days that control is yanked out from under me before I even get my blood circulating. This morning was one of them. First, a glance out the window. Big blue sky, bright sun, flowers blooming – a truly beautiful day. The best kind of day.

Secondly, into the shower. Humming happily, warm water drenching, beauty-bar sudsing, then a cold rinse to fully awaken me. But then, I pull a towel out of the cabinet and my whole world comes crashing down.

Who is the irresponsible brain-dead abysmal wretch that decided that bath-towels should have a strip of decorative ribbing on either end that shrinks up to 1/3 the original size in the washer while the rest of the towel remains its original size? For what purpose?

Some towels do, some towels don’t. The price of the towel isn’t even a clue. My lavender towels were expensive and they are shriveled up after laundering across both ends.

So why is it that all apparel nowadays is clearly labeled with laundering instructions, except bath towels? It wouldn’t be that difficult to let customers know what to expect. A little card attached that might read as follows:

"The appeal of these thick luxurious towels is the attractive decorative strip on either end and the life-time GUARANTEE which you are encouraged to read.

GUARANTEE: From date of purchase the decorative strips on these towels are guaranteed to shrink by 30% in the first wash, and guaranteed to continue to shrink at a lesser rate in subsequent launderings thereafter."

At least if such a note was attached, I would not have to deal with a ‘broken’ day before my morning coffee. I would only have to deal with my new coffee pot that builds up a final puff of steam at the end of the brewing cycle that blasts the coffee ground holder wide open and spews wet coffee grounds all over the counter. Or my new improved metal-utensil-safe non-stick fry-pan that is not visibly askew but yet the eggs and pancake batter all rush to one side. Or my new thermo-safe 4-slice toaster that only heats up enough to dry bread, not toast it!

If you’re looking for me this morning you’ll find me outside perking coffee on a open fire in a soot-blackened pot. Cooking pancakes and eggs in a cast-iron griddle. And making instant toast on a steel-covered fire-pit. And then I’m going to lounge for an hour or two in my new luxurious lavender-colored terry-towel hammock strung between two large maple trees and wait for my broken morning to heal.