I own 27 towels. That includes washcloths, hand towels, bath towels, rag towels and beach towels.
I know this because I just washed, dried and folded all of them.
I just washed, dried and folded all of them because I had to use all of them last night when my kitchen was flooded, thanks to a faulty refrigerator ice maker connection.
In the scheme of things, I get that a flooded kitchen is not a major gig. I don’t have to watch the news long to see people who don’t even have kitchen floors, much less a faulty ice maker.
That didn’t keep me from freaking out though. I was ready to go to bed when I heard the dripping. None of the many valves under the sink shut off the water. I knew I had to turn off the water main. Sadly I don’t own one of those funky tools that turn off the water main. As this realization hit, water was covering my walls and floor. Duct tape didn’t even help.
That’s when I freaked.
And my dogs freaked.
So I freaked more.
That’s when I grabbed some towels and called for help.
While I waited for Help, I covered the floor with towels, towels and more towels. It hit me as I was squeezing out one of the towels.
I’d asked for Help and I trusted it was coming.
wOw.
This whole kitchen adventure all worked out fine and dandy. If you read this blog with any regularity, I bet you know it’s not even The Real Point of this post. Right you are!
The point is – why is throwing in the towel of “I can handle this myself!” so tough? I don’t know The Answer to this question. So I’d love to hear Your Answer.
And hey, while you’re replying , is 27 towels too many for one woman to own?
Lisa’s Cheap Therapy blog 
Well, I don’t know the answer to your first question. But, the second question … absolutely not … you can never have too many towels 😉
Sorry that your kitchen flooded 😦
Jane
Don’t we all like to be in control? I know I do. It’s just hard for us “self-sufficient” – “I can do it myself” people to realize we can’t. And when the help come, “thank you” is enough.
And, if you hadn’t had 27 towels, what would you have done?
Sorry to hear about your flooded kitchen. I guess you won’t have to mop the floor anytime soon,huh? 🙂
As for the first question: I’m not sure it is all that difficult to throw in the “I can do this all myself” towel. It’s just that it’s really difficult to pick up and put on the “I need some help” t-shirt! In today’s world, independence is valued and asking others for help isn’t always valued. And then there is the mindset that when we ask for help, we are “failures”. Not at all true, but perceived this way by many in my opinion.
And for the second question: I think too many towels is an oxymoron. I’m with Jane….. you can never have too many!!!!
I think Judi has got the answer, at least for me–the feeling like a failure thing. Women my age came into adulthood being told, “You can do it all!”, and it’s disheartening when I realize I can’t be a “superwoman”. I’m getting better about it, but I’d still like to be like one of those DIY chicks on TV, wearing a tool belt and wielding a nail gun!
As for the towels, I agree with everyone —never too many. I love folding warm towels and then seeing the linen shelves stacked full!
Lisa, Sorry to hear about your flooded kitchen. I don’t know the answer to your first question, but I would like to know what the person that came to help you did, so I know what to do, should this scary thing happen to us? We have a well and I don’t know a thing about how to turn it off! I guess you can’t have too many towels!
lisa 26 of those babies may not have done it~ i say don’t part with one~ towels are good tools, yes? love jstone
Lisa, too many towels, surely you jest!!!!
Asking for help, WoW indeed! I am proud of you. It isn’t easy to ask for help, but, from one who has learned over the past almost two years, it does get easier every time you do it. Like yesterday when I was leaving to pick up a friend to take to Wilmington for radiation treatment. I bee booped out of my house locking the door and as I pulled it shut realized I didn’t have my keys–not the house key not the van key. After calling myself a big dummy I took my trusty cell phone and called my friend and asked her to please please come let me in–which she laughingly and lovingly did.
love you!!
ya’ll absolutely ROCK. thanks for your insightful HELP and insights about control/DIY adventures.
i just might go get a few more towels now 🙂