It all started with a spot of spring cleaning.

It’s amazing how, when the sun comes out, you notice things that have eluded your eye all winter. Like dirty windows.

We live on a main road. We have a coal fire in our sitting room. And we have no window cleaner.

For some reason, nobody seems to want the job of cleaning our windows. I’ve asked several burly men I spotted with squeegees in hand around the local area, but they all said no, they were too busy to take us on.

So I got out my e-cloth and had a go myself. Wow! What a difference! It was like someone had turned the light on!

And then I got started on the cobwebs.

And then I noticed the state of the curtains…

We have white curtains. Probably not the most practical choice, but I like them.

After I’d got over my disgust, I had a sudden burst of energy and enthusiasm and got them down for a good wash.

But whilst they were drying… I remembered that long ago in the dim and distant past I had thought, briefly, of changing those curtains.

I had even got as far as actually buying something on ebay with that end in mind.

I dug out my purchase, a pair of vintage Osman Terylene and cotton sheets in exactly the right colours for the room: turquoise, purple, green and white.

The design is by one of my fabric heroines, Pat Albeck and is called Flores.

I have hung them temporarily onto to the curtain rail gliders with safety pins until I can get some curtain tape to sew on.

I rather like them.

So I am temporarily spared the job of ironing my clean white curtains.

Which means that every time I look at my newly adorned and spring-cleaned bay window, it gives my lazy heart a double dose of joy.