Ten Steps to a Great Workout!

Table of Contents

It's the time of the year when we need to pull out all the tricks and tips for getting presents to ourselves into the house unnoticed!  We've all done it, and it is a necessary hazard of the hobby:  Sneaking Minis into the house.  It's a great workout, and builds character, so, here's some tips, based on an article in from American Miniaturist Jan/Feb 2003

1. Reconnoiter the premises. Where is the 'enemy '  You know, those darling non-miniaturists who think you should finish the projects you already have  (They just don't get it.)
2. Make sure all doors are unlocked along your proposed route to “safety.” This is NOT the time to use the garage door opener! Remove all obstacles; you need a clear shot. Think speed; think stealth.
3. Wrestle the new mini quietly out of the car. What do they put in those bags that makes them so noisy  Stay alert. Keep one eye toward the front door and the other toward the back door you're trying to run for.
4. Feel the rush of adrenalin that comes at the mere thought of being caught! Use it! Let it propel you forward! Take a deep breath.
5. Careful now, don't trip over the nosy dog (or cat) who thinks you've got a special treat for him. The commotion will alert the enemy, and you'll be trapped. HINT: if you've got one of those nosy pets, this might be a good time to use one of those treats you carefully hid in the car!
6. Once you're in, don't relax. The worst is yet to come, especially if your craft room is up or down a flight of stairs and/or right next to you-know-who's home office. The most perilous place to be caught with mini in hand is the staircase. There's no escape. There's no place to stash anything that's too large to fit under your shirt, into a pocket, or mixed in with the dirty laundry (Yuck! What we have to go through!)! That's why it's so important to make sure the coast is clear for the trip.  
7. With heart pounding, carefully proceed to stash the new mini, then make a mad (but stealthy) dash back to safety – that point within the house you usually greet your darling non-miniaturists.
8. Whew! Close call! You've made it. You've arrived unnoticed, but your still not home free.
9. Take some of that highly regarded dryer lint and ever so gently, hold it over your newly found treasure, and lightly blow a bit of lint on it to get a light, delicate dusting over the exposed surfaces. It gives it that “I've had this forever” look if you-know-who happens to pop in while you're admiring your new mini.
10. Note that if the new mini is a dollhouse, you get a double workout!

A couple helpful tidbits:  sneaking home on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon during football season helps if your significant other is a football fan.  Ditto for the World Series, NASCAR race, Basketball games (especially the Final Four Basketball Tourney).  Use the cellphone to send that significant other on an errand while you're on your way home (just don't come home using the same path as the errand runner will need to take).