After our latest three days of rain, the ground was finally dry enough on Friday to do some weeding, not sticky clayey wet and not hard as a rock dry. I dug up the failing gardenia which hasn’t bloomed since the first arctic vortex froze it to the ground. It has struggled ever since, freezing to the ground every winter since even though I covered it and this last year the leaves never greened up no matter what I added to the soil. OK then, we’re done. I did not cover it this winter. Its carcass is going on the burn pile. In it’s place I planted four amaryllis bulbs my neighbor Gary shared with me and then as I was weeding in other parts of that flower bed I had to run Cat off twice as she was disturbing those bulbs trying to use the freshly turned and loose soil for a toilet.
Saturday morning the front from the west pushing the storm clouds away
While waiting for the cable guy I decided to do some much needed housework in the living/dining room. Everything was covered with dust, the floor was in desperate need of vacuuming. I got the dining area done when I noticed that my great niece and her husband had arrived over at my sister’s house. I knew they were coming so Vickie could start getting some of the stuff that she wants. She took one of the clocks (among other things, my sister collected clocks), some framed pictures and an assortment of other things including some of the Christmas ornaments, the tree, and the antique Santa but none of the furniture this time around.
My daughter showed up as well to visit with her cousin and we went through all of Pam’s Christmas ornaments and decorations (and Vickie did not take nearly enough as far as I’m concerned). My sister was crazy. We went through 5 large tubs of stuff, three of which had a dozen or two ornaments floating is a sea of styrofoam peanuts. We filled a 55 gallon trash bag with peanuts.
After everyone left I went back to my dusting and got the living room area done and vacuumed. It looks so good in there, everything all clean. Yay me (pat on the back).
Today I took more plants out of the house and garage and gave them a good watering, cut back some more dead stuff and hauled it over to the burn pile, cut back some of the dead stuff over at Pam’s house and hauled it to the burn pile, cleaned the big bay window seat in the living room and all the stuff on it, dusted my bedroom and vacuumed the rest of the house, and I am tired!
Now I’m going to go sit on the deck and start shelling the last bucket of pecans I had cracked and enjoy what’s left of this pretty day.
AHH, the power of a vacuumed floor. Gets me every time.
ReplyDeleteI let them go so long and then the west sun comes in through the window and illuminates every cat and dog hair and, this time, all the debris from shelling pecans, so that by the time I finally vacuum it feels like I really accomplished something.
DeleteHousework is divided in our house (not evenly I confess with my wife doing more than I) and I find the success in getting it done is to simply divorce my mind from what I am doing and think of other things. I do all the shopping too!
ReplyDeletehusband cooks 5 nights, I cook two; we alternate doing the dishes and sometimes he unloads the dishwasher; he does the laundry but all the rest of the housework falls to me which major stuff like I did this weekend I don't do all that often. other things are split...he's in charge of the car and pays the bills, I do most the yard work (he mows) and the shopping.
DeleteEllen, you are amazing.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I'm amazing or just driven. I just don't sit comfortably for long. never have.
DeleteThat was a very productive day! I vacuumed and did laundry and THOUGHT about chopping down the wildflower stems. Ha!
ReplyDeletereally two days but yeah. fortunately it doesn't come over me all that often.
DeleteI grinned at your self-administered back pat. I gave one to myself after I finally (after two years) got after it and cleaned all the window blinds in this place. Dust? Oh, my goodness. I was so inspired that I hauled out my big three-step stool and did the top of a couple of cabinets that no one ever sees. As the saying goes, you could have planted cotton up there. But now it's done. Next up is window washing and patio railing cleaning, but I want at least 70F before I haul out the hose for those. I'll suffer for paying work, but not for that.
ReplyDeletenope. I just ignore the mini blinds. I'm sure they are horrible. and I don't think I've ever managed to get all the windows clean the few times I decided to tackle the job. Problem is we have storm windows (on the inside) which means there are four surfaces to every window particularly since somehow spiders and other critters manage to get in between. it's a horrible chore and I usually peter out after fou or five windows.
DeleteI can never have a completely clean house. 5 would have to get rid of David, the dogs and the cat for that. ~heavy sigh~
ReplyDeleteoh, yeah, that never happens here either. I vacuumed the whole house, I only cleaned the living/dining combo and my bedroom. I'm pondering cleaning the little bathroom today.
DeleteGlad you're back Online, my Internet went down JUST as an Auction I was Bidding on was Closing and thus I lost the Bid on what should have been my Valentine's Day Pressy, dammit!!! Came back up only Minutes after I Lost... Le Sigh... I'm still not 'Over' it. *LOL*
ReplyDeleteWhen I was much younger with babies in diapers, I kept my house so clean. Had to get old to realize that some things are more important than cleaning house. It does make me feel good to sit down in a clean house, though. A great feeling of accomplishment. Too bad HeWho doesn't want that same feeling!
ReplyDelete