Sep 12, 2011

Life Happens

If you combine a house discombobulated to accommodate painters; a husband leaving on a 12 day business trip and having to move the trip up to get in to Boston ahead of Hurricane Irene; a new baby granddaughter half way across the country; a daughter-in-law with some medical complications after delivery; a son trying to handle a newborn baby, a wife in the hospital, work and school; a call to yours truly asking me to fly out and help for a few days; a grandson starting school and subsequently coming down with a nasty cold and needing some extra babysitting - what do you get? Me. Me and my neglected blog and my dirty, disorganized house.

Life happens. Everyone is well now; everyone is home safely. The New England family survived the hurricane; the Texas family survived medical problems. That's what's important.

I've been struggling a bit to get a handle on my house. I left for Texas with drapes cleaned but not re-hung, furniture askew, and all art work and decorations off the walls. And funny thing... no little fairies came to my assistance while I was away, and it was all waiting for me when I got back.

Today I spent several hours doing jobs that really need to be done at least twice a year. First, it was taking down all the "inflow" furnace registers and washing the grime off them. While they were down, my husband took the vacuum out and vac'd out the dust from the vents.

I also cleaned out and re-organized all my kitchen cabinets (except the dish cabinets -- I'd done those just a few months ago). I divided my spices into two categories -- "sweet" and "savory" with each type put on it's own shelf to make it easier to find them when I need them. I swear, if I had the space, I'd put them in alphabetical order. But I don't so I didn't!  I re-organized the food cabinets, sorting like with like. All pastas and grains on one shelf, coffee and beverages together, canned fruits and veggies together, etc. It is so much easier to plan menus when my food cabinets are organized and easy to visually inventory.

Next I cleaned out the black hole area under the kitchen sink. I just don't know how so many weird cleaning products accumulate under there, since I really don't buy weird cleaning products! I did find polish for my kitchen counters (which I hope to do this week), cleaner for the ceramic stove top (which I hate - am I the only one? That darn thing NEVER comes clean!) and another for the stainless appliances. I threw out old sponges, dried hand lotion, crumpled paper napkins and paper bags, and more. I washed out the two plastic containers I have under there -- and sorted. One container is now for all items to do with dishes (brushes, dish soap, scrubbers, etc.) and one container for cleaning products (Windex, Pledge, etc.) and air fresheners. To the side of the baskets are my extra large cutting boards and Mr. B's plastic lunch tray.

I hung drapes but now they need to be steamed. I hung art work back on the walls. I cleaned kitchen appliances (outside) and got rid of a lot of clutter (too many salt and pepper shakers, spices I have never used, a stack of magazines, receipts that needed to be filed...) and oh my my... it feels good.

This week is the first week of my new almost-no-babysitting schedule! Mr. B. is now in Kindergarten five half days a week! I pick him up every day at 4pm, and have him again on Friday morning. I have absolutely loved having him with me anywhere from 2 to 5 days a week since he was 3 weeks old, but it's been 5 years of feeling like I never have enough time to do things I used to do. Either I was babysitting, recovering from babysitting, or trying to squeeze in daily housework and life between babysitting. I feel like my whole schedule has opened up again. I guess I need to make a list of projects!

Yesterday was Grandparents' Day, and Jeff and I received this wonderful gem from Mr. B:


It says:

Dear Umma and Umpa,

U R the best grandparents. I heart u, Umma and Umpa.



From, Brayden

Life is good.

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