1/20/2006

Productive Winter Bliss

Well, life is good--yesterday I realized I could do blog entries from Outlook and I am thrilled with that. So, I don't have to log in to their system to do it. That has potential. I like Outlook's editor better, and I am hoping I can upload pics this way. Technology advances just thrill me to no end. Okay, so I am a certified geek, but a happy one.
(Later note: faq says "no" on the pics...still have to add those later.)
Noteworthy:
Just sorted about fifty (FIFTY) (50) odd pair of socks from the dreaded sock basket (ESM, you should be so glad you didn't get recruited this time, but I missed you). This is one of my least favorite chores in all creation...which is why I have a "sock basket". It's rather simple...I just don't socks unless they come out of the dryer together by some static cling thing. And no, we are not going to pin them together with safety pins before putting them in the wash, or even the hook deals you can use. This is extreme type A behavior...I am not an extreme type A person...I am an efficiency person at this point in my life. I'm worn down.

But, no worry...this technique somehow gets me a week's worth of socks. I can recognize Mr. Wonderfuls dress socks and will look for his and mine...this kids? Well, whoever invented "days of the week" socks and sold them through mail order to grandmothers cheap should be hung twice.

So, in my laundry sweep, the sock basket was overflowing. I couldn't tell what was clean and dirty anymore....weep, whail, mourn, drink a lot of coffee, eat a lot of chocolate, take a deep breath...it is time. This time, I recruited my kids...more for moral support than help. It feels good to have someone else to get onto if the work isn't getting done besides myself! :-)

Noteworthy 2:
My other least favorite chore of all time: Mopping. Today, I mop. I know...I've turned a new leaf (more like a quarterly necessity, but we'll keep it positive sounding.) I'm not talking about touch up mopping. I'm talking about the kind you needs boots and a scouring pad for. I have the chairs all moved and everything! Yup, it's serious.

One time, I played "soap hockey" with the kids while mopping--a riot! Almost broke several legs and lost several bars of soap to dust bunnies under the over that day. We've not done it since. We've not played in this house...the oven is rather protected. Hmmm...I feel another moral booster coming on.

Well, with all this talk, I did NOT get my laundry room fully cleaned yesterday. But, I did work up enough positive vibes to do it today. I am ready now. I decided that the "ten minute cleaning method" might serve me better on that one...meaning, I can only handle ten minutes of that mess at a time.

This is not just washing laundry here we're talking about, it's sorting MONTHS of the kids "favorite stuff" no longer wearable, in season...whatever. Uggh. Trash bag time. I need to get rid of a lot of their "stuff". Does any mother get the appropriate recompense for this dreaded chore? Is there an appropriate recompensense?

Noteworthy 3:
After this big aventure, paper de-accumulation and touch up painting my next big winter goals. I know, too exciting for words, but we have a plan, we are moving, we are making like better...and there is no "we", but "me". I think I saw we because it makes me feel more powerful. I guess it is "we"...Jesus and me, and my somewhat helpful moral boosting (at times) kids . We are busy. This is good for winter.

Friends, it's a good time to call and cheer for me.
Hope you are pursuing something challenging today. NEW MOTTO for the month: GET THROUGH WINTER WELL!

Love,
Me

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So sorry I missed the "Great Sock Sort!" NOT!! Did enjoy spending our snow day with you, however. I will agree that somehow mundane chores are not nearly as bad when in the company of a friend. Hang in there, sister, you and I will both be organzied one day. We just have to take it one sock, one drawer, one shelf, one counter at a time...

Joan said...

HA! One at a time...about the way it went in there today. I finally just had to shuffle enough stuff around to get a fair decent mop and got through about half of the clothes. And the reg hampers are already nearly filled by now. Hopefully I can hit the other half before that tital wave hits and there's a wash-out of the WRONG sort!

The joy of keeping all kids clothes in one room...and the fatal flaw... when it's time to clean that "one room", I really need to think of it as THREE!

Enjoyed your company, too! Thanks for coming!