I'm amazed and proud of myself and my husband. We have managed to keep the house clean for a whole week! It only took 25 years,but we realized that if we tidy up a little bit everyday,and sweep and dust every other day, it's not so bad. Of course I'm certain the new furnace filter helps too.
What is it about men? The older they get the more they whine. Me I just groan-but he has to voice how this hurts or that aches. First it was his teeth, so I made an appointment Thursday and got his bad tooth yanked. Now he's bitchin about the foot he broke 3 years ago aching. I'm sure it does bother him once in awhile, but just take some friggin Advil and shut up already. That's what I do- and I work for a living.
Enough negativity....
I woke up this morning and was able to breathe and walk. I am warm,employed and not starving. I have people and pets that love me,clothes that aren't designer but still cover my butt. And best of all......
The Bengals play today!!!!! WHO DEY!

one thing leads to another

If cleanliness is next to Godliness, I must live with the devil.....
I am not the world's greatest housekeeper.I feel there are better things to do with my time than chase dust bunnies and support P&G by buying cleaning products every week. Vacuum cleaner bags last 2 or more months in this house, even with two dogs and a cat; and a can of Pledge is a year's supply for me.But every once in a rare while (usually during a severe bout of PMS) I get the urge to clean. Hubby went camping and I've been on vacation all week with nothing to do,so yesterday it started. The white tornado landed.

First I assessed the filth,making a cleaning plan. Useless stuff I've had in boxes all year to Goodwill,stop at Lowe's and get furnace filters,then Walmart for a mop,general purpose cleaner and some destinkifying supplies. Then, come home,change filter,start laundry,sweep and clean bathroom,bedrooms and upstairs hallway.Move down to living room and kitchen. Take chainsaw,coolers and other outside stuff to garage,store halo making supplies in basement. Vacuum and dust living room. Move to kitchen. Do dishes,wipe down appliances sweep and mop.
Should take me last night and part of this morning.

After Hubby left for camping, I loaded the boxes in my car and set out on my task. My first urge was to go to the riverboat,sit my ass in front of a slot machine and blow 40 bucks, but I came to the realization that even though that sounded great, I used to have a gambling problem and there were much better things to spend my time doing and my money on-like a new mop.
So I headed to Goodwill and dropped off the junk...er I mean gently used items. Then to Lowe's and got furnace filters and browsed the paint colors dreaming of the time when I would have enough ambition to actually buy and use some paint.
Then to Wally world and the cleaning supplies ....mop,simple green,bucket,rags- yeehaw shopping sure can be fun.Then I proceeded to meander the domestics aisles,daydreaming of color coordinated bath towels in my freshly painted bathroom,and actual curtains hanging from my bedroom windows instead of the dark green sheets that have been doing the job for 10 years. Ah well, time to check out and head home: but first a dinner stop at Cracker Barrel to reward myself for being good and not going to the riverboat. After a heavy dinner of chicken fried chicken and biscuits, I waddled to my car and started toward my destiny for the weekend.
I lugged in my supplies and plopped down into the recliner to let dinner settle awhile.

With my new bucket and supplies I headed upstairs with the best intentions of having the bathroom clean in an hour or less,including scrubbing the walls. I swept up the cat hair,human hair and wayward kitty litter,sprayed down the shower and sink with kaboom and set to work on the walls with a bucket of simple green and the sponge. About half an hour later I had a sparkling bathroom that needs painting, but at least didn't earn AAA's award for the country's nastiest bathroom. That's when the trouble started.....

I had washed the walls in the john,then moved onto the door that's supposed to be white. So I gave it a scrub down. Now all the other doors in the tiny upstairs hallway looked like crap. They got the simple green treatment too, but then the baseboards looked dingy.What had I started? See, this is why I don't clean often. First it's a simple bathroom spiff up and the next thing I know, I'm down on my knees wiping down the friggin baseboards...

So the upstairs hallway and bath all shining, I move down the steps. (Wiping up dog hair from each carpeted step as I go) On to the living room. Hey it's only 8:30....I could dust and vacuum the living room and go to karaoke tonight....nah, I'll sing Saturday, after I finish my housework.
I sit down for a smoke break. Smoking is another reason this house is filthy,and I guiltily realize that as I stare at the yellowed brick of the fireplace-which is supposed to be off-white." Wonder what that Simple Green will do to that nasty brick?" I ponder as I snub my smoke. I grab the spray bottle and rags and set to work. By 1:30 in the morning, the fireplace looks like it did when we moved in and I'm too damn tired to do anything but lay on the couch. I drift off to sleep looking at the filthy front door and sigh.....I'll do it tomorrow.

to hell and back

Okay-for anyone dying to know about the wedding here's the summary....but first the facts
Nephew of oldest bro getting married in Chicago Saturday at 1 p.m.
Sis works for Delta,has a hubby and 2 sons, one 13 the other 4
Me- flying cheap stand-by on a buddy pass
weather report -storms and/or heavy rain

The original plan....
I spend the night at sis's Friday, leave at 9 our time Saturday arrive Chicago 9:15 local. Go to hotel,(which I'm sharing room with all of them) chill and change, be at church at 12:30. Reception, back to hotel. Fly out at 9 a.m. Sunday local time,arrive in Cincy 11 a.m or so. Nephew makes his 3 p.m. football game,sis has time to chill before going to work at 5, I make it to help sis-in-law break down booth.

How it went....

Friday-made it to sis's house around 4 p.m., after she had left for work. Made dinner for the boys(stroganoff, which 13 year old said was better than his mom's, and 4 year old tried but pronounced "icky"...forgot bro-in-law detests sour cream and noodles). Sissy calls from work around 9 p.m. to say we have to fly into Milwaukee because all flights to Chicago Friday night got cancelled due to storms and since we were on stand-by, we got bumped.So we have a 9 a.m. flight out arrive Milwaukee at 9:25 local hop in rental car, drive an hour to Chicago,change at hotel and still make it to wedding in time.
Bro-in-law decides not to iron kid's clothes, since we will be riding in car and will still have time to iron them at hotel before wedding.
2 a.m. (while I sleep on couch) sis arrives home to find BIL didn't finish packing boy's stuff, loud argument ensues.
7:30 a.m. Saturday-leave for airport (20 min ride) sit in backseat with the kids...who argue
8:30 a.m.-get pulled aside for "special security screening" in Cincy. wonder if I wore these shoes while fertilizing plants at work, cleared and head for gate.
9 a.m. (original departure time)-plane is being delayed for security reasons(does this have something to do with my "special screening"?start getting paranoia.
10:30 a. m.-finally board small commuter jet and start for Milwaukee
10:45 local time-land in Milwaukee,make mad dash to rental car,drive 80 mph towards Chicago.
forgetting about tolls,thereby necessitating having to dig in purse etc. for change. Sit in back seat between boys(one in booster seat)who are still fighting. Desperately want a smoke, but can't reach window to flick ashes.
12 noon-make it to hotel, boy's clothes still need ironing,adults changed and church is 30 minutes away.
12:15 leave hotel for church,heavy rain.sis asks BIL for directions,which he left at hotel.....argument ensues.I sit in back seat with 2 boys arguing,while adults argue in front
make it to church 10 minutes late

wedding- full Catholic mass, and I just want to have a drink. afterwards,oldest bro invites us all to new in-law's house for a "pre-reception" party....we decline and head back to hotel,stopping for beer and a pizza along the way.
hotel room-4 year old starts jumping bed to bed, told to stop,makes wise ass comment. sis and BIL ignore him and watch tv. 4 year old picks up glass and acts like he's gonna throw it at his brother. I snatch it from his hand. 4 year old calls me a bitch, I admonish him. Sis gets pissed at everyone and storms out of room. When she returns, admonishes everyone, including me for disciplining her child.
Reception- sis and bro in law fighting to verge of divorce, kids fighting in back seat, me wishing I never even come. Arrive at reception hall. Bro in law gets drunk,bad mouths sis to me and my other brother and nephew who isn't getting married, but is best man. I sit back by bar, smoking and trying to stay hidden. Dinner is tasteless, reception is one of those choreographed affairs. Oldest brother is getting toasted and pulls me onto dance floor to polka.(I didn't even dance at my own wedding!) Sister announces 4 year old is ready to go,so we leave at 10.
Sunday morning-awake at 6 a.m. for 9 a.m. flight home.Call Delta to ensure seats available,find 20 open. Only adult not hungover. Drive to airport, digging up change for the friggin tollbooths. Listening to kids fight,adults being silent to each other.
8 a.m.-arrive at O'Hare (huge place)turn in rental car, ride to terminal. again subject to "special screening" (what is it about me?) Turn down sis's offer of Starbucks, saying I'll get some coffee when we get back home. Head to gate. Find out American cancelled 2 flights and their passengers have taken available seats. Inquire about next 2 departing flights only to find them booked also. Start wondering how we're getting home in time for sis to make it to work. 13 year old realizes he won't make his football game and pouts. 4 year old starts whining.Adults start looking for rental car counters.
O'Hare's rental car counters are outside main terminals.....adults go outside to smoke. Ask rental car shuttle drivers to call into counter for car availability. Avis finds one car available. Jump on shuttle and head to Avis. Get rental car, and pile in, head for exit. BIL forgot rental agreement back at office and we head back to get it so we can get out of lot. Hit the highway,and more friggin tollbooths.
Finally! Indiana! Pit stop,grab a coffee,boys whine for snacks,and gas station trinkets.Back on road.....One hour of peace as 4 year old passes out,and sis does too.
4 p.m.Sunday-arrive at CVG,drop off rental,take shuttle to terminal to pick up luggage (which unlike me,has been here since 10 in the morning) take shuttle to sis's car and hit the highway.
4:30-arrive at sis's house, jump in car, head toward sis-in-law's festival to help breakdown.Savor large roomy seat,cigarette and silence......
Sunday night
Told my nephew and middle brother that if there is another out of town wedding and I can't afford to get my own room and rental car, don't expect me to show.

been such a long time

Wow, haven't been here in awhile. September was real busy for me. When I wasn't working, I was going to my nephew's wedding in Chicago, doing art shows with my sis-in-law or just trying to get some rest.
Fall always seems like the end of the year for me. Probably because it's the end of the outside gardening season. Time to yank the garden and put down some amendments for the winter. I didn't get many tomatoes this year. Maybe because I totally neglected the poor plants. They are loaded with aphids and starving, time to put them out of their misery.
I can also tell it's getting cooler when my domestic hormones kick in. I have an ungodly urge to bring in a large garbage can and start cleaning this rathole out. The idea of spending the winter indoors in filth does not appeal to me. Also noticed my dinner menus have changed. Gone are the salads and sandwiches, replaced by hearty stews and roasts that cook in the oven for hours.
Time to unpack the winter clothes and stash the shorts and t-shirts for a few months.
Mom in law will be going south for the winter in 3 weeks, and I will miss having her here. She has become my mom since I lost my own in 2000, and she will always be a friend.
Well, enough babbling, time to go do some yardwork.