hard labor
October 17, 2016,

I don't think there is a single part of my body that isn't in pain today. Spouse and I spent the weekend working on getting the house "company clean", and we are both practically crippled from it. But the ceilings, walls, floors, counter-tops, appliances, furniture, and knick-knacks in our house are bearing a gleaming testimony to our labors, which is gratifying. (For about five minutes. Then we start looking around and seeing all the shit we still need to do!)

It's our own damn fault, of course, for letting the place get so out of hand. But as working, commuting people who want to enjoy their limited time off, we admittedly set a low priority on deep cleaning.

Sure, we keep the kitchen pretty clean, and we vac, dust, change bedding, do laundry, clean up the bathroom, etc. on a regular basis. But there comes a time when that isn't going to be enough. When curtains and rugs need laundering, and baseboards need dusting, and floors can no longer be put off with a quick sweep & swiffer, but must be SCRUBBED. When counters and walls of the kitchen must be cleared off and scoured. When the shower doors need to be taken off and cleaned with lime remover. When light fixtured need to be dusted and washed. When the windows need to be washed.

And that time, my friends...was this weekend. And continues into the next couple of evenings, and a good chunk of Wednesday--because there's no way I'll be ready until (if I'm lucky) it's time to go get her at the airport.

Plus I baked a loaf of pumpkin bread for a work birthday, did all the regular laundry, and sprayed for ants, and Spouse made a couple of really good meals (breakfast casserole, roast pork & stuffing), framed & hung some artwork, and repaired a plumbing leak.

And we did some a bit of shopping for the house; we went to BB&B for some new cocktail glasses, and we bought a new bedside rug for Spouse's room. We looked for some new curtains, but didn't find anything we liked well enough to commit to. So I just washed his old ones, and they came out looking surprisingly good, considering their age, initial cheapness, and the B's unmistakable influences. We will keep looking until we find something he likes.

It's always a struggle. He has a terrible time getting his mind around how much stuff like that costs, and I couldn't get him to entertain a price range with decent drapes and a nice selection. I was surprised he was willing to spend twelve bucks on a poster frame for his Canadian Pacific travel poster. And oh, the glassware! I wanted to get something nice, but not too expensive--say, 5-10 bucks per glass. Mister Pickypants wanted high style, for bargain basement prices. I managed to locate a tasteful compromise; BB&B had a four-pack of classic (straight-sided, heavy-bottomed) doubles for $9.99.

Which is perfectly okay, because I admit I would not be happy with taking my good ones out to the backyard. (Waterford crystal, and a wedding shower gift from my maid of honor!)