Sunday

DH is off for his second day of this volunteer board training thing. I managed to sleep in a little and missed the beginning of Coronation Street. CBC has taken it of during the week because of the hockey playoffs. I mean really, what's more important ... Corrie or hockey!? Obviously CBC and I disagree because I have to watch the Sunday morning 2.5 hour omnibus edition!

Reading Jitterbugs blog, she spoke of ironing sheets. I used to do that. I stopped ironing the sheet (only ever did the top sheet) but still did the pillowcases. Then I kind of got out of doing that. I started again a few weeks ago. Last week I didn't have time and put unironed sheets on the bed. I didn't feel nearly as nice that night slipping into bed. So this morning I ironed the sheet (top) and 6 (yes, we have 3 pillows each!) pillowcases, and made the bed up with freshly ironed bedding. It will be nice to find this we I go to bed tonight. DH doesn't notice a difference. Men!!!!

Not done a lot today so far, and I have to leave to meet DH in 1.5 hours, so not much chance to do much. We will be going to an antique market (still looking for a bookcase) before heading off to his best friend's birthday dinner. He's about an hour away, so it will probably be a late night tonight.

Shortly after I posted yesterday, and said the weather was nice, it turned. When I left the house the sky to the west was black (and I mean black). As I headed east, it followed me and made it to town before me. I actually passed a car on the side of the road with a video camera out the window filming the black sky. Driving through town one of the traffic lights had been blown back and was facing the wrong direction. Banners on the light posts were blowing in the wind and some were missing. As I arrived at the restaurant the heavens opened and the rain was pelting down on the car as the thunder rolled. I sat and waiting for it to ease up before I made the mad dash to the restaurant. The sky today is grey, not black, and I hope it doesn't rain again as the market we want to go to is outdoors and opens today for the season.

I was quite impressed with the restaurant we were at last night. The menu was all Ontario food, and I had Ontario lamb with root vegetables. It was really good. I even got extra parsnips ... DH gave me his that came with his steak! It was a great meal, and a really good restaurant.

Well, got to go wrap a birthday present and get ready to go. Maybe I'll check out the bookstore in town till it's time to meet DH. Sounds like a plan. See ya'.

Saturday ... so far

I just can't seem to sleep in anymore. I remember the days when I could sleep till noon on weekends. Those days are long (and I mean l-o-n-g) gone! So I was awake at the time my alarm would have gone off on a week day. 7:00am. I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't, and I got up about 7:45. By 8am I had a load of laundry in to wash.

DH is off on a training thing today and tomorrow for a volunteer organization he's belonged to for a long time. I'm invited with them for the dinner tonight, but in the meantime I've got the day (at least till about 4pm) to myself.

Once that load of laundry was in I decided to check through the channels on TV for the day to see of there would be anything worthwhile to watch. I happened upon a Bing Crosby and Bob Hope movie. Well that was me done until 10am!! It was one of the "Road" movies, and it was quite funny. Which was good as I needed some good chuckles after the week (particularly Friday) that I had at work.

When the movie was over I made my weekly call to my Mum in England, and that was another more than an hour gone from my morning, but well worth it. We had a lovely chat, and set the world to rights again. By that time I had something to eat and ended up watching the end of a Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day movie. Enough already! Turned the TV to a radio channel - Swinging Standards.

There's a basket of ironing in the living room waiting for me, but instead of ironing, I did another job I'd been procrastinating about. Jitterbug over at http://www.destination1940.blogspot.com/ does her kitchen routine on Saturdays. So I thought it's way past time that I cleaned out the fridge. So out comes a bucket that I fill with warm soapy water, and out comes the contents of the fridge. Actually, it wasn't as bad as I thought! Only a little that needs to be thrown out. I took the trays out of the door, and the meat tray, and the two vegetable bins in the bottom. One of them was icky on the bottom so I thought I'd save some time by putting some water in the bin and leave it on the counter to soak until everything else was done.

So I'm working away and I keep hearing this funny noise. Can't figure out what it is, so I continue. I'm almost done when I look and the counter with that soaking vegetable bin, and realize that the water is draining out of it, onto the counter, dripping off the side of the counter and under the stove, running down beside the wall and to the patio door! Oh my good L-rd, what a mess!! Then I had to clean that all up, and I can't really pull the stove out without DHs help because we've got something under one side of it to keep it level. I did the best I could to get all the water up, and pushed a towel under the stove with a stick to try and wipe up under there.

Got that cleaned up and finished the fridge. Looks nice in there now! Kinda empty since I need to get a few groceries.

Next, I folded the clothes that were already in the dryer, and moved the sheets from the washer over to the dryer. Now I have two baskets of ironing to do! Why did I not do that other basket earlier! That's what happens when you put things off ... the job just gets bigger and more overwhelming. You'd think that after all these years I'd have learned that lesson. But no, I have to keep banging my head against the same brick wall. I wish I could overcome this tendency I have to procrastinate.

Fancied a sandwich so I made that and came up here to post on my blog.

It's 1:30 haven't really done that much yet. Where does the time go?!

Next? Well, I could finish cleaning up the kitchen ... I could make the bed (yes, must do that) ... I could go outside and try and tidy up the side flowerbed (it's finally a nice warm day) ... I could clean out and sort through my closet (no, that's something that needs a whole day) ... sitting outside in the sunshine is tempting ... and actually, a nap sounds good! There are so many things I want to do. Need to have a shower and get myself ready to leave at 4:30.

OK ... I'm off to at least tidy up the kitchen even if I don't really "clean" anymore, I'm at least going to make it presentable. But before I go downstairs, I'll go make the bed. By the time I'm done the kitchen I should have a shower then while I'm getting ready I'll put a load of towels in to wash. Then it will probably be time to go. Sounds like a plan.

Off I go ... see you later!

I ordered this book a few weeks ago, and it was just delivered! It was published in 1953 by Wm. H. Wize & Co Inc, and printed in the USA.

A couple of interesting paragraphs from the book. The first paragraph of the introduction:

Keeping house can be one of the most interesting or exasperating jobs in the world. Running a home is not an easy job, but it can be interesting, and it need never be exasperating. The women who enjoy housework are those who fully realize the tremendous importance and responsibility of their jobs, and bring to it a willingness to learn and master the thousand and one arts that go into making a house a home. Such women acquire the knack of running their homes smoothly, efficiently, and seemingly, effortlessly. They are generally dubbed "born housekeepers." Actually born housekeepers are rarities, and any woman who is willing to devote her energy, talent, and imagination to learning the art of domestic science can become one.

Chapter One – Keeping the House Clean, the first paragraph begins:

Every homemaker has her own standard of cleanliness for her home. She may not be conscious of it as a standard, but if she feels uncomfortable when her house is disordered or dirty, her standard is more than likely high. The pressure of preparing meals, doing the laundry, caring for the children, or working at personal or professional interests outside the home make may it impossible for her to keep her home up to the standard she would like to maintain. Sometimes all that is needed is to work out a definite but flexible plan to check on methods and equipment which will make cleaning easier and simpler.

This book has chapters on:
1. Keeping the house clean
2. Laundry and dry cleaning
3. Mending
4. Care and repair of household appliances
5. Safety for the household
6. Planning food budgets
7. Control of pests

Could prove to be an interesting read! What do you think?

Getting back on track

The last couple of weeks have been difficult for me. I’ve not been happy at work, and unfortunately there is not much I can do about it. I can’t quit (which is what I’d like to do), DH would never agree to it and we still need to save for retirement. There’s also the fact that in this economy it would be foolish to leave a decent paying job with nothing else to go to. It’s only in the last couple of weeks that I’ve felt this way: I’ve always enjoyed my job and the people I work with.

Two weeks ago was the worst and I was unhappy and miserable, bordering on depressed, for the entire week. I felt much better on the weekend until late Sunday afternoon, on the way back from visiting Pip, when I thought of work the next day and I felt sick in the pit of my stomach. Last week wasn’t much better, but again the weekend was good until yesterday when I had to think about work today. But this time wasn’t as bad as the previous Sunday. My boss isn’t in today, I wonder if that’s got anything to do with it!

Because I haven’t been feeling particularly happy, the house suffered and I fell off the housekeeping wagon. My inner housekeeper ran and hid under the covers somewhere. The living room didn’t get picked up each night, I didn’t keep up with doing the dishes, and there’s been a basket of ironing sitting on the couch for a week.

When I’m emotional and upset it seems that the house gets forgotten. My way of dealing is to sit in front of the TV and not think about anything. DH never says a word; in fact I don’t think he even notices. But I do and I berate myself and start feeling worse!

So I have to start again.

The bed was made this morning. I had my glass of water this morning and I even took my vitamins (yay, I remembered)!

Oh yes, the glass of water. I was reading http://destination1940.blogspot.com/again and she is on a new mission this week: fitness, diet and grooming, and it starts with a glass of water first thing in the morning and includes a walk every day. Check it out here and here.

My bed is made, I drank my water, I took my vitamins, and I arrived at work with a somewhat optimistic attitude. I've finished one 500ml bottle of water and gone for a walk on my lunch break. Let’s see where things go for the rest of the day.

Meet the new addition

May I introduce to you, Pip (short for pipsqueak)! He's a Lineolated Parakeet, and he'll be coming home with us in 3 or 4 3 weeks.

Decorating Style Quiz

I was quickly looking through some of the blogs I have bookmarked, I was checking out http://50shousewife.blogspot.com/ and I came across this quiz http://mydeco.com/imagini/test/ to find out your decorating style. I came up as CLASSIC CHIC. Here is the description if gives of my style.

CLASSIC CHIC
Your home is a serene and elegant haven displaying some beautiful pieces of furniture. You take great care in putting a room together and you are justly proud of the refined and understated look you have created. What may look effortless, however, requires dedicated time and a discerning eye in order to achieve that welcoming feel of lived-in grandeur.

Living Room
Your living room is a welcoming haven of grace and fine taste. If it was good enough for the Ancient Greeks and good enough for Georgian England, it's good enough for you! In interior design, the classic look is predicated on the ideals by balance, proportion and moderation. It is, to many, intrinsically pleasing to the eye, which is no doubt why it remains an enduringly popular look. In the living room, it's a style that errs towards formality. Less formal, vernacular accessories work surprisingly well, just as long as they don't tip over into the folksy. Soft neutral colours are easy to live with and easy on the eye, while floral prints and textiles are pretty and perennially appealing. Make comfort the priority in your living room: it's where you naturally go to watch TV, relax and de-stress.

Bedroom
Your bedroom shows a love of country comforts. Sleep is fundamentally important to our well being. Clean, fresh air can truly aid sleep, but so, too, does a well-made bed and the best mattress you can afford. Touch is an important issue in the bedroom, from crisp, linen sheets to wool or even sheepskin underfoot. You love the classic country look in your bedroom, using cool pastel blues and greens to create a fresh but restful sense of calm.

Dining Room
You're a paragon of style, no-holds-barred entertainer. At home, you have a classic dining area that's perfect for formal or glamorous dinner parties. It's a tried and trusted look that will never go out of style. Carver chairs take up space and so are best limited to top and tail of the dining table, and they need not even match the dining chairs down either side. Though expensive, a bone china dinner service really does set off the table to magnificently and can detract from other compromises if budget is an issue. When it comes to entertaining, you like to pull out all the stops.

Home Office
A little of what you fancy does you good -- even when you're working. Decorating your home office to reflect the spirit and personality of the rest of your home really does make all the difference - especially when it comes to sitting down and sorting out the filing! Your innate sense of style will probably lead you to creating a work space that's as individual as the rest of your home. Just bear in mind basic ergonomic principles, especially when choosing a desk and chair.

Conclusion
You combine period influences with clever solutions to the practicalities of day-to-day modern living.

OK ... so that's pretty close to what I want it to be! Right now it's far from this, but it's a work in progress.

Have you figured out your decorating style??

Pets

I've always had pets, mostly cats. At one point I had a cat, a dog (that I took after I saw the owner kick her), and an African Grey parrot that I inherited from a friend who passed away.

The cat, Dewey, went to live with my He's buried in the backyard.son when he moved out and was settled. He was 17 (the cat, not my son) when he escaped and DS found him dead after being hit by a car. He's buried in the backyard.

The dog was a Miniature Schnauzer and was about 8 years old when I got her. She was lovely and I had for for 4 years. One night I woke up to a noise outside the bedroom door and she was having seizures right outside the door. I took her downstairs and called the vet at 5:30am. Ended up at the vets at 7:30 with Maxie being put down after having a series of seizures. I drove home in tears.

The African Grey was called Taco. She had lived with Peter for 28 years when he passed away. She looked on me as the person who took her away from Peter, and she hated me. I couldn't do anything with her. She would bite me, actually going out of her way to do so. One time we had the cat, the dog, and the parrot on the living room floor, and she walked past Dewey and past Maxie and bit my toe! She'd squeal and I'd shout at her to stop. Neither of us was happy. In the end I found her a home with someone who understood parrots and where she'd be much happier.

We had another cute little cat for a while, but that didn't work out well.

So now we are "petless" and it feels weird. DH doesn't want dog because we are not home enough. He doesn't want a cat because he can sometimes still smell where Misty peed on the carpet. He's got it in his head that he wants a bird.

So we've been looking at birds. No, nothing like Taco! A smaller bird, a parakeet. We've been to a pet store that specializes in exotic birds, and we narrowed it down to a Lineolated Parakeet, or Linnie. Green is the most prevalent colour for Linnies, but I don't like green. We have been looking for a blue one, and a male because males apparently a better talkers.

We've spent time the last few weekends looking at cages and toys for birds, going around all the local pet stores. I said I'd get rid of my organ that doesn't really work properly and we'd put the bird there. I bought an old oak 3-drawer dresser last week and the bird cage will sit on that, and it will also give us much needed storage.

DH has been looking on-line, and he found a breeder about 1.5 hours from her who has two baby Linnies. She has had them DNA sexed, and the cobalt blue is male. He's only 3.5 weeks old, so not ready to be sold yet, but we are going to go visit him today and we'll pay a deposit so that he'll be ours. I'll take pictures and will try to post them tomorrow.

What is housework??

We have dial up internet at home and sometimes it is particularly slow, some functions more than others. As a result, I don’t usually browse through new blogs from home because the pages and photos take so very long to load.

But last night I did manage to browse through a couple. One that I came across, http://modernretrowoman.com/, made me think.

What is housework?

I’ve been trying to see if there is an “inner housekeeper” in me somewhere who can restore some semblance of sanity to this chaotic household of two. You’d think with just two people it wouldn’t be so tricky, but, well, what can I say ….

I’ve been rather pleased with myself that my “inner housekeeper” (I may have to try and find a name for her) has been keeping up with the dishes and the laundry, and making the bed every morning. My sink even shone when I went to bed last night!

Then I read this blog. Is housework just keeping the place tidy, the laundry done, and the icky muck at bay? Or is it something deeper, something that cleans deeper. Do I even know, after so many years of scraping by in the homemaker department, how to really clean my house? Am I really capable of this? Can I really make a house a home?

I’ve also been reading Jitterbug’s blog (www.destination1940.blogspot.com) and thinking about her 1940s house cleaning schedule. Oh boy, it sounds exhausting!!

Let’s just look at the bedroom.

My cleaning of the bedroom involves stripping the bed and putting on clean sheets, picking up the clothes, stuffing them in the closet if I can’t find anywhere else to put them, or piling them on top of the dresser if there is no room in the drawers. Once in a while I pick up the piles and dust underneath them, and Kathy vacuums the bedroom more than I do.

Jitterbug, on the other hand, has this schedule for cleaning her bedroom:

THURSDAY
Evening
· Thorough weekly cleaning of my bedroom:
· Remove all bed covers; stretch over end of bed, or over chairs, off the floor. Remove soiled bed linen; place near door to be taken out. Place mattress pad over chair near window to air.
· Collect lamp bases, bric-a-brac and dressing table fittings that need polishing or washing, and dresser scarves to be laundered.
· Bring in cleaning equipment: vacuum cleaner and attachments, dust mop, cleaning basket, dust cloth, damp cloth. Bring in fresh bed linens.
· Turn mattress top to bottom one week, and end to end the next week. Make bed.
· Dust high mouldings, door and window frames, window shades and Venetian blinds when necessary. Dust high objects if necessary (mantels, high shelves, window sills, tops of bookcases, etc.). Brush draperies (or use brush attachment of vacuum cleaner). Dust mirrors, pictures, lighting fixtures, lamps, woodwork; wash any of these articles if necessary.Dust radiators (covers and coils) or registers. Brush baseboard or use brush attachment of vacuum cleaner.
· Remove cushions from upholstered furniture. Use brush attachment of vacuum cleaner on furniture (getting into all crevices) and cushions. Replace cushions. Straighten covers. Plump up pillows.
· Dust furniture. Rub wood surfaces of furniture to polish. Wash glass table tops.
· Use vacuum cleaner for cleaning of rugs and carpets.
· Polish or wash accessories and return to place with other objects removed during cleaning.
· Final touches: Straighten draperies, shades, curtains, etc. Take out cleaning equipment and waste basket. Bring back clean ash trays, accessories, flowers and waste basket. Close windows if desired.

Exhausting, right!!!! And so far from my attempt and cleaning my bedroom.

I have a long way to go. I’ve got to remember what housework is. I’ve got to start to care about my home. I’ve got to put my money where my mouth is. I talk about the importance of my home and how I want it to be a sanctuary from the mad crazy world, but what kind of sanctuary can it be when there are piles on clothes on the dresser!

I can made excuses for myself till the cows come home: I’m tired after working all day; I’m not happy at work at the moment and I’m emotionally bankrupt when I get home; there’s something good on TV; DH is just sitting there so why should I do it all; it looks fine; and so on ….

But I have to buck up my ideas. I have to start to look at my home as the haven I want it to be. I need to do more than just the basics.

I need to find the time and the energy to do it! Oh boy ….