Monday Ongoing

[LadyMaverick]

the principal that this has to be ongoing... a tidy house is never a one-and-done event

Doing a cut/paste from LucyLee post yesterday.

I had to learn this principle the hard way. P&P books and the SHE forums taught me how to do it on a reoccurring basis.

I wish there was an easy way to teach it to others without offending them.

[LadyMaverick]

This week is VBS (Vacation Bible School) so DS10 and DGD8 will be attending it each day 9am to Noon. I told DH yesterday that I'm going to use this opportunity to rest. I can feel the exhaustion in my body and know it needs to just stop and be still for a little bit. The break from kid care will only be for 15 hours this week but hopefully, it will give my body a chance to regroup. I'm not good at resting so I am going to have to be a bit methodical about it.

Next up -
** Personal AM
** Food & Drink prep
** Front porch

[Harriet]

Hello to LadyM, Lynlee and Twins'.

I'll definitely be brainstorming both ongoing and marathon chores over the next while.

I'm trying not to be discouraged about all the housework (marathon as well as ongoing) that I see laid out ahead of me over the next month (?) or so. It took months for the house to be changed in the way it has during HRH's treatments and many of the changes keep us from normalcy - certainly from entertaining or having anyone overnight. Furniture purchases and moving of furniture, using rooms in different ways, even a few more structural-type changes to undo. And generally getting behind on things was not unexpected, of course, but now it comes to a head.

The pace of returning to normal would have to be a lot faster. And it will need to be whole-house. I'm really glad the way the dorm situation worked out, dd20 has also been home with us during this time, lots of help. But of course it's meant less elbow-room, too, a lot of storage taken up, more laundry ongoing, etc.

HRH has an appt today with gen prac. This was moved up because the kidney dr wants input for him on some of the side effects bothering him. So that's my main focus today.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Harriet: your description of where you are with regards to housekeeping reminded me of Christmas. Furniture is moved, regular things are put away, a whole pile of other things come out and you spend the season adjusting things to make them work better.

At least this time you are happy to be packing things away!

No advice, just empathy and to let you know I have a sense of what you'll be going through.

LadyM: thanks for the start today. Lucylee's remark also resonated with me.

Marie Kondo talks about the difference between the need for tidying and the need for cleaning.

If your space is tidy, and you do nothing to/in the space, it will remain tidy. It is you who makes the mess.

On the other hand, if your space is clean and you do nothing, it will get dirty. It is the environment that makes the mess.

P&P touch on this in their system. There was the daily pick-up and put-away time (hilariously, I missed that part of the book when I set up my system!) and the cleaning chores. Tidying is built into the system.

Having missed that PUPA part of the system (I started the SHE system in 1985 using a book borrowed from the La Leche League library, so it was returned after a month), until I joined the SHE boards in 1998 and learned about PUPA, you could eat off the floor under my fridge but couldn't find a place to sit down in the kitchen eating area because the chairs were piled high with toys, dish towels, papers, etc. etc.

Housework took forever because I was always shifting stuff. And my house never looked clean because in the cruel world of reality, a clean house that is messy looks dirty, but a moderately dirty house that is tidy looks clean.

At this moment, however, my tidy home is not moderately dirty. I have written my to-do list for the day in the dust on the dining table (I also put a bottle of polish on it in order to make sure I get to the job today.)

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I got up at 7:25 but dh didn't call. I never checked for a missed call, if he called earlier and I didn't hear it (the bedroom door was shut and the ringer is off in the bedroom.) He didn't text me either, though. Maybe I'll text him now.

I've put away almost everything from the trip. All that is left to do is disinfect the potty chair. It got a lot of use this week. It was a good thing that dd also brought the potty seat for the toilet because at times both were in use at the same time.

Harriet: I have to say I was skeptical at first about potty time with infants because I was concerned my dd was transferring her germ phobia to her kids and pushing them to do something they didn't want to do. But both kids absolutely love the one-on-one interaction time with their mom. And the joy on dgd's face when she poops in the potty is adorable. On Saturday, I heard the cheering and felt it deserved a standing ovation so went and gave her one. She had not pooped for 44 hours and I was about to be in charge of her, so really appreciated that I would not be facing a blow-out poop while mommy was off paddling.

The advantages as a Nana are huge. First, it isn't as if diapers aren't used, so if I want to go the old-fashioned route that's an option. But if I follow the system, I'm not changing poopy diapers at all. Second, dd bought me a potty seat for when I'm off with dgs that is smaller than the space 2 pull-ups take up so it is less for me to manage when I'm off with him having adventures and he keeps his pee (note: we say keep instead of hold because we don't want him touching pee!) until I take him potty. Third, there are few clothing changes and only occasional swapping out a dribbled-on underwear with dry underwear. There are no consequences for wet underwear. Just praise when he goes a long time keeping his pee.

OK, breakfast break is over. I'll s2s now and then check the mail room for the pickup notice for my computer.

[Harriet]

Yessssssss to Kathryn's "shifting stuff" paragraph about the cruel world. Sigh.

In this house, for (can it be?) forty years (let me be clear, to get it through my own head - 40, or 4 times 10 times 365 days), most dishes washed or clothes washed or surfaces cleaned have been done because I did it. Okay, where's the evidence? Within days I can appear to be a slob - even to me. I can be swayed by the new evidence that I must be so lazy. How does that happen? There is no "sun to sun" but "never done".

blessed and her weekly plans tweaking BWPs are smart. She keeps that thread up just about by herself - guess it works well for her.

[LadyMaverick]

Those 3 categories were accomplished. Also feed kids breakfast (biscuits with sausage gravy), supervised them getting dressed, teeth brushed, brushed DGD8 hair and put it into a braid, and took them to VBS on time.

Now it is time for me to rest. Small secret...I'm not sure that I know how to rest. I guess I'll put my feet up and watch something on Prime or Netflix. Is that considered to be resting?

[DeeClutter]

Loved this, Kathryn!

And my house never looked clean because in the cruel world of reality, a clean house that is messy looks dirty, but a moderately dirty house that is tidy looks clean.

and have saved it to my "SHE quotes". So true. And I need to somehow get my floors mopped -especially the bathroom -it's tidy but that floor so needs washing!

Been busy on the phone all morning. Called health insurance to get our address straight with them so they keep covering us. Also asked about my bill for when I was in the hospital last month with the heart attack. She looked it up & as far as I could tell they only paid $12,000 of the $94,000+ bill. She told me that's all they were paid & I owed zero. Can't believe that's all that was paid on a $94,000 bill though. Think medicare still has to kick in something. But what do I know? Then I called our cardiologist to get a 90-day supply called in for a new script. I was going to get my 2nd 30-day one filled at W greens. But then they texted it would be $155! Somehow I don't think so. Still have to have dh call health insurer when he comes in to give him his own address. Now I still have to go to the post office and try to figure out our address snafu there. For some reason all our mail is being sent back to FL.

Next up -get some steps in. Haven't been doing very well in that department. Yesterday I seemed to be 'light-headed' most of the day and didn't do any extra walking. Did go to A ldi's & did what walking I had to there.

I hope that's resting, LadyM because that's how I do it and all too often doze off.

[CathyS]

Hi!
Has anyone else noticed how many guests we have had lately? One day I saw 11! I want them all to come out and say hi, even though the odds of that are sky high.

Dishwasher is going. Dryer is also going. I woke up at 9, which was nice. I think I was up at least 3 times during the night. I think I was more able to sleep in because I have decided that I am not going to either knitting group today. There is, however, a library south of here that is giving away books for free, so I might check that out.

Went to use the Roomba this morning and she hadn't been charging because I think someone accidently nudged her off of her charging station. (Pointing at myself when I say that because I am the only one that sits at that end of the couch.)

Very humid here but we had an amazing weekend weather-wise.

Very greasy pot from frying the chicken is now squeaky clean. Bottom half or roasting pan is also clean. Casserole dish from scalloped potatoes is also clean. Stove top has been cleaned as well. Yes, dh cleaned it on Saturday night, but he missed most of the splattered oil.

Supper tonight is spaghetti and meat sauce.

[Nancy]

Good morning to all.
I am up and got planning done for today, and this week.
I need to work on a groc. List.
I have a few plants to get in this week.
Journaling done.