Friday Fifteen: Chores...

My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint. ~ Erma Bombeck

Time for the Friday Fifteen

Fifteen Chores I Haven't Done In A LONG Time

1. Cleaning under/behind the refrigerator. I have a cat, a dog and a young daughter -- it's amazing what gets underneath the fridge. Besides the obvious: pet hair and dust, we also find toys, food, rocks and so much more. I'm pretty sure a cucumber slice was dropped and slid underneath it a few months back. I'm not prepared to check quite yet.

2. Vacuuming under the furniture. I hate moving the sofa and beds to vacuum, but it needs to be done. We get the strangest pale gray lint everywhere. I've never had it before -- didn't get it in California or Colorado. I don't know what is unique about New Hampshire, but it's really disgusting. The last time I vacuumed under the bed the canister was plum full of the stuff. Very weird.

3. Cleaning the tops of the cabinets. It's probably been a year since I climbed up on the counters and contorted my body to wipe down the ten inch space between the tops of my cabinets and the kitchen ceiling. But hey, no one can see it, right?

4. The outsides of my windows. I started doing this yesterday. We have the kind of windows that will tilt inward so you can clean both sides, but pretty much every single time I tip them funny and DH has to run for the tools to fix it and get them back in. I don't know why... I'm careful, I swear. I'm just jinxed. Or maybe, sub-consciously I don't want do do this particular chore and sabotage myself?

5. The green gunk on the bottom inside of the windows. I've mentioned before that stuff grows out here better than any place else in the country, right? Unfortunately, this also includes mold. The siding on the back of our house (which gets little light) is green. So are the bottoms of the windowsills between the screen and the window. I scrubbed two of them yesterday -- the kitchen and the basement. Only eighteen more to go. Yeah, that's going to happen.

6. The walls. We run a wood stove in the winter and it causes this fine, gray dust to settle everywhere, walls included. I manage to forget about the walls until I do something stupid like wipe a fingerprint smudge... then it's all over. That clean part shows how dirty all the rest of the walls are. I try to remember not to wipe smudges... but sometimes instinct just kicks in.

7. Clean inside the toilet tanks. I know, I know... most people don't do this. But most people don't have my well water. The tanks grow this most amazing fungus (stuff grows here, remember?) and need to be scrubbed now and then. The water is also very high in iron (without our water softener and sediment filter, it tastes like you're drinking blood) and it turns everything yellow. I think this will go on my to-do list today.

8. The pantry. This chore amuses me when I do get around to it. I always end up with dozens of the same item, opened and half-used. I typically do this chore when the pantry gets so full I can't fit anything else it there. I have a ways to go yet.

9. The refrigerator. See above. In addition to the pantry issues, there are also the odd spills and leaks, but I *mostly* stay on top of those as they happen. Because I grind my own flour (though haven't in a while), I have to store it in the fridge, so space is limited for other stuff, and I run out quickly. This is on my mental to-do list, but hasn't been done yet. When it really, really bugs me I'll tackle this task. Soon, I think.

10. My desk. The pile to my right is growing larger and larger. Mostly it's notepads, used to make notes on story ideas or to write miscellaneous scenes for existing stories/novels. I like to use a different notepad for every story/novel, so there are (hang on, let me count) six spiral notepads there right now, topped with two books and the charger for my digital camera. That's just in one little spot. I don't want to talk about the rest.

11. Stripped/polished the floor. I hate this task more than any other in the world. I'm leaving it until the DH is frustrated with it and does it himself.

12. Waxed my vehicle. I own a red automobile. If it isn't waxed regularly, it fades to pink. DH used to take care of this for me, but he doesn't seem to have the time any more. It really needs to be done. A word to the wise: never, ever buy a red car. Ever.

13. Vacuumed my vehicle. And it needs it. In fact, I think I may do it this weekend.

14. Weeded my backs "woods" garden. Did I mention things grow here? Like crazy? Especially the weeds? UGH.

15. Bathed the dog. It's been more than a month... she's beginning to smell. Saturday will be bright and sunny and warm. Guess who's getting wet (besides me, of course...)?

All of that makes it sound like I'm a lousy housekeeper. I'm not, really. In fact, people comment that my house is ridiculously neat. They're right. But that all stems from being married to my DH, a neat-freak extraordinaire. He's tidy but doesn't care so much about the dirt, and I'm clean, but a clutter-bug. It works.

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It seems that Alice nominated me for the Bloggers Choice awards. If you get a minute, and feel like voting for me, please do.



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You Are Scissors

Sharp and brilliant, you can solve almost any problem with that big brain of yours. People fear your cutting comments - and your wit is famous for being both funny and cruel. Deep down, you tend to be in the middle of an emotional storm. Your own complexity disturbs you. You are too smart for your own good. Slow down a little - or you're likely to hurt yourself. You can cut a paper person down to pieces. The only person who can ruin you is a rock person. When you fight: You find your enemy's weak point and exploit it. If someone makes you mad: You'll do everything you can to destroy their life

Are You Rock, Paper, or Scissors?

Ooohhh... I sound kind of scary...Maybe this will make you less afraid of hanging out with me:

Your Emoticon Is Smiling

Right now, you're feeling cheerful and content - without a care in the world.

What Emoticon Best Represents You Right Now?