October 8, 2008
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Cleaning and the Critter
Mamaglop asked a great question in a comment. With a schedule like that, when do I do cleaning and laundry? I did have a week off from laundry as my washer was broken, but now that the friendly Sears guy came and removed a pair of gym shorts from between the drum and washer and a big pile of other things from the drain, I can wash again. And again. And even some more!
But, honestly, I’ve never been much of a good housekeeper. Yes, I vacuum daily (or make sure it is done) and make sure all the dishes are washed each day, but my idea of dusting is to take my hand across the bookshelves before someone writes his name in the dust. I do make my kids do something every other day or so–bathrooms, garbage, stuff like that. It’s a very different cleaning life from the last however-many years when all five children had at least two daily chores and general zone cleaning. But, when they aren’t home, they don’t mess up as much. Plus, TGD usually marshals the troops for a Saturday morning cleaning (or decluttering) and often makes sure things are done when he is home and I am not.
Some of you (okay, maybe no one) may have been wondering how Lucy training is going. Some friends took pity on my (thanks, Jacksons!) and loaned me a puppy training book written by the monks of New Skete who raise dogs at the monastery. They had some great advice, as did my friend who said, “You can’t trust your puppy for a second!” So, when Lucy is in the house, she is leashed to one of us for constant supervision.
Since we’ve started this process, she’s been much more delightful. She whines and barks when she needs to go out to “do her thing,” and instead of running around the house, getting into mischief, she eventually settles down and sighs and lies there. Nope, I don’t trust her a bit yet, but it’s getting better.
Comments (18)
I would disagree with you when you said you weren’t a good housekeeper. I think your place looks great!
Woohoo and I even got to comment first! I’m taking a break from school before I throw something….
I seem to do a lot of cleaning right before people come over . . . It’s a terrible habit, but I’m not around too much to mess things up.
Sigh…lol…I am, sigh….one of those clean and neat freaks. I’ve matured alot and calmed down, but I still lean more that way than the other way. Keeping two houses, having folks in every other weekend almost, and entertaining alot keeps a gal like that on her toes. Guess the Lord figures if I am going to be a beat-my-brain-out kind of cleaner, well, He’ll provide the mess to clean up! LOL
…I actually have relaxed alot more in the past five years though. It dawned on me that:
1) it will need to be cleaned again….it doesn’t stay clean
2) there’s more fun in life than just cleaning (and obsessing about/over it)
3) the Lord dealt with my heart about having a balance
There: I confessed!
So glad to hear puppy is doing better – yes, I actually have been wondering.
Hope you have a blessed rest of this day, and hopefully a joyful evening.
so you did get a puppy? great
since I’m retired -it’s easy for hubby and I cause they’re like babies-you put them to the grass as soon as they wake up and after they eat and before you go to bed,etc.
@jillcarmel -
HA! I am not finding it so easy at all. I don’t like having to be responsible for yet another life.
So do you miss Moira? (was that her name?)
glad the puppy training is going better. i’ve watched other friends go through that and have vowed never to do it myself. but the pictures of those little animals are *so* cute sometimes. and the training should pay off in the end, just as it does with children. consistency is a key issue, and that is a weakness for me.
and cleaning- well, we won’t even go there. i am not a neat freak, because what i clean up everyone else messes up, and i gave up trying to even stay on top of it. most of the time, i clean more thoroughly if someone is coming to visit, but other than that, it gets done when it gets done, which isn’t every day that’s for sure!
we have 5 dogs=2 large 1 medium and 2 small and since we are retired it’s pretty easy. My hubby asked one day if this is like having a 2 yrs old and I said,”yes.” He’s a better mom then I am cause he notices if one is missing. We found Sophie the 18lbs one rolled up in the sheets.
My husband has someone come in once a week to help with cleaning; mopping floors and dealing with trash. (we burn most of our trash). That is a tremendous help! I still get to do daily laundry and kitchen duty and picking-up.
I have had my Yorkie for over 8 years and I love him dearly, but he still doesn’t like to ‘hold it’ too long. But he is a little fellow and his accidents require less than a full size paper towel.
Love those monks! I read that book once, and sure wished I had a dog just so I could try it out!
Glad things are improving in the dog department! Can you post a photo of her some time? (Or did I miss one while I was gone?) I hate cleaning. I’m jealous of your cleaning crew…with no progeny yet, it will be a while before I have such a cleaning crew. Though the husband helps. I don’t know how working moms do it…my home is chaotic and my back is killing me (from not doing pilates) since I’ve been working full time.
I’m glad that the puppy training is going better. It is always such a challenge to train a new puppy, or it was for me. I used the leash trick as well.
I am with you on cleaning. I absolutely despise it! I am trying to convince my kids that they will love it but so far, they aren’t convinced, lol.
Just on a mission to comment to all my subs and friends, it’s taking longer than I thought. Hope all is well with you. God bless!
~Grampy~
Hey! Hi!! How-ah-ya!?? I’m just driving myself crazy here! I don’t have half the things to do as you do and my brain is fried! I’m trying to remember just to do the simplest things like set up one or two field trips for our homeschool group, do “administrative duties” for same group, perform a very short one-woman skit for our meeting night, and set up park play dates for Fridays and I’m feeling like I’m loosing my mind! My house is in disarray and has been for several days…. o.k., a week or more… and it’s driving me insane!! whew! (did I just verbally throw up on you?…. excuse me! so sorry!! here, let me wipe that off!)
O.k…. i’m off to the park and to make a call to the cider mill for our field trip! That puppy training thing sounds like a very cool idea! I’ll have to call you if I ever get a puppy!
Love to you! AJ
@aj1965 -
No, you win. Totally! Field trip organization sounds so much worse than just driving my own children around. And finding time to be creative enough to do a skit? Um…yeah. I find that the less time I have to sit and be, the less creative I am. All I basically seem to do now is plan driving strategies. “Okay, honey. Child X has to be picked up at 3:00 and taken to YBQ, but Child Y has to be at NJE at 4:10, so if we pack all of Child 3′s football stuff and get a ride for Child 4 and Child 5 takes the bus from school and nobody eats supper until 8:37, then you don’t have to get a proctor for you evening exam. Yeah!”
I don’t mind verbal vomit. It beats dog pee any day.
I was going to suggest clicker training! Perhaps I did. There are great youtube videos of it. I am glad things are going better with the puppy. I’ve been away helping a daughter with a new grandbaby. I am still too rummy to post.
You sound like you tidy more than I do. I love to have clean floors, but right here, I have a vacuum that belonged to my great grandmother, and you have to vaccuum on you knees.