Cleaning day

Friday, 2:59 pm

By Kate

Nov

23

2007

The FedEx man arrived on my doorstep at noon. My vacuum cleaner was whirling away and I didn’t hear him at the door. Very fortunately, I happened to look out the front window and saw his truck. He had made out a slip to let me know he’d been here and that I had to sign for my laptop package. You can bet I tore out my front door like the devil was after me. I signed for the package and it is now sitting on my living room floor. I have not opened it yet. You have no idea the effort it’s taking not to open it.

But I still have a lot of cleaning to do and if I open my laptop, there will be very little cleaning going on around here.

I have mostly tamed the basement. Between all the hauling of soggy stuff out the door and several fans blowing full speed and the dehumidifier sucking moisture out of the concrete (I am up to 19kWh already today—I may not be officially recording it, but I’m still watching it in agony), my basement is nearly dry now. There are only a couple of damp spots left. The mildew did not get a chance to grow. At least so far. I don’t think it will, though.

I was never so pleased as when the trash guys showed up this morning. They took it all away. That may just be the best part of my week. They know that I put out very little trash from week to week, so when I go egregiously over my limit (very rarely), they take it without question. One of the guys did ask (jokingly) if I was cleaning out the basement and I said that, as a matter of fact, I was. I’d had a flood yesterday. Much sympathy and advice offered on drying out basements. See? My trash guys are wicked nice.

Now, I have to start in on the lad’s room. Sorry to say that when he left in September, I closed his door and tried to ignore it. It is still in a bit of a disarray. And, I assure you, that is an understatement. Personally, I’m in the mood for filling trash bags. I’ve had a lot of practice in the last 20 hours and I’m desensitized now. I’ll bet he wouldn’t miss a thing, either. I’m tempted.

Well, back to it.