Some of you know me personally and know that housekeeping isn't on my list of top ten favorite things to do. Honestly, I don't think it is in the top 20,000 favorite things to do. However, so far in Brisbane, I have been responsible for keeping the house clean and tidy and have not hired anyone to help.
Every time I get the vacuum cleaner our dust rag out, I think twice about that decision.
And now we have a Black Carpet.
I remember in Houston I said I would never again have a black stove top. That was a nightmare to keep clean.
Why on earth did that lesson not project to a Black Carpet?
It looked so elegant in the store.
And when we unrolled it (an area rug with a cream border) it looked so right in this house.
Now it needs vacuumed every 3 hours.
What's up with that?
Somehow, little tiny white particles magically appear out of nowhere and park between the furniture and the coffee table.
Sadly, a housekeeper wouldn't even solve this problem.
On the outside chance they are all bread crumbs, I need a dog.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Home Again
After spending four weeks in the states, I am back in Brisbane. I arrived home Tuesday morning at 5 am. As luck would have it, we were the only arriving international plane just then and immigration and customs were empty. That made for a quick entry into the country but in the process, I was lucky enough to meet Zoe.
Zoe is a customs beagle. She has the sweetest face and the waggiest tail. Since it was slow, they were directing everyone to the "beagle" line and I was first in the box. Zoe walked right by me and never stopping to say hello. I asked her handler and petting isn't allowed when Zoe is working.
Zoe did say hello to the two gentlemen behind me. One set their backpack on the ground and she sat right next to it, looked up at her handler and as plain as day, the expression on her face said, "I did my job, give me a treat please." :)
Needless to say, the two gentlemen got to go to another line to make new friends in the Australian customs department.
Arrived home by about 6am and our goods shipment was delivered at 7:30 am. The next few days were spent unpacking. The house is mostly in order...only things left to tackle are the office and stereo equipment. (I have managed to delay the office for just as long as I can...I hate paperwork!)
BTW - The movers performed a "density pack" with our goods, that is where the movers stuff every single area with as much stuff as possible, making the furniture extra heavy. For example, we shipped our bar stools to Brisbane. The moves packed them in cardboard and stuffed our shoes in the bottom of the bar stools between the seat and the floor before sealing up the bar stool box. We found a flashlight from the garage in the filing cabinet. At least we found it!
Zoe is a customs beagle. She has the sweetest face and the waggiest tail. Since it was slow, they were directing everyone to the "beagle" line and I was first in the box. Zoe walked right by me and never stopping to say hello. I asked her handler and petting isn't allowed when Zoe is working.
Zoe did say hello to the two gentlemen behind me. One set their backpack on the ground and she sat right next to it, looked up at her handler and as plain as day, the expression on her face said, "I did my job, give me a treat please." :)
Needless to say, the two gentlemen got to go to another line to make new friends in the Australian customs department.
Arrived home by about 6am and our goods shipment was delivered at 7:30 am. The next few days were spent unpacking. The house is mostly in order...only things left to tackle are the office and stereo equipment. (I have managed to delay the office for just as long as I can...I hate paperwork!)
BTW - The movers performed a "density pack" with our goods, that is where the movers stuff every single area with as much stuff as possible, making the furniture extra heavy. For example, we shipped our bar stools to Brisbane. The moves packed them in cardboard and stuffed our shoes in the bottom of the bar stools between the seat and the floor before sealing up the bar stool box. We found a flashlight from the garage in the filing cabinet. At least we found it!
Thursday, July 05, 2012
Working Through our History
Day 13 of cleaning and sorting. As mentioned before, our parents grew up in the depression and were very very poor (who wasn't during those times??). They saved everything and while it has been a dusty, grimy exercise, it has also been very interesting.
I have also learned we have inherited the "30's depression gene". There are so many items here and we can't possibly take everything but neither can we throw anything away that someone else may need and can use. SO, we have schedule an estate sale this weekend.
I am also amazed at what was picked out of the dumpsters. Here we are - thinking the items were done for - no one could possibly get any more use out of it and had been tossed in the dumpster - and someone took them. I hope they get many long years of further use.
The hardest thing for me has been going through Daddy's desk and files. I found every receipt for this house built in the early 60's. All of us now have all of our grade cards from kindergarten through college. I found our original Social Security cards, every pay stub from 194? through his retirement, every tax return, etc. etc.
And do we ever have photographs to go through. Boxes and Boxes. Sadly, there aren't many relatives left who can tell us the characters in the older pictures. We are now the oldest generation and I expect we have lost some of our family history. (Although, the entire room of genealogy documentation would beg otherwise. :) )
I am so thankful I have siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews. All have pitched in to help and to share the memories with. This would be a 6 month job if one person had to accomplish it alone.
Speaking of which, I best get back to work before I'm busted drinking coffee and blogging... Until next time!
I have also learned we have inherited the "30's depression gene". There are so many items here and we can't possibly take everything but neither can we throw anything away that someone else may need and can use. SO, we have schedule an estate sale this weekend.
I am also amazed at what was picked out of the dumpsters. Here we are - thinking the items were done for - no one could possibly get any more use out of it and had been tossed in the dumpster - and someone took them. I hope they get many long years of further use.
The hardest thing for me has been going through Daddy's desk and files. I found every receipt for this house built in the early 60's. All of us now have all of our grade cards from kindergarten through college. I found our original Social Security cards, every pay stub from 194? through his retirement, every tax return, etc. etc.
And do we ever have photographs to go through. Boxes and Boxes. Sadly, there aren't many relatives left who can tell us the characters in the older pictures. We are now the oldest generation and I expect we have lost some of our family history. (Although, the entire room of genealogy documentation would beg otherwise. :) )
I am so thankful I have siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews. All have pitched in to help and to share the memories with. This would be a 6 month job if one person had to accomplish it alone.
Speaking of which, I best get back to work before I'm busted drinking coffee and blogging... Until next time!
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