La Casa de Spo doesn’t look so good at the moment. Someone is putting together the new entertainment system, connecting it to the relatively ‘ancient” speakers throughout the house. He’s a clever one and he is making progress, but it is a slow process. The living room floor looks like Christmas morning after the children have unwrapped their prizes. There are boxes and electronic items strewn everywhere. Not too far away is a rawther large pile of ironing – nearly all of it Someone’s. In his defense he has bigger projects to manage than ironing. I’ve calculated if he should actually do it, there are not enough hangers for all the shirts. I thought of getting more hangers, but he thinks to get rid of the shirts. I am half-tempted to do it for him, but I would probably donate a shirt he hasn’t worn in years only to have him suddenly want it and inquire to its whereabouts. Oh the embarrassment.
Harper is in her old age is having accidents. Every time we come home we hold an inspection if she’s had any. There was talk of hiring a professional carpet cleaner but as this problem isn’t likely to stop, we will clean up as they happen. Someone does a better job at this, but he is easily triggered to retching so I am Stain Master and Effluvia Master as well.
Last weekend I started making lists of what needs doing about the place, a note for each room. I stopped after three rooms as it was already a long list and rawther discouraging. The roofers (or someone like them) bringing over the dumpster today. Someone is at home this morning to instruct where to put it. “One war at a time!” said Abraham Lincoln, so the roof and stereo system take precedent. The terribly threadbare kitchen chairs will have to wait yet another day.
Soon starts the weekend and that means dusting and delayed daily doings like the dishes. Would that I was Merlin who waved a wand and said ‘tidy up’ and the pots and pans did so on their own. Alas, Babylon! At home not only am I Stain Master and Effluvia Master but I am also Dish Master and Dust Master too. Then again what are weekends for other than fighting filth?
28 comments
June 14, 2024 at 9:28 AM
spwilcen
Who, might I ask, is YardMaster? (Realizing that there’s littler mowing required in Phoenix of Arizona and cactii needles are likely three or four years between requiring raking. Surely stones and horn toad nests require frequent tending, a manner of Arizona YardWork.)
June 14, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Urspo
The backyard is a lost cause. Mr. Hector S. is Yard-Master; he and his minions periodically come by to blow away the debris and snip the shrubberies. What the front yard really needs is a new layer of rocks and removal of the more sorry succulents. And don’t get me started on the useless footstep lighting.
June 14, 2024 at 9:58 AM
jefferyrn
Cleaning can be a chore, but that new sound system might make it fun.
June 14, 2024 at 10:02 AM
Urspo
Let us hope so anyway.
After years of not having one – and having iphones with wireless speaker – they haven’t been missed. The speakers were put in well before iphones came around; I doubt they are still placed into new housing.
June 14, 2024 at 10:52 AM
loriahawkins
It might be more economical for you to buy a carpet cleaner. I have one that is a Shark and it cleans the carpet very well. It was less than 200.00. It’s easy to bring out for small clean ups as well. I hope you find some time this weekend to relax a bit.
June 15, 2024 at 3:23 PM
Urspo
Hey not a bad idea! Thank you!
June 14, 2024 at 11:35 AM
Debra She Who Seeks
I forget now . . . is your dishwasher broken too? If so, might want to move that one up the list. I praise the Goddess daily for my dishwasher. What a time saver!
June 15, 2024 at 3:24 PM
Urspo
The intrepid dishwasher is working thank the cleaning gods. if that broke (again) I am ready for a new one.
June 14, 2024 at 2:57 PM
Anonymous
We bought a Bissell $113 carpet cleaner from Amazon. Tommy managed it well even though he cannot walk without walker. We would recommend it highly.
I have a list. Putting lights in dining room and kitchen are up next. There is only the vent hood light for two whole rooms–one long one.
Practical Parsimony
June 14, 2024 at 3:20 PM
Anonymous
It comes with dog remover bottle of cleaner. We did not get it on Amazon, but they have same one. We got this one from Lowe’s.
June 15, 2024 at 3:25 PM
Urspo
yes yes yes I am going to bring this up with Someone.
June 14, 2024 at 4:07 PM
Glenda
I’ve got 3 volumes of Home Life by Ellis. I hope yours is as entertaining as hers
June 15, 2024 at 3:26 PM
Urspo
You will see most of my blog (at least the Home Life entries) are just a big rip-off although I like to call it my homage to the Late Ellis.
June 14, 2024 at 4:31 PM
Robert
You need magical intervention, me thinks 🧙♀️
June 15, 2024 at 3:26 PM
Urspo
I need a housekeeper to come in weekly and do all this for me.
June 15, 2024 at 4:11 PM
Robert
Well worth the investment. You are both working after all.
June 14, 2024 at 5:30 PM
Cecilia Mary Gunther
‘One war at a time’ oh yes!! My mother in laws mother would say – one corner at a time. All good stuff.
June 15, 2024 at 3:27 PM
Urspo
It is an actual Lincoln quote. The United Kingdom threatened war if Lincoln didn’t lay off interfering with their trading with the south. “One war at a time’ he said, and let the British ships go.
June 15, 2024 at 3:31 PM
Cecilia Mary Gunther
Huh. I like it.
June 14, 2024 at 8:57 PM
Robzilla
Music wired in every room sounds lovely, depending on what’s playing of course. I agree with picking battles only one or two at a time. It’s far less stressful than doing three or four things at once like my sister did with my place.
June 15, 2024 at 3:28 PM
Urspo
Someone and I have different tastes in music, although the real matter would be music would interfere with his TV watching – unless the music can play in the east side not in the west.
June 15, 2024 at 1:03 AM
Old Lurker
Weekends are for catching up with patient charts. Also weekends are for trysts with gentlemen callers, rolling down grass hills, playing cards and social dancing. Houseboys are for doing chores.
June 15, 2024 at 3:29 PM
Urspo
There are no gentleman callers thank goodness as the house is in shambles.
June 15, 2024 at 1:37 AM
BadNoteB
We upgraded for speaker wires from family room, where stereo would be located, to living room and master bedroom when our house was built 25 years ago. 2 of 3 realtors recently interviewed recommended snipping them and plugging the wall receptacles prior to painting in anticipation of listing the place for sale. High fidelity issues aside, blue tooth and streamed music services seem to currently rule.
I don’t envy you the weekend of chores you’ve lined up… good luck with a major dent in the list, if completion of all items proves to be too ambitious an undertaking.
June 15, 2024 at 3:30 PM
Urspo
Someone has just declared he is not able to do it and it’s time to call in a Geek Squad (or someone like them) to do it for us.
June 15, 2024 at 6:10 AM
David Godfrey
I don’t need Artificial Intelligence (AI) to research the answers to my questions, write my blog posts and report, or create art, I need AI to clean my house, do the laundry, get the car washed, load the dishwasher, so I have time to read, think, write and create art.
June 15, 2024 at 3:31 PM
Urspo
I don’t know what all this silly AI is about or for, but if it only leaves us unemployed with housework nertz to it.
June 16, 2024 at 7:53 PM
Sassybear
Poor Harper. She can’t help it. Please keep loving her and caring for her and cleaning up after her. I’m sure she feels bad about it. I know it sucks, but it’s the least we can do for the ones that love us so unconditionally and unwaveringly.
Housework is never ending. I’ve learned to spend more time enjoying my hobbies and friends and less time making sure the house is spic and span. The enjoyment of cocktails, meals, movies, games, sex, hugs, friendship, and love is not the least bit diminished by a dust bunny, cobweb, or crumb.