Now, are you *still* in awe? (grin) And don't even ask me about cooking!"
Lakeside, I am convinced you and I are "Cleaning Clones" - - as in The Less, The Better!!
LOL
When your health is compromised for many years, can't afford cleaning services, you work full time with a commuting distance of 20 miles, and would rather spend "free time" mowing and weed eating and growing flowers or reading or writing instead, you have long ago decided cleaning has been kicked down to "Essentials, If You're Lucky" status.
As for 'cooking,' there is a wooden sign over my stove that says "CLOSED."
'Minimalistic' best describes my approach (BIG grin).
Years ago, living in a rented house in 1972 in Ft. Pierce, Florida, although in a main section, the street (as was true of many there then) was unpaved.
The house was not air conditioned (put window unit in the master bedroom so we could dress for work without perspiring), so nearly all the time the jalousie windows were wide open to catch the breezes.
They also allowed billows of dust and grit to coat the window glass and the terrazo floors and whole interior..:((
It was impossible to keep it spotless.
Add to that, with only one car, I had to get the children off to school, drive my husband 22 miles to his work - drive back 20 to my work - in the evening, reverse course 22 to get him, and back 22 to home).
One day my neighbor and I were discussing such challenges, and she asked my criteria for cleaning,
My response to that was "If the windows are dirty enough for the neighborhood children to scrawl messages on them with their fingers, then it is time to clean them..."
You cannot always be what you ought to be..:))
I can so relate..............I remember my summers in Sarasota in the 70's before my grandparents put in central AC......................windows were always open and my grandmother insisted on a clean house..........I learned to hate sweeping very quickly.
Now I live with a similar situation - no central AC, just 2 window units and so there is sand and dust and dirt coming in everywhere......but I have gotten over my hatred of a broom - I far prefer it over a vaccuum!!!! There are advantages to hardwood and linoleum floors!!!!
My grandparents did get central AC - I don't have the necessary duct work to do so - so I deal with sweeping. Fortunately for me both hubby and the yung'un pitch in to help --- now if I could only find a way to keep the dogs from shedding...................sigh.