A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....03-1-06....Housecleaning Avoidus

The school of Hard Knocks | March 1, 2006 | Dolly Howard

[DollyCali]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

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Ah the joys of cleaning a house…Let me count the ways…../sarcasm

To what shall I compare it? A root canal? A major sunburn on your whole body when you fell asleep for two hours in the tanning table w/o timer? A huge zit on your nose for your senior prom? Liver for your birthday dinner? Looking at pictures of x42? Of sKerry? Or Sheenhan?

I recall the white glove inspections when I was in the Navy. Now a yardstick is the guideline. If you don’t understand this, you are to be commended. There is Housework Avoidus… and the chronic condition: Housework Avoiditis. It is really NOT a bad/deadly condition - just a frustrating one.

Now Free Republic has given a new purpose to life & PRIORITIES, hasn’t it? Should we put off friendship & being informed & getting involved for ….for Housework ?

I think not.

Free Republic has given so much perspective to me with my homemaking chores. How many days can you go without doing dishes? Then when dishes are gone, dig out the paper plates… when they are gone having take-out? And then when money for take-out is gone, deciding to fast a day or two?

How many pots & pans can you burn up as you forget about the “whatever” on the stove as you get into one of Howlin’s live threads, the Tony Snow daily thread? The fun troll thread complete with 35,000 keywords awaits along with Monkey Face, Irish_Thatcherite, & darksheare! Or save toons from Pookie18’s daily offerings? At ATRW you get the latest weather & political essay from the Chair & keep up with all the news of your buddies…Of course the Dose must be checked & pictures saved - ohioWfan, Snugs, MJY1288 and others work VERY hard to give us these offerings. HOW INSULTING TO THEM TO PUT vacuuming before them!. At a word of the Day you find the latest poetry from our own Nicknamed Bob.. And of course always a cute kitty pix along the way. PLUS it is educational. Where else will you find a word to use that 95% of the people you know will not know? And of course the one stop place for news is Gucho’s Operation Phantom Fury… ah, I am salivating now thinking of all the fun awaiting. Clean? Ridiculous!




I personally have destroyed beyond use 9 pans in calendar year 2005. And I am talking about Farberware & GOOD pans…not the el cheapos. I kept them in a box in garage to maybe “clean up” - eventually. Feb 3 they all went into the garbage. Most had a layer of carbon so thick I could not chisel it off. Remnants of spaghetti sauce, homemade soup, linguine, sautéed onions …. Just a few of the treasures lost forever in the pans innards. Feb 8 they were replaced by a brand new set of gorgeous ,expensive (for me) pans from Sam’s club. Thus far NON are burned up. Well, that is because thus far NONE have been used.

Even though I have a virus check & many spy ware programs, I am convinced there is some “code” in my computer that will not allow me to leave even when I try. Rather like a magnet that affixes to my blood stream? I am hoping to solve this & perhaps win a Nobel prize.

Ah to be like The Raven, dog, Paul_Denton, pcottraux and many others - too busy with bachelorhood joys…. single life of fun & games of checking out the gals, in addition to looking for a house, burying dead fish, drawing cartoons --- why on earth clean?… At least THEY have a good excuse.

Pets add another dimension to this task called Housework. Taking the dogs out for potty & then major walks surely is more important than a clean house. The litter & potty centers for cats must be attended to.. Or else. What is “or else? “ From experience. The potty location will change from the litter area to your closet, bathtub, bed, sofa, linen closet, shoes left out (do they ever get put away?).
You can have every dish in the house dirty & Mount Laundry(penned from Iowa Granny ) up to the ceiling but heaven help you…CLEAN THE CAT BOX

Some Freepers like Lysie & Hair of the Dog also have horses! My what opportunities they provide (I am guessing) to avoid housework. Need to ride them, groom them, get feed, straw/hay(what do you get) for them. Clean the stalls? Think I would rather do dishes personally.




For those happy home makers & stay at home mom’s how many excuses can you have for not having a meal ready?

Headaches -- For 9 weeks?

Broken stove -- unplug it or throw the circuit breaker

cut hand? -- until someone demands to see what is under the Band-Aid!

Devoted day to prayer & meditation… might work.

How many excuses can you have for no clean underwear & towels for your gang?

Headaches? See above

Broken washer/drier? See above

Allergy to soaps… you can milk this one with practice.

Students like Tuliptree76, ilovew; apackof2; jemian;s terror.. School work MUST come before cleaning forgoodnesssakes.


Vacuuming & dusting are some interesting tasks.. Boring as all get out & disgusting but interesting. How so ? Well, the challenges are mammoth in the DollyCali household. In the garage now are 9 vacuum cleaners all NOT working. ALL FAIRLY NEW.. What is wrong? Who knows.

Stuff that can be fixed - sometimes easily & sometimes not: STUCK items in various portions of the mechanism, broken rubber “thingie”, full bag/container.

Yes. It would be good to take the vacuum back.. BUT you need the receipt. HA! And of course you never sent in the warranty.. THIS ONE FOR SURE WONT BREAK.

A few of the broken sweepers are the result of me taking them apart to fix them. Of course when I put them together they have extra parts. So the sweeper & extra parts go in a box.

With this many sweepers you would NOT believe the accessories collection I have. Have not a clue what goes to what. They are all in one of these mammoth plastic bins. All perspective husbands (called dates) are asked if they can fix a vacuum sweeper. Answers are noted.

Housework interruptus - now this is when you are really into shoveling a path and some doggone thing stops you. Like the sound from your computer when you get a ping or Freepmail. Well, while you are there, you might as well check latest articles, latest posts & email. Well then maybe check into your blog and then back to your favorite daily threads.

Or the phone rings.. Of course you did sign up for the do not call list but you would much rather chat with the nice telemarketer than clean. Oh.. And then there is the going to mail box, for newspaper etc.. on the way you pull a few weeds. Three hours later you are hungry & sore & tired. Hungry.. No dishes, go out to eat.. While out,. find other diversions. There is always tomorrow donchaknow.

Anyone have a “Repair Container“. Now this is the little(or big) box, bin, container that you put things that need a button, hem repair, seam redo.. Etc. You get the idea. Mine is pretty big as I have kept it since I was married in 1968. (and not repaired anything) . Now & then it gets weeded away. ALL the socks & underwear eventually went to the dust bin (you know that one that you use to dust).. My dust rag container however never gets touched. That is what cats are for! Dusting!

January 4 of this year.. I was in a clean up mood. I didn’t clean house but threw away most of the dust rags & the major contents of the repair box. Actually lined boxes in garage for feral cats with them. Used a few weeks & then tossed & replaced with more. Golly, why didn’t I think of this sooner.

Interesting fact is the NEXT day - January 5 - I got my first cold in years (decades) .. The blessed thing lasted 3 weeks! Think I am going to succumb to a clean up mood again? Fergettaboutit.

Housework disappearus - I am still working on this one.. But my best ideas is to move into a perfect home & then live in a hotel. Things that can help with this is to stop cooking, doing laundry, sell the kids, give away the pets & end all hobbies that involve more than reading a book. My favorite show in bygone years was “I Dream of Jeannie”… ah to wiggle my nose & have a clean house (not to mention LOOK like her!) Anyone with ideas along this line are welcome to contribute.

Well, it is now time for bed.. Now where is that bed anyway? Must be in this room somewhere..

12-28-05 ~ Hall of Fame #14	THIS WEEK'S THREADS 02-27-06 Military Monday 02-28-06 Ice Castles	Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[freema]

LOL!

[MEG33]

Good Idea!

[MEG33]

Clever! LOL!

[DollyCali]

I was thinking the same thing Rus. It would be a shame to put it off but I think Lori is doing the weekend thread

[anonymoussierra]

Thank you ((*DollyCali*))

[The Mayor]

It's posted..http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1588657/posts

[dutchess]

WHEW....power and thread up!!! Thanks for all your concerns! Unfortunately a truck did some major damage to a powerline (the truck is not in good shape either :o) Anyway, you can read JOHNHUANG2's excellent take on this week's events HERE (better late then never :o) )

[JustAmy]

Oooooh. Aren't those beautiful. I love the ranunculus.

I should look for some Trollius. I have a couple of shady place that could use some color.

I did plant a couple of Peony bulbs. I hope they do well. The pictures are beautiful but I've never tried them until now.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Thanks, Dolly. My problem is I can't take an antihistamine to help relieve it, makes me feel like I'm having an out of body experience. : (

Weather and mold, you're right...BUMMER!

[DollyCali]

you know when I first started with the antihistamines they gave me the same "spacey" effect.. but eventually my body acclimated & there was a Happy marriage of relief & flying high.

My (sort of).. don't ask... significant other is the same way.. a tablet of some allergy/antihistamine --- and heaven help him if he adds booze to the mix ---- turns him into a space cadet --mthen usually falls asleep in the process of walking. I know everyones body chemistry is different. I am very thankful that mine takes A LOT.. as I do take a lot of "LEGAL" drugs as I try to minimize all pain /problems when possible.

If I come across anything I will FReep mail to you.. You & my friend John, it seems share a similar journey. He is a cop & for the past month has been MISERABLE(he is the one I do dog walks with).. with the symptoms. If he takes even one MILD pill (and I can take 3 w/o effect) he is out of it. He also began developing the symptoms in his late 20s/early 30s

[ST.LOUIE1]

If I took a fraction of what you guys take....well.....I wouldn't be around to talk about. I'd be too far in outer space to ever return. : )

I'll just stick to Afrin nasal spray and hope for the best.

[DollyCali]

I understand... you need to know your body(which you do) and respect & take care of it. One needs to function & if taking care of sympotms knocks you into next week.. well, you can't function. John is that way also, bless his heart. Former marine, cop, macho man ... until a little pill or two "help" him ! ha. take care FRiend!

[PreviouslyA-Lurker]

OMG, I wish I hadn't been spending so much time working, from the title I think I would have enjoyed this thread. Maybe I can go back later & read it.

[DollyCali]

yes, do.. I visit threads when I can. I just NOW posted on yesterday's Dose!!! glad you at least found it to mark & revisit. We had fun with our confession time!

[PreviouslyA-Lurker]

LOL!!! Very cute!

[PreviouslyA-Lurker]

LOL!!! Sorry I missed it!

[PreviouslyA-Lurker]

Thank you, Dolly.

[PreviouslyA-Lurker]

Morning Dolly! I'll try when I have time. Don't know if I'll get around to it today, I'm continually trying to catch up.

[dixie sass]

She is a sweetie - when she wants to be, lol.

The only time that she goes in a car is when she goes to the vet in the taxi cab since I don't drive anymore. So since I don't go many places...

Trying to curb her on the lease, hold my cane and carry trash or whatever is a little difficult, so I just explain to her that she has a very important job and that is taking care of the apartment when I'm gone.

[dixie sass]

Can't wait to find it.