Catch Up Blog

View from the SF Airport Marriott, May 2008
Originally uploaded by suzipaw

Welcome to my 400th post! Travels and giving my brain a break from the ordinary have both contributed to my lack of posting lately. It's mid-afternoon on a Sunday and I'm too lazy to properly organize this post (I'm obviously ignoring the best practices urged by the authors of "Practical English Handbook" that I've left in the bathroom to read gradually, or grab at bedtime if I need a soporific--small chunks of reminders about how to make my prose better).

This has been the most domestically productive four days I've had in years. Most of it was spent on major spring cleaning--our annual tradition is to pull as much out of the house as we can, wipe, wash, and dust walls, pictures, windows, have the carpets cleaned, then after the carpets are dry, clean everything off before bringing it back inside. And evaluate whether or not it should even go back inside. I'd packed up about four bags of clothes to give away a little over a week ago, and that trove has been joined by most of the past four years of my Sunset magazine subscription as well as several bags of books that will go to the Friends of the Library--which we will probably end up purchasing back at the book sales. Sadly, the Friends do not take magazines. It was a blazingly hot weekend, which helped the carpets dry more quickly, but activity in such weather has its challenges and ended up taking us longer than we'd hoped, but was so worth the effort. The upshot is: It's now safe to visit!

Found during the cleaning: the other one of a pair of favorite earrings and a lace bookmark purchased in Brussels. And enough dead bugs to provide protein for a small third world nation. Lost: a pint glass and a very special lead crystal champagne glass I've had since high school. Not cleaned: the closets. I tell myself I can tackle one per weekend--even just one shelf per weekend--but that's been a six-month discussion I've had to no avail.

M is officially done with teaching. Which has freed him up to be my chauffeur as my mechanics continue to chase down the cause of the Monster Mobile's lack of AC, an issue that hopefully will be resolved later this week. He'll receive his grades on Tuesday. Thanks to his school network, he knows he passed, but he's hoping to graduate cum laude. It's been downright odd spending so much time with M lately. More may be in the works as I'm hoping to secure a study cubicle for him at my office. The proposed desk is in my building but not on my floor, so I wouldn't run into him unless we make plans for lunch or something like that--not that I usually have time for lunch. He's made me promise not to give him the password for the wireless network, which is a wise move.

Work continues to be very challenging, and that's all I'll say about that.

My uncle sent me a digital copy of the genealogy project he and my grandma have been compiling for many years--photos, his recollections of growing up on the family farm, scanned documents and the like. I'm in awe of so much work over so much time, and also so grateful of the time and thought he's put into the project.

Putting my craft room back together after the cleaning project was also really good. I feel like I've reclaimed it from the dust and cat hair and clutter that had pretty much kept me from opening the door except to sort laundry and plunk another half-finished craft project on the work table. But the only project on the table now is the red felted purse I've been procrastinating on for ages. I finished sewing the lining yesterday (not up to my Virgo standards, but Good Enough) and now just need to slip stitch the lining into place. It will look so cute with the groovy red sandals I purchased at Ross last weekend during my hunt for the new dress to wear at M's graduation dinner later this month. I also had the incredible realization that I don't have a craft project in the works. This is a very strange state of affairs for me.

I've also tried to do some health spring cleaning this last week. My teeth have been scraped, and I am firmly resolved to call the podiatrist and dermatologist for appointments. I was supposed to call the podiatrist over a year ago, but I know he's just going to want to slice that pesky lump off my toe, and make walking problematic and/or painful for a time, and who needs that? I also had my hair trimmed and a demo of how to use the hair dryer with the comb attachment. I realize hair isn't really health-related, but as the saying goes, to look good is to feel good.

Happy belated birthday, Bro'!

And now on to the last of the hand washing and the hand sewing of the purse lining, to take me out of this weekend feeling triumphant in my organizational skills. I'm going to need it.