My Life Right Now

Comes running in
Jumps on the couch
So excited!
Stop!
What’s that noise?
I’ve never heard that…
Lets sit quietly
Watch what’s happening
Fall asleep
Just in time for the laundry to be done…

My dog’s puppy sister has never heard kittens before. By the time we got her, all of our kittens were grown up. She came rushing into the living room while I was watching a clip about a kitten trying to steal someone’s drink and was Not Happy it wasn’t being allowed. Helena was so confused! It was adorable to watch her lose all of that frenetic energy trying to figure out what was making that noise.

She’s asleep now.

On me.

And the laundry just finished.

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Up the Ante

Your rules are really beginning to annoy me. –Escape from LA

Lately, the kids have been getting their work done really fast. So we, the adults, decided to up the ante.

Keep in mind that their housework previously included the following only:

  • pickup bedroom, make bed
  • pickup/vacuum/mop, etc. main room (living room, kitchen, dining room, hall-stairs-entrance way) (only mop/vacuum three times a week, sometimes two)
  • put clean clothes away
  • clean kitchen after dinner (dishes, counter tops, stove top, put leftovers away)
  • clean bathroom once a week
  • clean kitty litter box, pickup after dog

Sometimes we’ll throw in a little yard work every other week (as needed).

When I was their age I had to do the following either every day or at least once a week:

  • pickup/vacuum/mop, etc main room
  • pickup/vacuum bedroom, make bed
  • clean kitchen after dinner
  • pull two bags of weeds in the yard during the fall/winter, four bags during spring/summer
  • wash walls/windows/washboards every weekend
  • polish furniture every weekend (we had a LOT of wooden furniture, including a baby grand piano and intricately carved furniture from before they had kids)
  • laundry (wash, dry, sort, fold, put away)
  • rake leaves, any other yardwork as needed
  • clean out pet cages/litter box/clean up backyard from dogs
  • clean out fridge and under stove top, etc. once a month

It was a lot because we had a big house, a large yard and eight kids. Now we live in a duplex with a small yard and pretty stuffed quarters (we are going to move…eventually…) and only have three kids with a handful of adults.

When it was decided to up the housework as they are old enough to handle it now they were not happy. They must now do what they did before and wash the walls by the end of Saturday. They have informed us that there might be a revolt. The would-be revolutionaries were informed that any revolt would include loss of electronic privileges as they’d be ‘locked down.’

It’s going to be more fun when we get them to start washing windows and polishing/washing furniture in a few weeks.

When informed of a change of pace
How red you looked in the face.
At least you didn’t throw a fit
There was something positive that came from it.
 

This post is brought to you by the Light and Shade Challenge.

What’s in a Window Well?

What will you find in here?
Inside there is a treasure trove of things.
Now don’t forget that there are dangers as well.
Do be cautious when climing on through
Or you might be surprised by a spider with red on her back.
Without gravel to kill it quick, you’ll be singing in a high pitch.
Try to be curious while being sensible.
Well, don’t forget the moments of childhood with these;
Ever had to learn the difference between poppy leaves and mint?
Let me give you a clue if you’re unlucky enough, ignore the fuzz.
Left of the window well of my childhood, lay the garden of herbs.

Written as a response to this week’s FreeWriteFriday: http://kellieelmore.com/2014/05/02/fwf-free-write-friday-word-bank-10/

Also, listening to my niece and nephews do their housework and yard work. They’ve been cleaning out the window wells these past few days and it reminded me of the window wells around my childhood home.

Friday Afternoon

It’s warm today, a sunlit room
My day has slowly gone.
I’ve watched few things
Begin and end:
Shows and movies and books on file,
Nothing really seems worthwhile.
 
Children arrive stumbling through the door,
School’s out and now I’m in for more.
Screaming and fighting,
They’re too excited for the week to end.
I’m through with this!
They’ll drive me ’round the bend!
 
Watching them buzz,
Around and Around,
How do they keep going and going?
Where does the reservoir end?
Trying to direct them is half the task,
The other is keeping on the patient mask.
 
I must shake my head at myself,
Listening to off key singing is far too amusing.
Lyrics parroted back still  in keeping with the beat,
The other doing a credible imitation of rap on the street.
My kitty, so soft and sweet, climbs up on my lap,
Making sure to bump my face and give me my love tap.
 
A knock on the door receives not a single surprise,
A friend wants to play with very hopeful eyes.
Except works not yet done,
Just a little bit left to do.
Somehow I don’t think I’ll make it through,
Just a little bit more to do…
 
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image: martha0stout’s phone