Most people we know have immaculate houses. Everything is clean and tidy. Their windows are sparkling clean. There is no dust on any surface. The bathrooms are shiny and fresh. Their outdoor areas are like an extra room attached to the house, and is also immaculate with lush healthy plants thriving.
These are the people who can welcome friends into their homes any time of the day and night at short notice, knowing that they have nothing to be embarrassed about.
What a nice feeling that must be.
Any of my friends who are reading this blog post .. please don't come to our house for an unexpected visit because I've been looking around our house at all the work that need to be done and all I can say is 'O-M-G'.
I began studying a year ago in February and that's about how long the house has been neglected. Living life, visiting family, caring duties, SES duties, studying .. it all takes priority over housework, for both of us, so only the very basics get done when necessary.
If anybody turned up unexpectedly on our doorstep, looking for a place to stay, we would have to set up our camper van in the back yard because all three of our spare bedrooms, two with double beds and one with two single beds are such a mess, that there is no room to sleep.
One of those bedrooms is our junk room .. you know, the room where you throw stuff to get it out of the way when you're having visitors, or if your brain just can't think where else to store it. The bed is covered with empty packaging, rolls of christmas paper, photos, magazines, cushions, clocks, stuffed toys, handbags, computer keyboard, old dvd player, clothes to give away etc etc. On the floor are numerous sporting memorabilia, pool cues, suitcases, mirrors, floor rugs and television sets.
Another of our rooms is part office, part spare bedroom and the double bed is completely covered with paperwork waiting to be filed, letters, bills, folders full of documents, magazines, shoeboxes, cords for every piece of technology known to mankind, books, an old printer and other assorted paraphernalia.
The third bedroom has two single beds in it and one of them is covered in SES 'stuff' and the other is covered in clothes that require ironing. Between the beds is where the ironing board is set up and the only other spare space on the floor has a large clothes horse upright, also in regular use.
Our windows need cleaning.
I have half a dozen pairs of thongs (flip flops) scattered through the house, inside and out. Adoring Husband has his shoes, SES boots and orange SES gear floating about as well.
There are old towels covering one of our lounge chairs so that the dogs have somewhere to feel safe during the storms.
The dining table is covered with Christmas presents waiting to be sent (I didn't forget - it's part of a Christmas deal that I made with my sister), birthday presents yet to be sent, gifts for Chicklet, Adoring Husbands mail and a camera.
There is an SES cap hanging over a chair, a ream of printer paper on the floor beside the printer, all of my kitchen gadgets that I use regularly positioned on the kitchen bench because it's too difficult getting them in and out of their storage spots. Also taking space on the bench is a large vessel of brewing kombucha and the bottles in which it will be stored when it's ready.
Our bathrooms need scrubbing.
My desk is completely covered in text books, notebooks, pens, highlighters, printouts, earphones, sticky notes, scissors etc etc and it desperately needs cleaning off and dusting.
The boxed Christmas decorations are still piled at the back door waiting to be returned to the shed.
The laundry looks like a bomb hit it .. and that's even with the washing up-to-date!
It's exhausting just thinking about it!
I think we need to hire a team of professional commercial cleaners to come right through the house. I reckon a team of a dozen men and women could do it all in a day!!
So that's my whinge for the day. I am overwhelmed by the enormity of the chores on my 'to do' list, but they are all on the bottom of our priority list and I can't see any headway being made in the near future.
Ugh.
On a brighter note! Today was Australia Day! I spent most of the day studying, but I did have an hour down by the river where Adoring Husband and some of our friends set up the gazebo and they had a full day enjoying the weather, the river and the happy atmosphere with the large crowd at the park.
This one was not our spot (we were closer to the river in a prime position) but this was a pretty good spot to be too with the tall trees providing good shade.
The local outriggers club were racing on the river from early in the morning.
This was our prime position before everybody arrived.
I had already taken the weekend off from studying, so I couldn't afford the luxury of another day off. I don't feel like I missed out on anything though.
I'm happy to announce that I did my exercises on the program this morning. They were not as easy as they looked!! I also forgot to do the stretches and warm ups first .. so that may have hindered my progress a little. I must remember to do them tomorrow!
I also thought often of the coffee that I couldn't have this morning lol.
Now it's time for bed.
Nite all.
