We have been up visiting DH's family for the past 5 1/2 days, and it was fun. And tiring. And painful at times. But overall good. : ) Hope you all had a really great 4th of July!
I can't believe it is July, though! I'm suddenly all in a panic that all the things I wanted to accomplish this summer won't even get started (notice the passive voice there) . . . well, cause, it's a kind of panic that makes my heart race for a moment but does not actually get me off the computer chair to go start something. Hey, I'm still recovering from the long weekend. (And what creative excuse will I come up with tomorrow?)
What I still hope to do this summer:
1) Some fun school projects and field trips like visiting a few more California missions, exploring our village on foot and making a map of what we discover, finally updating the Flat Sisters Blog (they got all the way to India and back!), and working with Happy on reading. Oh, and focusing on math basics, like memorizing the numbers that add up to 10, and at least half of the multiplication table.
2) swimming lessons for the girls, after we are done travelling later this month.
3) finally figure out how to get a daily time when I read to the kids worked into the rhythm of life, and then do it.
4) It's time to give the house another all-over drastic clean. This is really the one way in which I am envious of everybody out there with "normal" houses, that aren't heated by a wood-burning fireplace, that don't have a dirt driveway, and that are well-sealed and are not always damp. Because I have never lived in a house that gets so dirty so fast. I am really glad it is this small when it comes to cleaning--how could I keep up with it otherwise? For example, how many of you have had to completely empty and vacuum out your closet this year? I've had to do it twice already, and am about to do a third today. There is grit everywhere, spiders trying to take up residence, moths are trying to eat my clothes (so I need to go through them and make sure the good winter stuff is packed away with cedar), and I opened the shoebox with my year-old Steve Madden pumps to discover them covered in fuzzy green mold. This is my life. And this is just one example--basically I have to "Spring Clean" my entire house at least three times a year, or it looks like I have not cleaned in ten years. Sigh.
Of course, it would be easier to keep clean if we did not have so much stuff. . . so I guess #3.5 should have been keep purging!
5) Then there are the house projects I really, really want us to finish this year, and summer/fall will be the only times to do them: the bathroom remodel, the kids' (and only) bedroom re-do--which includes building beds for them that fit the room--and finishing the fireplace surround and mantle. Oh, and then there is putting in the stone steps in the backyard from the top level to the lower deck, and DH said the lower deck needs to be rebuilt. Oh, and one of these days I want us to fix the leaning fence in the front yard and gate the driveway entrance, so Smiley can run free in the yard. And since most of those things are doing to take DH's time and labor much more than mine, and since I need something productive I can do on my own so I am not frothing at the mouth when all the above mentioned projects are not getting done, I was thinking about painting the house. Dad came out one summer and helped me shore up and paint two sides (the ones you see from the street and front yard) but I need to paint the other two sides, and thought while I was at it I would change the color. Bone white is a lovely, classic color--but I had not reckoned on it always looking filthy from dirt and debris dropped from all the trees above. (Although I have often wondered, how DOES dirt get into those trees anyway!)
6) And after reading #5, if you are like me, you just want to go lay in a hammock and read a book. So that is another goal for this summer--have a summer! ; )
Actually, summer here looks a little different than what you are probably experiencing. I mentioned in an earlier post that I was wearing wool socks. Actually, I am again this morning, although I really could take them off since DH made a fire this morning before he left for work and I think the house temp is up to 72 degrees. Seriously, when you live on Monterey Bay, summer is chilly and damp and foggy. See, as the interior land gets heated up by the hot summer sun, that hot dry air meets up with the cool, moist air blowing in from the ocean, and makes fog. So, ironically, the hotter it is inland CA, the cooler it is here on the Bay. And our little cabin was build not as a year-round residence, but as a summer cabin, and was brilliantly situated under redwoods and over a creek, so not only do we have the whole fog thing going on, but we also have cool, moist air coming up from the creek and being trapped by the redwood canopy--which makes our yard/house a natural icebox. Which was fantastic for its owner/builders, who were baking in Fresno during the week and could come to their cool cabin for a weekend respite. It is not quite as refreshing when you live in it year round, but we have all acclimated--I just wear cardigans year-round, and the two girls who were born in CA are naturally-hot blooded and run around in sleeveless sundresses even when it is 60 degrees, which it is many mornings. So summer on the Bay is a great time to get projects done--not too hot for manual labor and not rainy--but is not all that summery.
Fall is when we really have summer. To prove my point, I hope we will get to finish our California history studies this fall with a trip to Disneyland! I have extended family who lives there and who graciously offer us a place to stay whenever we get down there--still, the tickets are expensive, so we may not get to do it. . . but if you ever have the flexibility to do it, Fall is the time to visit Disney in CA! No long lines for the rides and the weather is perfect.
OK, enough blabbering for one day. What are YOU planning on doing this summer? Work? Fun? Travel? Or you could always tell me what unbearable heat you are having where you live or what house cleaning issues are native to your area, and make me feel a little bit better. ; )
And hey, is no one really interested in those cassettes of international lullabies? It seemed like my sister and Early Modern Mom, the only two to reply, were just being friendly. ; ) I'm not hurt at all if no one really wants them, since I am making another freecycle box of all things baby I can stick them into--but if you are interested and just thought it was too late, NO, post a comment to that giveaway and they're yours. : ) I'll extent the "deadline" for another day just in case. (And Early Modern Mom, if you really want them, they are so yours! And my leather skirt too, if your daughter is still interested! Let me know and we can work out how to get it/them to you!)
Oh, and very last thing, I promise: shampoo bar update. This past visit up to family I did not take our own shampoo bars but just used the regular shampoo that was there for guests. And my hair was AWFUL all weekend! I had a hard time getting my scalp feeling clean, so some part of my head always felt greasy underneath, the rest of my hair felt stripped and was frizzy and shapeless, even with conditioner. Coming back home, I found my head must have started producing more oil again, since my first shower and good head washing yesterday left the ends feeling much better, but my scalp is still totally greasy. Ugh. So I am now an official no-poo convert and will be taking the shampoo bar with us on our next visit to family.
There you have it! The random thought round-up.
Hope you are having a great day, wherever this post finds you!
Seven Years Home
1 week ago
Sounds like you have a busy summer planned! You're making me feel lazy. We have no plans at all - no vacations, no house projects, nothing. I just plan to lay around and try to stay cool :)
ReplyDeleteAh, but that sounds so great too! And you are not doing nothing--I am sure there will be lots of baking, and gardening, and inspirational health blogging, and little man fun every day! : )
ReplyDeleteIt's quite cool here in England at the moment, and we never really get extreme heat. If the temperature gets above about 75, Brits start wilting. Since I prefer my summer temps in the mid 80s, I dream of escaping to Tuscany on an annual basi, but we are too frugal for Tuscany just now, so I shiver a little instead. We are supposed to be enjoying temperatures into the 80s this weekend though, so I might lose a layer or two of clothing.
ReplyDeleteWe usually head to the coast just up from Lyme Regis (if you've read Persuasion or The French Lieutenant's Woman, you'll know the name) for part of the summer, and this year is no exception. It's one of my favourite places in the country.
Your cleaning issues sound far more severe than mine. The worst my environment throws at me is in the autumn, when the trees in the park opposite the house shed their leaves. And I swear that almost every one of those leaves ends up in our hall! I am reduced to sweeping far more often than I would like to. It's nothing compared with finding mould on your shoes though!
Carrie
I meant to type that I dream of escaping on an annual basis, not basi. I really should proofread!
ReplyDeleteCarrie
I would definitely love the lullabies if your sister isn't interested. I don't want to compete with family!
ReplyDeleteSomeone gave me a tape of Brahms music when DD was little, and it was a godsend. So I'm totally open for new/creative tunes for the babies.
Burgundy's still interested in the skirt. I'm sorry I haven't responded to you; I got overwhelmed and forgot. Ridiculous isn't it? How hard is it to hit "reply," type "Thank you" and add my address, then hit send? Apparently, it's a major task!
Hey! Interesting that you are asking about summer plans because mine have been put off so long they may get scuttled, and I'm swinging back and forth between frustrated and too hot/tired to care!
ReplyDeleteIn order of importance:
1. I desperately need to peel off the wallpaper in the kitchen and paint. I have a few places that are being held up with packing tape (no joke). The problem is that the builders papered directly to the wall board, so removing the wall paper is going to be extremely slow and tedious. The last room I removed wallpaper like this it took me 4 months to get the paper off, and that room was 1/4th the size of my kitchen. So, not really looking forward to this but it needs to be done. I also need to work on the wood trim in this room (scarred from dogs), but there's no point in doing it before the wallpaper comes off. And I can't get my new countertops until I remove the old paper (this is practical and also supposed to be my incentive).
2. I need to strip the rest of the old ceiling off the garage and paint. Everything in my garage is covered in flakes (and strips!) of this white fake ceiling panel that is decentigrating. While I'm at it, I need to patch cracks and nail holes in the garage walls and repaint. Problem- this involves removing everything from the garage and it's 97 degrees outside.
3. I really need to weed the jungle that used to be nice rose gardens, and do some major pruning. Problem- I discovered poison ivy in one of the beds and have been killing it first before wading in. Did I also mention it's 97 degrees outside?! And that weeds in the south grow faster than I can pull them?
4. I need to wash, fix cracks, sand and repaint the front porch railings, handrail, and columns. I've already done this once, but am surprised to realise how long ago that was and it needs to be done again. I'm trying to keep from having to replace rotten wood.
5. I need to wash the mildew off some of the house siding.
6. Various upkeep work inside: patching cracks, recaulking the edge of the tile, replacing door handles, etc. These are smaller but more likely to get done because they are so quick.
Looking at this I feel like a total slacker, but the fact is that this past spring was the busiest I've ever experienced, and I'm still on overtime at work. If it weren't for my girls having more chores over the summer, my house would be in a lot worse shape. There just aren't enough hours in the day, and when I come home from work I'd rather spend time with them than mop floors. And we have tried to do some fun summer things with them, even if we can't really take a trip this year.
Sooo, if you come over, just don't look at my kitchen walls.
Carrie, so nice to hear from you. Do you think the weather is why Brits are immagined in the American mind as being cool-tempered and brisk? : )
ReplyDeleteEarly American Mom, YES I would LOVE to send you the music and the skirt! Please email me at blesseday at gmail dot com with your name and mailing address and I will get those sent off ASAP! Congratulations on the baby to be. : )
Rebecca--thanks, sis, for making me feel so much better. The benefit of your labor--you can do it yourself, you capable woman you. The home improvement jobs around here mainly involve measuring and sawing and hammering, and since I am happy with the ten fingers I have, I am choosing not to go there. I plan, and persuade, and purchase, and paint--those are my (very important!!!) contributions to the slow home improvements.
And I clean! The long window wall in the living room by the desk is halfway clean! (This is a big deal--moving furniture, unplugging boukou wires and cables, vacuuming spiders, scrubbing walls. . . actually washing the windows will be the easy part!)
But thinking about emptying a garage in almost 100 degree humid weather does make me appreciate our cool days more. : )
Early American Mom, Early Modern Mom--sorry. Clearly our homeschool history studies have me a bit brainwashed.
ReplyDeleteNotice I said these are the things I need to be doing- not things that I AM doing! Attacking the garage in this heat is suicidal, which is why I'm supposed to be removing wallpaper inside where it is air conditioned right now! I'll put off the garage until fall most likely (which is what I said this past spring) ;)
ReplyDelete