Monday is for home keeping chores. Not because it is written in stone anywhere, but because my body automatically begins cleaning up the house on that day. I go away for the weekends on Friday afternoons, leaving behind a spotless home with the only chore undone being hauling the trash bin to the curb for Monday's pickup. Still, there's a load of laundry to do, dusting, a tea glass to wash up in the sink, and hoovering to do. Nothing big, just those minor chores which no one but I notice.
I'm fussy about keeping my home clean, not necessarily do surgery on the floors clean, but my standards are high. Health issues mean that I have to get creative in order to get things done.
I find and use the best products possible to make things as easy as possible. Those wonderful green scrubbers that 3M makes don't scratch surfaces, but are thorough for scrubbing things. There are separate ones around the house for different cleaning chores, and I replace them frequently when they show signs of too much wear. Since I purchase the large ones at the tool store, I cut them into quarters which is a convenient size.
My vacuum is a shark. It never looses suction, and picks up everything on the first pass. It's also lightweight and easy to use.
Every few years, I'll purchase a few yards of the prettiest flannel that I can find. It gets cut into pieces and used for cleaning and polishing until it's worn out.
I only have cold water for laundering, so whites automatically get bleach added, and colored items get a cup of vinegar added to each load. A wood drying rack and an indoor clothesline keep the utility bills down.
I miss having things like garbage disposals, a dishwasher, kitchen and bathroom vents. Those items would make home keeping much easier. My next home will definitely have those items.
Enough for now...
Monday, November 9, 2015
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Update on life...
The adventure has ended for the moment, and I've returned home. There are stacks of laundry, items to sort, photos to share, and memories to be placed in their proper days and times. I've added to my Christmas ornament collection, and found a build it yourself kaleidoscope which will delight a youngster this holiday season.
There were strolls along beaches, hand in hand. We danced in four different countries. Indulged in fine dining, tried ox tongue on a dare, and loved it. I ate desserts every meal, and surprisingly, my dresses still zipped. I left the beaten paths and shopped in regular supermarkets on the islands. The rich variety of foods available was delightful.
Overall, it was a lovely time. Just the pampering and fine dining was enough to spoil me eternally. My favorite memory? Floating in the salt water pool as rain poured down upon me.
I'm worn out now, overdid it today playing catch up on things which must be done. Relaxing this evening with an episode of Sherlock playing in the background. There's chocolate left from Halloween, tempting me to eat it.
My Beastie is running in and out this evening. Changing her allergy medicine changed her into an entirely new dog. Oh, and she had a wonderful vacation with her friends while I was gone. Two shepherds, a pit bull, and two kittens were her playmates. She came home fat, sassy, and happy.
....later on....
Today has had its ups and downs. I can only barely make out large print with 8x magnifiers, and today they broke. The nearest replacements are over 100 miles away. I had a major meltdown over it, followed by a good cry. The only eye doctor in town is gone until next week, so getting help there was out of the question. Thankfully, my gentleman friend made a special trip here this evening and was able to repair them until new 10x magnifiers arrive in the mail.
With the 10x magnifiers, I'll only be able to see part of a letter at a time. I've tried them before, and was grateful my sight wasn't low enough for them. Now, I'll be depending on them, and hating them at the same time. Part of a letter? How screwed up is it to not even make out an entire letter of the alphabet?
The time frame for any reading at all is coming to a close, and I dread the day that it arrives. Today, I sat in a panic, crocheting a blanket while pondering a life which no longer contains the printed word.
I know that I'll adjust, but today the thoughts are overwhelming. I'm not ready for this next level of lower vision, not yet.
Enough for now...
There were strolls along beaches, hand in hand. We danced in four different countries. Indulged in fine dining, tried ox tongue on a dare, and loved it. I ate desserts every meal, and surprisingly, my dresses still zipped. I left the beaten paths and shopped in regular supermarkets on the islands. The rich variety of foods available was delightful.
Overall, it was a lovely time. Just the pampering and fine dining was enough to spoil me eternally. My favorite memory? Floating in the salt water pool as rain poured down upon me.
I'm worn out now, overdid it today playing catch up on things which must be done. Relaxing this evening with an episode of Sherlock playing in the background. There's chocolate left from Halloween, tempting me to eat it.
My Beastie is running in and out this evening. Changing her allergy medicine changed her into an entirely new dog. Oh, and she had a wonderful vacation with her friends while I was gone. Two shepherds, a pit bull, and two kittens were her playmates. She came home fat, sassy, and happy.
....later on....
Today has had its ups and downs. I can only barely make out large print with 8x magnifiers, and today they broke. The nearest replacements are over 100 miles away. I had a major meltdown over it, followed by a good cry. The only eye doctor in town is gone until next week, so getting help there was out of the question. Thankfully, my gentleman friend made a special trip here this evening and was able to repair them until new 10x magnifiers arrive in the mail.
With the 10x magnifiers, I'll only be able to see part of a letter at a time. I've tried them before, and was grateful my sight wasn't low enough for them. Now, I'll be depending on them, and hating them at the same time. Part of a letter? How screwed up is it to not even make out an entire letter of the alphabet?
The time frame for any reading at all is coming to a close, and I dread the day that it arrives. Today, I sat in a panic, crocheting a blanket while pondering a life which no longer contains the printed word.
I know that I'll adjust, but today the thoughts are overwhelming. I'm not ready for this next level of lower vision, not yet.
Enough for now...
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Lesson from a Hedonist
Lessons from this Hedonist.
Lesson One... How to get the most comfortable nights sleep.
Spend a lot of time shopping for a mattress. Go to multiple stores, try out every one there. Take off your shoes, wear comfy clothes. Get the one which feels most comfy, it's definitely worth the money.
I bought memory foam mattresses for my home. The 16 inch in my bedroom and the 8 inch in the guest room are both luxurious.
Cover the mattress with a waterproof terry cloth mattress pad, for obvious reasons. On top of that goes a dual control heated mattress pad. Especially for those with arthritis, or those who keep their home cold, there's nothing like climbing into a warm bed. Mine turns off automatically after 11 hours, so my short memory doesn't have to remember to switch it off daily.
Invest in good sheets. You know, those with thread counts listed. The higher the number, the better they'll feel. Mine are 1600 thread count. I got them on clearance for $30 a set. It was such a bargain that I bought 4 sets, 2 for each bed.
Pillows are cheap. Wish I had known that in my younger years. I slept with the same pillow from the time I was a toddler until I was in my thirties. I know, gross. Anyway, pillows are cheap. Under $5 for the basic ones, more if you want down, etc. Invest a bit of cash in yourself and get a few.
Pillowcases... Here's the most luxurious part of your nights sleep. Drag out the ironing board and whip the iron across those pillowcases a few times, get the wrinkles out so that you don't awaken with them on your face in the morning. Btw, silk pillowcases won't crease your face. For extra luxury and comfort, here's a trick that the high end hotels use. Put 2 pillowcases on each pillow. Even the cheapest pillow will feel wonderful when the cases are doubled.
Blankets are pure heaven. I'm the woman in the store opening every package to see just how soft they are, and the one who returns them if they're not just as soft after laundering. Hunt for the softest, check to make sure the stitching isn't scratchy.
A little trick to make your bed more comfy is to buy the next size up on blankets and comforters. My bed is a queen, so the blankets and comforters are kings.
Finally, I launder the sheets every other day, and the blankets weekly. I use double the fabric softener, and give them an extra rinse cycle to be sure there's no soap residue left. That way they're always fresh and sweet smelling.
Enjoy!
Lesson One... How to get the most comfortable nights sleep.
Spend a lot of time shopping for a mattress. Go to multiple stores, try out every one there. Take off your shoes, wear comfy clothes. Get the one which feels most comfy, it's definitely worth the money.
I bought memory foam mattresses for my home. The 16 inch in my bedroom and the 8 inch in the guest room are both luxurious.
Cover the mattress with a waterproof terry cloth mattress pad, for obvious reasons. On top of that goes a dual control heated mattress pad. Especially for those with arthritis, or those who keep their home cold, there's nothing like climbing into a warm bed. Mine turns off automatically after 11 hours, so my short memory doesn't have to remember to switch it off daily.
Invest in good sheets. You know, those with thread counts listed. The higher the number, the better they'll feel. Mine are 1600 thread count. I got them on clearance for $30 a set. It was such a bargain that I bought 4 sets, 2 for each bed.
Pillows are cheap. Wish I had known that in my younger years. I slept with the same pillow from the time I was a toddler until I was in my thirties. I know, gross. Anyway, pillows are cheap. Under $5 for the basic ones, more if you want down, etc. Invest a bit of cash in yourself and get a few.
Pillowcases... Here's the most luxurious part of your nights sleep. Drag out the ironing board and whip the iron across those pillowcases a few times, get the wrinkles out so that you don't awaken with them on your face in the morning. Btw, silk pillowcases won't crease your face. For extra luxury and comfort, here's a trick that the high end hotels use. Put 2 pillowcases on each pillow. Even the cheapest pillow will feel wonderful when the cases are doubled.
Blankets are pure heaven. I'm the woman in the store opening every package to see just how soft they are, and the one who returns them if they're not just as soft after laundering. Hunt for the softest, check to make sure the stitching isn't scratchy.
A little trick to make your bed more comfy is to buy the next size up on blankets and comforters. My bed is a queen, so the blankets and comforters are kings.
Finally, I launder the sheets every other day, and the blankets weekly. I use double the fabric softener, and give them an extra rinse cycle to be sure there's no soap residue left. That way they're always fresh and sweet smelling.
Enjoy!
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