I was spoiled as a child. I pretty much got what I wanted within reason. I didn't have to clean house or do the dishes. I barely kept my room clean. My mom was an awesome housekeeper and after I married I also kept an immaculate house. It's in our blood, the blood that flows with OCD. Then about 17 years ago I had gotten ill. With some stressful times I had a full blown asthma attack. Spent 8 days in the hospital while they were trying to get my lungs to function properly.
After coming home I wasn't able to do many things around the house. My husband did a lot to help out. Eventually little by little I got my strength back but I have never been the same. In some ways it was a good thing to let go of the obsession of cleaning. I use to be the type of person who moved the washing machine, dryer and furniture all the time to clean behind them. From the time the kids left for school until they came home I cleaned house!
So fast forward to today. You have heard me say I want to be a Queen but I didn't realize that I was actually pretty fortunate the last few years. Isn't that something like "You can't see the forest through the trees." So we moved into our new home 5 1/2 years ago and it's almost twice the size of our last home. I was struggling to keep it clean. About three years ago Amber started coming out once a week and was helping to clean our home. She welcomed the extra money. Well when they moved in two years ago it became her job since they were given a very nice gift of living here with us.
Well as you know Amber has gotten her full time job at Hallmark which of course involves a 40 hour week. She was working about 20-25 hrs. before. She truly does not have time to clean our home anymore. I get that, however I do not want to do it. I loathed it! Since I do not want a stranger in my home I am not in the market for a housekeeper although maybe my mind will be changed quickly with time. Did you ever spend time talking yourself into something you didn't want to do? Yep, that's where I'm at while the house falls to the wayside.
After coming home I wasn't able to do many things around the house. My husband did a lot to help out. Eventually little by little I got my strength back but I have never been the same. In some ways it was a good thing to let go of the obsession of cleaning. I use to be the type of person who moved the washing machine, dryer and furniture all the time to clean behind them. From the time the kids left for school until they came home I cleaned house!
So fast forward to today. You have heard me say I want to be a Queen but I didn't realize that I was actually pretty fortunate the last few years. Isn't that something like "You can't see the forest through the trees." So we moved into our new home 5 1/2 years ago and it's almost twice the size of our last home. I was struggling to keep it clean. About three years ago Amber started coming out once a week and was helping to clean our home. She welcomed the extra money. Well when they moved in two years ago it became her job since they were given a very nice gift of living here with us.
Well as you know Amber has gotten her full time job at Hallmark which of course involves a 40 hour week. She was working about 20-25 hrs. before. She truly does not have time to clean our home anymore. I get that, however I do not want to do it. I loathed it! Since I do not want a stranger in my home I am not in the market for a housekeeper although maybe my mind will be changed quickly with time. Did you ever spend time talking yourself into something you didn't want to do? Yep, that's where I'm at while the house falls to the wayside.
Well I've had to bite the bullet and get my butt in gear. I'm not liking it but I'm doing it. My plan is to do a room each day so it doesn't overwhelm me. Also with my COPD I can't manage to do a lot more than that. Well I have done a great job of putting those daily chores off. So a few weeks ago I spent a Saturday dusting and vacuuming 4 rooms. I DID IT! Not convinced that I like it but maybe with time the pride that I use to have in my home will come back. It's amazing how lazy we can become and how lazy breeds lazy. It takes strength to face our challenges. I know what your thinking, heck we all do this everyday what's the big deal......well it's a big deal to me!
I still dream of being a Queen!
UPDATE: I cleaned house all day yesterday and did laundry. Absolutely no issues with my lungs. Still not using Primatene Mist which I couldn't live without before. I am also off of all steroids for about a month now. I don't know this woman! I actually think I might be able to do some hiking in Mammoth Lakes this year. So I thought I would show you my husbands office since I spent quite a bit of time dusting it yesterday. (I guess the house cleaning is a good workout for me too!)
I have my own office too which is bigger than his but certainly not as neat/clean. (I dusted that last weekend) I actually spend my entire day in my office. He has our older love seat in his office and I have the couch in mine, the chair and ottoman are in our bedroom. What I don't have is a really nice chair like he has! My office is where I do all of my blogging and TV watching too since Mark watches his shows in the family room. We each have our own DVR! (actually that is pretty sad because we don't spend our evenings together except on the weekends when we watch Netflix movies)
Have a nice weekend. We are celebrating Father's Day tomorrow since Mark has been out of town since last Sunday so I am looking forward to a nice meal out! Sorry this came out so long :(
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21 comments:
Wow you go girl....it's nice to be Queen in a clean castle....I like a clean house and this house is big to clean I have let things go...than I go crazy cleaning and can't move for days! I like the idea of a little everyday! Glad your lungs feel good. Have a wonderful weekend!
I am so proud of you. Having been through the sick thing at the end of the school year and the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis...I understand not having it to do it. I am tackling one room at a time and doing several projects (recovering dining room chairs)....I will be getting clean floor under the washer, dryer, and fridge because the parsonage committee is putting in new floor. It was bad when we moved in 3 years ago...so I am excited.
This post put a smile on my face! Good for you!!! Mark's office looks great; love the wood in it!
You're right: Lazy DOES breed lazy, and I'm having a very lazy summer. Must get off my duff and do something! :)
I can so-o empathize with you on the house cleaning....for years, I've had help until last October when Honey Bear retired from his "big" job and our income reduced significantly....I said I'd do it myself, even though part of the reason for help was the situation with my back and hip joints. The problem is: Now the entire house is never clean at one time and by the time I finish the rooms it is time to begin all over again....Daughter told me I should probably lower my standards but so far, I've not been able to do that....lately, I'm looking at my budget and trying to find a way to have my "Fran" back again every two weeks.
Mama Bear
Good for you. I loved your thoughts in your last paragraph.
That's a lot to dust in your hubby's office, Debby! Good for you for feeling better and getting some things done around the house without feeling too worn out. Maybe it helped with the weight loss?
I'm not cleaning these days but if the situation changes and hubby gets a job and he is back to working 40 hours a week again, I'll have to reconsider my strike, LOL, in the meantime I'm learning to let the cobwebs accumulate and when son wants some extra money, he's been known to clean a room or two here.
Enjoy your Father's day celebration!
betty
Woot Woot,Debby!
I love a clean house and your's looks clean and beautiful!
Debby, I want you to know something you mean alot to me,you always leave me comments that uplift me know matter if I'm being sweet or venting...besides your clean beautiful home,Debby you are a beautiful Queen :) with a very kind heart...I love you!
I know how you feel about wanting a clean house but not getting it unles you do it. We moved about 10 years ago and with both hubby and I working at it, we can do the entire home in about 3 hours! But most of the time we do a little every day. What I did was make a master list of every day, all year long including outside, ordering winter oil and so on. This way, the house gets done fast! Now there are days when no one does anything and so invite company - that is motovation to get it done! :0 I'm so proud of you, sounds like you found the big girls panties after all.
I'm so glad that you were able to do your housecleaning with no problems with your lungs. By the time my mom was diagnosed with her COPD, it was so advanced that she wasn't able to clean or do much of anything at all.
I'm pretty fussy (aka OCD) about how the house is cleaned. My DH is learning (after almost 25 years) how to clean well enough to suit me (it helps that I give him some of the jobs that I'm not as fussy about). ;-)
Happy belated Father's Day to your hubby!
I have asthma, and it's definitely not fun when it flares up. I'm so happy you're doing well and I truly hope you get that hiking in!
Oh, I hate to clean, but like you, no housekeepers because I'd have to clean before I would let them come!
Sounds like you've got a good system going and glad to hear the lungs are working so well!!!!
I am thankful for so many things here - your getting your house clean - you are getting off medicine - you lost weight - I mean you have it going on girl and I am living proud through you! sandie
Boy this made me happy! You sound wonderful and you ARE the QUEEN!! I wish I could keep up on my house. The summers get a little better but right now with our kitchen under construction it is killing me. I am just so happy you are doing well!!! YEAH!!!!
And on a side note, I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating father's day!
Hugs-
L
Lazy breeds lazy is the story of my life at times.... I want the house clean but I don't want to do the work it involves to get it there. By the time I have time to do it I just want to relax.
Glad you are feeling better and maybe able to hike or something. It is so frustrating to want to do things & not be able to because you are not well. Have fun celebrating Father's Day !
I like my house to be relatively clean/neat but the single mom gig with two kids and a full-time job doesn't leave me tons of time for cleaning. So I guess I have somewhat lax standards.
I like my house to be relatively clean/neat but the single mom gig with two kids and a full-time job doesn't leave me tons of time for cleaning. So I guess I have somewhat lax standards.
Hi Debby....cleaning the house can be so overwhelming....and with copd more so.....but I get that you don't want a stranger in your house. I wouldn't like that too. Wishing you a beautiful weekend.....stress free....and total fun.
We always watched two different tv's too. I liked reality and he liked movies.
My cleaning schedule goes by days too. It's so much easier that way!
So glad you are feeling better. Our Jazzy is having a good summer too. The right meds have really helped her out.
I'm glad that you were able to accomplish so very much without any problems, but please promise that if it comes to the point where you need help that you will get it. If you need someone to come in and help with cleaning, think of it as contributing to the economy and to someone else being able to make a bit of money.
You are so funny! I, too, thrive on a clean house and it does take more energy than it use to. I do have a housekeeper that helps me and I cannot imagine not having her. We live in a small town and she has worked for us almost 20 years and is just like a member of the family. She is a life saver for me.
Your Hubby's office looks great! I love my home office too, my favorite room in the house.
Blessings!
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