Drifting back towards normalcy

[wiseheart]

Slowly but steadily. The cleaning lady came, and together we made a final push to finish cleaning the balcony. Furniture that belongs there has been moved back, the small book cabinet stuffed again, and Mum decided that the needful thing to do was for her to wash every frigging dish that is usually kept in the cupboard on the balcony. Don't ask me why; we only ever use those dishes once in every six years or so, and then they need to be washed anyway. I've given up to understand Mum's logic when it comes to housework.

But the good news is that our refugee camp has been dissolved... to 80 per cent or so. There are still a few things in the study and the living room, but the bags filled with clothes selected to go to charity or to the rubbish bin have been moved to the balcony, and the door between the study and the living room can actually be used again.

Deciding that what I needed was a bit of creative work, I've started sewing the little oven mitts for Theo. I've done about one quarter of the first pair, but there's no hurry. Working with decades-old terrycloth is tricky and the results aren't quite what I imagined (the dratted fabric extends in all directions while worked on), but as long as the mitts serve their purpose I don't think a six-year-old would mind them being a tad lopsided.

So, that was today; I'm dead on my feet and I think I'll watch a bit of telly before falling into bed.

Comments

[noadvertising.livejournal.com]

Huzzah! You have gotten back your living room! Never agonise about an old lady´s cleaning bug! Some people love to tidy up all day long, some not.

[meathiel]

Well, you can't put dirty dishes in clean cupboards, can you? 😁

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I can. It is Mum who cannot.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but if said old lady over-extends herself, I'm the one who'll have to deal with the results.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

So, the balcony is semi-closed in, or completely?

[red-day-dawning.livejournal.com]

Oh, it sounds so exhausting. My brother and family are renovating their house at the moment. The nightmare stories — the dirt, the mess, the noise, the dust! I had no idea. Your accounts and their accounts show that it’s more arduous than I imagined.
And hopefully the balcony will be perfect now.

[elwenlj.livejournal.com]

Wow! That sounds like quite a day. Taking refuge in a nice bit of sewing sounds like a good reward.

[medievalrosalie.livejournal.com]

It really is good to hear that you're 80% of the way there! I guess your Mother may be doing what she feels she can if she isn't able to tackle any of the heavier, bigger jobs. Doing dishes might sound not very necessary, but perhaps she can feel that she is making a contribution to the clean up.

Hooray for starting Theo's mitts!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

It is completely closed, but it has no heating of its own. We use it as another room when the weather is moderate; otherwise it's storage space.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I really, really hope so. That was why we voted for the renovation in the first place.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Well, the sewing was quite the struggle, but now that I've finished one piece, the second one promises to be easier. It took me time to figure out how to deal with the dratted fabric.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Doing dishes is something Mum does time and again when she comes to the conclusion that they need washing. Even if we don't really use them. *sigh*

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Ah.

[mirasaui.livejournal.com]

Glad you had an extra pair of hands to help and your flat is slowly getting back in order. Also, can't wait to see Theo's oven mitts :0)