I was getting ready to walk the dog this morning when I noticed that the toilet bowl needed a swish. Doing it later isn’t a thing with me. What If I get hit by a bus and people see my dirty toilet?
Swish, swish.
My youngest is coming home for Thanksgiving? Dust the cobwebs, vacuum the spare room. Vroom, vroom. Mop the floors.
Scrub, scrub.
My oldest is bringing her family for a visit? Empty out the master bedroom and clean it from top to bottom.
Dust, dust (I sleep in the office or spare room, depending on who else is in town).
The neighbors are hanging the Christmas lights? I don’t decorate past my porch, but I do spruce up the yard.
Rake, rake, weed, weed (I’m the gardener).
If I’m photographing tea cups for sale, I zoom in past the clutter and only get the cups.
Snap, snap.
If I feel like cooking, I put my adult child’s dishes in the dishwasher and take out the compost bowl first (clear away).
If it’s garbage day tomorrow, I fill up the cans and leave them in place for my stronger child to wheel them to the curb.
Prune, prune.
If I’m doing laundry, I go from room to room to make sure I don’t miss anything like a dried-up washcloth or a discarded flannel shirt or a waylaid pair of socks.
Gather, gather.
If someone will be riding in my car, I go out and clean it up as best I can without getting out the hand vacuum.
Collect, collect, empty, empty.
Why do I do those things? Because I am cleaning for others, not myself.
Remember what Mom always used to say. “Wear clean underwear in case you get in an accident and have to go to the hospital.”
Your mom didn’t say that? Mine sure did.
FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER! 