What is the most relaxing thing you've done lately?
Last night my little boy came up with the best idea ever. We were sitting at the dinner table eating, when he said, "Are we gonna lay down on the ground and look at the stars tonight? Daddy said we would..." Huh? Where'd he get that idea from? Martin answered, "Oh yeah, I told you we would." I asked Martin if that was his idea, he said- no, Mason came up with it all on his own. So, I asked Mason the obvious... "Oh, did you see that on TV or something?" "No," he said, "I just used my brain, and thought about it."
And so, after we put Coen to bed, we grabbed the outside blanket, the cd player- we felt that some music from the Romantic period would be appropriate, and headed outside. The citronella candle did a pretty good job of keeping the bugs away- I haven't found any bites yet, today. But, we just sprawled out, and took turns "finding stars" as the sun went down to the west. Of course we used the opportunity to give a science lesson, and talk about how the earth spins, and how stars become stars... all the usual.
But over and over again, Martin and I kept saying to Mason- "This was such a GREAT idea! Why didn't WE think of it?" One of the many things we take for granted, I guess.
Hopefully, that'll be a nice memory for Mason. It was for us.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Public Service Announcement: Check your Dryer Hose
Okay, long story, which will still be a long story. Could've ended badly, but didn't.
About a month ago, I decided that I was tired of living in my pity-party of "I can't get my act together, and my house is wreck", and decided to hunt out the book I read when I was a teenager- "Sidetracked Home Executives- From Pigpen to Paradise". So, I jumped on the net, and found someone who turned that great book, and it's principles into a Get Organized, Get out of CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) program complete with email reminders, and a starting point. If you're like me, you need someone to hold your hand, and step-by-step directions, and www.FlyLady.net did it for me.
Anyhow, FlyLady is a blog by herself, but that's not the point of this blog. The point is what she motivated me to do, and what I found out as a result.
See, everyday- Monday through Friday, she'll email a special task to focus on, in whatever that week's rooms are. This week, we're focusing on the bathroom, and the Laundry Room. Yesterday, she said to clean the mirrors in the bathroom, and clean your dryer vents and hose. Well, I thought, my mirrors are clean, and I just cleaned my dryer vent about a month ago, thanks to one of those frightening emails about the dangers of NOT cleaning the vent properly (you need to remove it, and clean or vacuum the lint UNDER it too). So, I thought I was off the hook.
However, today, the email conversation still revolved around the infamous dryer vent, and hose. They said you need to go outside while your dryer is running, and check to make sure that your vent has good output. Now, THAT I hadn't thought of. And, it nagged at me, and since I didn't want a potential fire on my head, I decided it was worth checking out. Even though Mason was home from school, and it wasn't really convenient with both kids.
So, I pulled the dryer out from the wall, marveling at the fact that FlyLady had now motivated me to use my muscles, AND a power tool ALL IN ONE WEEK. (I actually drilled the curtain rod into the wall the other day- thanks to Anti-Procrastination week).
WOW!!!! You wouldn't believe the sight that greeted me. I'm almost embarrassed to air my "dirty laundry" over the internet. Under my dryer, I found thirty cents, 2 crayons, lots of trash, a golf tee, and, I kid-you-not- about an inch of dryer lint. Now, I'm really embarrassed about this, so please don't use this as an opportunity to rag me.
I got out the handy-dandy new Bissell, and sucked up most of the lint. I noticed when I pulled the dryer out, that either the hose came off really easily, or it wasn't hooked on to begin with. And, all that lint couldn't be normal. After getting rid of the mess under my dryer, I was ready to hook it back up.
Hmmm. This would be a challenge. I noticed that the elbow thingy in the wall seemed loose, so I grabbed a Phillips head screwdriver (once again patting myself on the back for being so handy), and set out to tighten that round brace thing around the hose. Ooops. The whole elbow fell INTO the wall. Down into the dark abyss that houses two-by-fours, pipes, creepy-crawlies, and Lord knows what else. "Martin's gonna kill me", I thought. I grabbed the flashlight, and shined it around in the hole, hoping that whatever critters are in there, would run off before I stuck my hand in. EWWWWWWWW. I reached in, and grabbed it as quickly as possible. Then, I had to try to feel around, and see if there was a hose in there that I'm supposed to hook it up too. I couldn't feel anything, but noticed the huge pile of lint INSIDE the wall. "Just how long, exactly, had this thing been un-attached?" I thought. Well, I called Martin, and he said to just leave it until he got home. He wasn't mad, he was impressed that I had made the discovery.
Once he got home, it took him some time, but we were finally able to attach the hose. We will never know how long that thing was unattached, but, in retrospect, it always seemed a little odd that the coat closet (directly behind the laundry room) was always a thousand degrees (the air was blowing into the wall, not the vent), and we're thinking it might've also thrown off our thermostat.... who knows how much money we'll save, now that it's done right.
I learned a valuable lesson today- It stinks to be the guy. He had his hand in the wall up to his elbow, and there's NO WAY I'd do that.
And, when checking the flow in the backyard- lint was FLYING out of that vent. Probably for the first time in 7 years. I wish someone had told me before that you're supposed to check that yearly. But, now YOU know.
About a month ago, I decided that I was tired of living in my pity-party of "I can't get my act together, and my house is wreck", and decided to hunt out the book I read when I was a teenager- "Sidetracked Home Executives- From Pigpen to Paradise". So, I jumped on the net, and found someone who turned that great book, and it's principles into a Get Organized, Get out of CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) program complete with email reminders, and a starting point. If you're like me, you need someone to hold your hand, and step-by-step directions, and www.FlyLady.net did it for me.
Anyhow, FlyLady is a blog by herself, but that's not the point of this blog. The point is what she motivated me to do, and what I found out as a result.
See, everyday- Monday through Friday, she'll email a special task to focus on, in whatever that week's rooms are. This week, we're focusing on the bathroom, and the Laundry Room. Yesterday, she said to clean the mirrors in the bathroom, and clean your dryer vents and hose. Well, I thought, my mirrors are clean, and I just cleaned my dryer vent about a month ago, thanks to one of those frightening emails about the dangers of NOT cleaning the vent properly (you need to remove it, and clean or vacuum the lint UNDER it too). So, I thought I was off the hook.
However, today, the email conversation still revolved around the infamous dryer vent, and hose. They said you need to go outside while your dryer is running, and check to make sure that your vent has good output. Now, THAT I hadn't thought of. And, it nagged at me, and since I didn't want a potential fire on my head, I decided it was worth checking out. Even though Mason was home from school, and it wasn't really convenient with both kids.
So, I pulled the dryer out from the wall, marveling at the fact that FlyLady had now motivated me to use my muscles, AND a power tool ALL IN ONE WEEK. (I actually drilled the curtain rod into the wall the other day- thanks to Anti-Procrastination week).
WOW!!!! You wouldn't believe the sight that greeted me. I'm almost embarrassed to air my "dirty laundry" over the internet. Under my dryer, I found thirty cents, 2 crayons, lots of trash, a golf tee, and, I kid-you-not- about an inch of dryer lint. Now, I'm really embarrassed about this, so please don't use this as an opportunity to rag me.
I got out the handy-dandy new Bissell, and sucked up most of the lint. I noticed when I pulled the dryer out, that either the hose came off really easily, or it wasn't hooked on to begin with. And, all that lint couldn't be normal. After getting rid of the mess under my dryer, I was ready to hook it back up.
Hmmm. This would be a challenge. I noticed that the elbow thingy in the wall seemed loose, so I grabbed a Phillips head screwdriver (once again patting myself on the back for being so handy), and set out to tighten that round brace thing around the hose. Ooops. The whole elbow fell INTO the wall. Down into the dark abyss that houses two-by-fours, pipes, creepy-crawlies, and Lord knows what else. "Martin's gonna kill me", I thought. I grabbed the flashlight, and shined it around in the hole, hoping that whatever critters are in there, would run off before I stuck my hand in. EWWWWWWWW. I reached in, and grabbed it as quickly as possible. Then, I had to try to feel around, and see if there was a hose in there that I'm supposed to hook it up too. I couldn't feel anything, but noticed the huge pile of lint INSIDE the wall. "Just how long, exactly, had this thing been un-attached?" I thought. Well, I called Martin, and he said to just leave it until he got home. He wasn't mad, he was impressed that I had made the discovery.
Once he got home, it took him some time, but we were finally able to attach the hose. We will never know how long that thing was unattached, but, in retrospect, it always seemed a little odd that the coat closet (directly behind the laundry room) was always a thousand degrees (the air was blowing into the wall, not the vent), and we're thinking it might've also thrown off our thermostat.... who knows how much money we'll save, now that it's done right.
I learned a valuable lesson today- It stinks to be the guy. He had his hand in the wall up to his elbow, and there's NO WAY I'd do that.
And, when checking the flow in the backyard- lint was FLYING out of that vent. Probably for the first time in 7 years. I wish someone had told me before that you're supposed to check that yearly. But, now YOU know.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
How easily we forget.
This morning, at the girl's coffee, we were lucky enough to have two of our girlfriends who usually can't come, join us, making our coffee crowd pleasantly larger than usual. Since the CMS schools are out for spring break, we added a few more kids to the mix, too. Next week, it's Fort Mill's turn.
The conversation flowed easily across the normal topics- dogs, house values, schools (somehow this ALWAYS comes up), the neighbors, and our never-ending escapades with our husbands and children. Melissa T., being the mom of four (two of whom are twins), always has an entertaining story.
But, since we were lucky enough to have Debbi among us today, the conversation turned a bit, and somehow we found it had turned to 9/11. Debbi started to tell us the story of how the day went for her. And her husband. They were there. They lived 9/11. He, on the 81st floor of the second tower. We all listened, a rapt audience for the harrowing story that we've all seen played out and told thousands of times on TV. Only this time, it was being told right in front of us. It brought the memories of the day, in a haunting new way. The goose bumps were back. How easily we forget.
On Sunday, I placed the palm branches from church on the kitchen table- spread out, so that we would remember throughout the week. I asked Mason if he remembered what they were about, "To praise Jesus!" he said. I noticed this afternoon, that they have started to wither. I'm sure that by Sunday, they will be small, withered, and frail; and I will sweep them off the table, and into the trash can. Staring at the leaves today, I thought about how palm branches were enthusiastically waved at Jesus, yet forgotten within a week.
How easily we forget.
I'm really glad that 2000 years later, we're still remembering Him.
The conversation flowed easily across the normal topics- dogs, house values, schools (somehow this ALWAYS comes up), the neighbors, and our never-ending escapades with our husbands and children. Melissa T., being the mom of four (two of whom are twins), always has an entertaining story.
But, since we were lucky enough to have Debbi among us today, the conversation turned a bit, and somehow we found it had turned to 9/11. Debbi started to tell us the story of how the day went for her. And her husband. They were there. They lived 9/11. He, on the 81st floor of the second tower. We all listened, a rapt audience for the harrowing story that we've all seen played out and told thousands of times on TV. Only this time, it was being told right in front of us. It brought the memories of the day, in a haunting new way. The goose bumps were back. How easily we forget.
On Sunday, I placed the palm branches from church on the kitchen table- spread out, so that we would remember throughout the week. I asked Mason if he remembered what they were about, "To praise Jesus!" he said. I noticed this afternoon, that they have started to wither. I'm sure that by Sunday, they will be small, withered, and frail; and I will sweep them off the table, and into the trash can. Staring at the leaves today, I thought about how palm branches were enthusiastically waved at Jesus, yet forgotten within a week.
How easily we forget.
I'm really glad that 2000 years later, we're still remembering Him.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
"Am I Lovely?"
What I'm reading right now: "Captivating... Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul", by John and Stasi Eldredge.
Why I'm reading it: Because, after hearing two of my close friends RAVE about it (thanks, Melissa T. and Jenn L.), I put it on my TO READ list. Now that I finally got around to having the money and time to go buy it... it's proving it's worth.
What I think about it: If I could buy a copy for every single woman in my life right now, I would. I'm trying to think up a way to do that, anyway. Insightful, and full of common sense therapy for little girls grown into women.
I recommend it to: anyone who's every been a little girl or, a grown woman; those who've had their hearts broken by anyone (and those who haven't); any parent of a little girl.
What it's about: being the "Beauty" of the story. It legitmizes the number one question we all have as women- "Am I lovely? Am I valued". Don't cringe, just read the book. It is not a boring read, in fact, it's entertaining, and and insightful.
Since I feel so strongly about the book, I'm going to try to organize a weekly/bi-weekly girls night out book club around the book. If you'd like to participate, please let me know what night would be good for you, and then we will determine the time and place to meet. I was thinking that we could have everyone bring a snack on the night we meet. I promise it would be worth your time. And just think of all the great company!
Why I'm reading it: Because, after hearing two of my close friends RAVE about it (thanks, Melissa T. and Jenn L.), I put it on my TO READ list. Now that I finally got around to having the money and time to go buy it... it's proving it's worth.
What I think about it: If I could buy a copy for every single woman in my life right now, I would. I'm trying to think up a way to do that, anyway. Insightful, and full of common sense therapy for little girls grown into women.
I recommend it to: anyone who's every been a little girl or, a grown woman; those who've had their hearts broken by anyone (and those who haven't); any parent of a little girl.
What it's about: being the "Beauty" of the story. It legitmizes the number one question we all have as women- "Am I lovely? Am I valued". Don't cringe, just read the book. It is not a boring read, in fact, it's entertaining, and and insightful.
Since I feel so strongly about the book, I'm going to try to organize a weekly/bi-weekly girls night out book club around the book. If you'd like to participate, please let me know what night would be good for you, and then we will determine the time and place to meet. I was thinking that we could have everyone bring a snack on the night we meet. I promise it would be worth your time. And just think of all the great company!
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