After closing shop, it took about two weeks to get everything moved out, sorted and sold, I am now permanently at home. By myself, all day, oh, with two very loving dogs who I seem to be talking to more and more.
Cleaning, yuck, I hate it but I do love being organized. So, off we go, in to each room of our four bedroom house. Mom’s room looks pretty good, she never comes to visit, just needs some general dusting. Next, my husband’s “hunting” room. Can’t see anything in there, it’s all camouflage. My idea of dusting this room is blowing, just like his nightstand. It really is a lovely room. A lot of old pictures of family, citrus memorable, an old single bed that my grandfather made. Two African violets that all of a sudden seem to not be doing very well. Maybe I am spending too much time with them lately.
On to my office, ah, now this needs organizing. Last year’s files to be put in a box, the files from seven years ago taken out of a box; I get to take these to shredding day at our investment counselor’s office, closing my business, getting taxes ready for the accountant and sending previous employees their W-2’s. Yay!! A lot to keep me busy there. This room is what I like to call my “garden” room. My painter was about to kill me when I chose a textured paint, kind of like with sand, but it turned out beautifully. Bright prints and paintings of flowers, with a desk and credenza. I don’t like spending time in this room, though, I feel too cut off from the rest of the house, so my laptop sits at the end of the kitchen counter.
Speaking of the kitchen, after the office room I have moved on to the kitchen. Back in the day, when I was much younger I could knock out serious cabinet cleaning in one day. Now, I have to do it in sections. So, I am guessing that it took me about 2 weeks to complete. Interesting finds, bullion cubes dated ’08, shame on you. What is a bullion cube and why did I think I needed three jars. Wouldn’t it be nice that when a recipe calls for a bullion cube you could go to the store and just buy one bullion. But now, we have Blue Apron so I guess that takes care of that problem. And isn’t it ironic that the nastiest cabinet in the kitchen is the one under the sink with all the cleaning products! Pet peeve number one, and there are many, why are there 3 cans of Febreeze under here and they are all half full. Notice I used half full instead of the other. And some strange fixtures, a lot of them. I neatly put all unrecognized items into a cup and asked husband later what they were and he tells me he needs to attach them to the sink! What the hell is our sink hanging on by. So, now, strange items are back under sink in neat cup.
In my mind, all this throwing out, sprucing up, is to prepare for downsizing. A cute little villa in an above 55 community would be nice, not so much cleaning, friends to hang out with. “What would we do with the dogs”, I hear my husband say. I don’t know, I will figure it out.
A Rebellious Retiree 