Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Once Upon A Time... there was a NOOK




Once upon a time many years ago, a friend at church remarked, they are remodeling our store and giving away the plate glass mirrors from the dressing rooms.


My brain said Free Mirror!

Them my brain said install them in The Nook and put glass shelves in front of it.
Keep in mind my brain/body was only 48 then NOT 65.


What the brain did NOT say! “If you put mirrors and glass shelves and then you add a glass cat, a bear, then another bear, a dog, elephant, giraffe, baby fawn, crystal candle holders, grandmothers old vases, all of which are GLASS, YOU will have to CLEAN it all.” All of the time! Over and Over!



The brain kicked in and said Let’s get a glass tree and a few angels, a sleigh and reindeer, it will be so festive!
Now I have to clean it all and pack it away and unpack the Christmas glass, then I have to clean it all and put it away and unpack the year round glass, and don’t forget The Mirror!
Have you ever taken anything for FREE and ended up PAYING for it? Free mirror but we had to pay someone to cut it to fit, create the glass shelves, install the mirror and that was not the last of the Cost of the Free mirror.


The true cost has been ongoing for 15 years, THE CLEANING OF IT ALL



I quickly learned, if I don’t move the items, the dust is not so noticeable. Also if I don’t turn on the recessed light, I can’t see the dust. It is the OLD brain that discovered that. Also dust does not show when the Christmas lights are ON. During the daylight hours, I just don’t LOOK at the nook. Wait Until Dark and then it is gorgeous.


Here are a few housecleaning rules!
Don't vacuum too often— it weakens the carpet fibers.

Layers of dirty film on windows and screens provide a helpful filter against harmful and aging rays from the sun
 

Explain away the mound of pet hair brushed up against the doorways by claiming you are collecting it there to use for stuffing hand-sewn play animals for underprivileged children


If dusting is REALLY out of control, simply place a showy urn on the coffee table and insist that "THIS is where Grandma wanted us to scatter her ashes."

Housecleaning Rules!

* Martha Stewart doesn’t live here!!

* I’m creative; you can’t expect me to be neat too!

* So this isn’t Home Sweet Home… Adjust!

* I clean house every other day…. Today is the other day!

* If you write in the dust, please don’t date it!

When all else fails!

Mix one-quarter cup pine-scented household cleaner with four cups of water in a spray bottle. Mist the air lightly. Leave dampened rags in conspicuous locations. Develop an exhausted look, throw yourself onto the couch, and sigh, "I clean and I clean, and I still don't get anywhere."

13 comments:

DawnTreader said...

Thanks for reminding me of one reason to be thankful for the darkness hovering over us here in December... LOL (Dust doesn't show half as well in lamp-light as in sun-light!)

Catherine said...

Re the mirror and glass shelves - but they're sooo pretty! Re the dust, love you suggestions!

Unknown said...

Your blogs are so much fun to read, But you are giving Madam ideas and I usually end up helping. So enough about the dusting and cleaning, you are crashing into my retirement.

Madeline said...

This is a good one! I love the all the glass, but I, like you, would not want to have to clean it all the time. Love the pictures and the humor. You should have been a stand-up comic I think. Patsy-Poo is whining I see. I guess I will have to give him a break for a while. The grands are coming this weekend. We will clean next week. Keep up the great blogs!

MedaM said...

I enjoyed both reading this post and looking at those beautiful glass things. It really isn’t easy to clean it all the time. Wonderful post!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

OH how wonderful Sandra.... I love all of the very legitimate reasons NOT to clean.. Love the one about the carpets and the windows.... AND the dust!!! How FUNNY.... I was laughing outloud.

Love all of your pretties in the "Nook" ---and I do hope that you have a housekeeper who comes in to keep them all clean for you!!!!!!!

Hugs,
Betsy

Ginny Hartzler said...

Well, this is perhaps your best post ever! It has everything: beauty, charm, good advice, and lots of laughs!! Your nook is wonderful!! I can't say what is my favorite, as I love everything equally! The beautiful reindeer, sparkly tree,georgous angels...I like that you took a picture of the treetop star, as it's obscured in the first picture. Thanks for a very special post!

SquirrelQueen said...

I love your nook and all the beautiful glass displayed there. Dusting that does have the potential of being a full time job. I like your 'free' glass, it reminds me of our 'free' boat. Rebuilding it cost us plenty and then we have to maintain it....free?

Considering that I live in the land of dust I will take all of your advise on avoiding dusting. I really like the animal hair for needy children!!!!

Great post, too funny, I enjoyed every word.

Judy

Anonymous said...

Here's another explanation for dust (my sister once made me a cross stitch to hang on my wall with this message).

"DUST IS A PROTECTIVE COVERING FOR FURNITURE"

I'm not Martha Stewart either, but do you really think she does the dusting in her various homes?

Kilauea Poetry said...

These are purdy!! Underprivileged children (unreal)..loved the ashes!! (lol). Seems when you have animals- you find hair everywhere!! Yikes..I consider myself a perfectionist who can't keep up? I love our feather and fur balls to ever give them up. Well, I can see how things wound up costing more..anyway, its pretty (especially lit up in the dark where you can't see Grandma's ashes very good! Did you make that up about the window? (Lol) the comment section here got so skinny..well have a wonderful evening!!

Chatty Crone said...

Sandra it is more than worth it! sandie

Rose said...

Haha....I needed this...my laugh of the day.

Anne Payne said...

Oh My! I wouldn't want all that glass, either. Love the cleaning tips. Quite funny :)