The Joy of Cleaning

 Uh, oh...the little step ladder is out. That means I'm serious about getting stuff clean. Daughter usually hosts Thanksgiving but since she has the big baby shower the following week I volunteered to take over so she would only have to wrestle with one big event at a time.

 I start in one corner of the living area and work my way around. First up, the top of the fridge. It's always filthy. Now you could eat off it.

 I have to de-clutter as I go. All my toys have to be tucked away in the soap room until after the holidays or there is no room for people.

 I work my way around the kitchen giving everything on or above the counters a good wash.

 My old kitchen cabinets don't look too shabby after a good wipe down. I love the smell of this stuff. It smells like the holidays to me.

I've got the steamer out so I'm getting serious about the floors too. Even the wood floors in the living room area are getting a polish and I dusted all the book shelves within an inch of their lives.

 Getting into all the nooks and crannies has it rewards. I found these old treasures in a unused pot. That's a loopy potholder made by my great grandmother and a crocheted potholder that my grandmother bought me at a church bazaar when I was just a little kid. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Those old aluminum cookie cutters were holiday favorites of my mom. My parents cleaned like crazy people for days before every holiday. The two of them cleaning together is one of my fondest holiday memories. They made such a big deal of having the family over. I miss that.

 Now back to work. I moved my scrubbing to the outside. The lawn furniture got a wipe down as did the garden doo dads. It's going to feel like the 20's on Thanksgiving so no one is going outside but I was on a roll and didn't want to stop.

I even swept the house. I don't mind the cobwebs for Halloween but it's time they go. Christmas lights will be going up soon.

That's a happy pile of dirty laundry there. The more dishtowels I used to wipe things down the better. It means I got a lot done and that makes me very happy.

This also makes me happy. Lovely Lucy sent me this goody bag filled with all kinds of fun stuff. Look at that chicken key ring. You can't be having a bad day when you get a chicken key ring in the mail. Thanks so much Lucy, you made my day!!!