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"She seemed to come suddenly upon happiness as if she had surprised a butterfly in the Winter woods"
(edith wharton)


Sunday 16 December 2007

busy as a midsummers bee.

each year at this time, I become a demented desperate housewife - not like the housewives on the TV fame but a truly desperate housewife, trying to get my home spic n span so that when my family visit, they cannot find a thing wrong with my home. Why do I do it ? I don't know. It is not like my mother is perfect in her home... but I need to get my laundry 100% done and the laundry room shining like a new star in the sky.. so that when they go into the laundry (and I never know why they need to do that) they can't say 'your laundry is just like Nana's' (Nana was known for a completely messy laundry and she was happy!)
My fridge will be cleaned out and scrubbed, the growing penicillin will be tossed away, my stove and oven will be scrubbed within an inch of my poor fingers lives, the pantry will be cleaned out.. food past it's used by date will be tossed and even the tupperware shelf right up the top will be wiped clean and organised within an 'nth of its life. The pillows in the lounge will be plumped up and woe betide anyone who 'plumps them down'. Skirting boards will be wiped down, verandah tidied, lawns mowed and gardens weeded. I will be absolutely exhausted by the time christmas day comes...




and I will drink champagne and eggnog laced with plenty of brandy, to cope! Laughing hysterically, becoming someone I am not..... all this to cope with family. I remember my dad (when he was alive, bless him), saying once, when he found me scrubbing dementedly - 'good god, girl what the hell are you doing?' - Dad, I don't know.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh Robyn, this is delightful.Last Christmas after doing the fridge-scrub,I finished off the job by whacking on a fridge magnet button that said "women and turkeys against Christmas". Your Dad's comment was a classic, but then men can't see what we think other women see.Drives us crazy.Beautifully described Robyn. Just beautiful!

amelia said...

This is me when ANYONE comes to visit at anytime during the year!!! I HATE myself!!

Why do we do this??????

Leanne said...

Oh Robyn, that made me smile! I am the same. I also have to do the whole cleaning thing before i go away on hols too- in case anything happens to me while i am away- I'd hate someone having to sort out my house if it wasnt all neat and clean

why do we put these pressures on ourselves? :-)

Leanne x

Everydaythings said...

Lol...Robyn My grandma used to plump up the cushions in our best lounge! I used to hate it, but alas with age creeping on...I find myself doing exactly the same before visitors arrive!

gma said...

Well my house looks like a bomb hit it...and will only get worse as holidays approach. Wrapping paper strewn all over, dust gathering,fireplace needs cleaning,
glitter and glue amid the chaos.
Suppose I will HAVE to tidy up a bit...LOL...no family gathering here except for the ones who make the messes...maybe they should help.What a concept!

Fire Byrd said...

Can't tell you how liberating it is not to worry about housework. Don't get me wrong, my home is VERY tidy, but clean.... nah! Life is too short to wield a duster!
And my bed is just perfect, and I live with the son with attitude whose idea of tidy is to throw all the clothes on the floor for a week then throw them in the wash for me to care for again!!!
pxx

Julie said...

Robyn, I am completely the other way. I sit here with my tree - just purchased - leaning against the wall, not even in its stand yet. The house needs cleaning and decorating, and Kristen comes home three days early - on Wednesday. I am sitting here wondering how it will all get done, as I have to work all day long.

Please send me some of your demented energy!

Julie

Bimbimbie said...

*!* lol .... there's no wonder it's called the silly season is there, the mad things we do at this time of year - even if we aren't expecting someone but ... just in case *!* Smiles

Peggy said...

I did the same thing before my weekend with the kids and grands. now they are gone and the house is a mess. I don't think anyone noticed or cared that I had cleaned so hard for them.

Lila Rostenberg said...

Send me some of your cleaning frenzy energy![ Perhaps if company were coming this way, I would get busy too!]
Have a Merry Christmas!!!

A bird in the hand said...

Robyn, I was out of breath after I finished reading this post! On the other hand, you've motivated me to do some cleaning and scrubbing tomorrow. Arghhh!
xoxoxo

Ruth said...

Why not try leaving it all in its usual state this year and see what happens? So what anyway if they think its messy? That says more about them than it says about you!

laoi gaul~williams said...

thats sort of like me but living so far from my family we go to them most of the time...living where we do we cant avoid mud and having a dog who likes to shake himself dry...well!
plus the dust and fine ash from the fire and rayburn is part of our home!

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh - this image is so cute!!!

Tracy said...

Ah, perfectionism at its finest! At least that is true for me... :)

mrsnesbitt said...

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm know the feeling! Yet you are well on the road to organisation.I WILL get there, but not just yet! LOL!

Donna said...

Gads...I'm pooped!!! All that work....lol lol
Hope you get it all done!!

Sheila said...

We all do this it seems. But...after everyone leaves and we see the state the house is in, we wonder why we did it. Most people don't notice a little dust if the place is tidy, and the lights are low...LOL

Invisible Woman said...

Whew! I'm tired just reading about it! :)

LoVin' your last line. Oh Goodness, how often I've asked myself that question and replied with your same answer.

"Becoming someone I'm not," yes how often we do this with family, when we should be able to just be who we are with them most of all! Life is full of irony.

Peace, LoVe, and Relaxation to you, Robyn. MW

Brandi Reynolds said...

oh lord, I understand-your comment about Nana...'and she was happy!' really hit home for me.

Anonymous said...

Are we like twin sisters ??? I understand you completely. I will have to go through the house like a white tornado too. One good thing: It will be very clean for a long while, you only have to keep it up here and there ; )
Have a great day and don't scrub too hard : )