Should it take 3 hours to mop?

Three hours is not a normal amount of time it should take to mop the floors but that is just what happened today...

It all started because the older kids were going to be gone for the afternoon thru dinner and it was close to the baby's nap time. The floor was trashed as usual and Madaleine sealed the deal when she dumped her mac n cheese on the floor. I figured since the kids were gone, I could clean it quickly and it would stay clean for longer that 5 minutes because they weren't there to dump things on it. I am hoping for at least 15 hours or so. Although it's raining so that may be a bit of a lofty goal anyhow.

Before they left I asked the kids to pull all the chairs out of the dining room and kitchen and pick up rugs. While they were doing that I started wiping down all the counters and wondered why there was toast crumbs everywhere when we didn't have toast. I loaded the dishwasher- actually unloaded the reloaded to be precise and got it running. Then I sent them downstairs to pick up all the stuff on the floor so I could do those too. Two minutes later I had to call them back down and find out why only 1/2 the pillows were picked up by the child who was told to do so... "I only picked up the ones that I put on the floor. I didn't do take down the rest so why should I pick them up?" Insert 5 minute speech here about doing it because I told her to and that I do plenty of cleaning up of messes I didn't make and would she like to start doing more...

Time for the "helpers" to go... Time for the serious quick mopping so I could do something "fun" while they are gone like bead or scrapbook or play scrabble. In theory that is. Oh wait, where did the little hairy escape artist go? Yes, outside in the rain. I tripped over a couple hundred shoes that were supposed to be on the shoe shelf on the way in. closed all the doors that were left open by the older kids and turned on Clifford. (Note to self, we should really donate to PBS since we don't have cable available out here in the boonies.) It was almost time for bed but I just knew I could finish sweeping before then.

After I searched down the broom, I started to sweep and noticed that the laundry baskets were full and since they were in the way of mopping it was time to start a load of wash. When I went to get the rest from the chute, it was jammed and I had to go upstairs and smash it down with a hanger. While I was up there I noticed the cat box needed to be cleaned and thought I may as well do it so the floor could be swept after. I noticed an empty toothpaste box and made a mental note to find the toothpaste that was likely with the 2 yr old anything minty clepto. She has resorted to hijacking the toothpaste every chance she gets since I wised up and no longer keep gum in my purse. Then I came down, started the laundry and went to wash my hands... you guessed it, the soap was full of water but no soap and there were no towels. Took care of that and went back to sweeping. I went pick up the cat food bowls and noticed they had no food or water and the food bin was empty. Filled everything up and went to throw out the food bag and noticed that the garbage was almost full. So, off to get the rest of the garbage cans. I actually got done sweeping at this point and if you have ever tried to sweep up mac n cheese, you know this was not an easy task. Good thing there was enough debris to stick on the noodles to get them to roll. ( Don't judge it could be you next week.)

With sweeping done, I went to fill up my industrial sized mop bucket. It is kind of nostalgic, like the kind I used at McD's back in the day. Hey, I am no mopping slacker and I have the old name tag with the mop sticker on it to prove it. This is why this job really should be such a breeze, I am a pro. When I went to get the ammonia to do the floors I discovered that there was just a splash left in the bottle. So then I had to decide what else I could mix in there that wouldn't cause a caustic chemical reaction and make me pass out although by this point, I could use a nap. Finally found something that didn't have bleach in it and got ready to mop. Then I heard the washer beep that it was done so I went to switch the loads. Back to the mop but then I noticed that the toilet was not so fresh looking and why have a clean floor if the rest of the bathroom is gross so off to clean the bathrooms... who wanted that many bathrooms in the first place??? When I was done with that I realized that Madaleine should have been in bed and hour ago and she needed a new diaper. Bad. Off to bed for her and was rather jealous. Went to wash my hands in the closest bathroom and yes, no soap... Filled that up and decided to check them all this time. Then I decided to get the upstairs bathroom mopped first even though I was just up there taking Madaleine to bed. Should have brought the mop then too... Finally one room done. Before going down, I turned off all the lights the kids left on and headed down for the next room.

Down to the basement. Oh, I forgot to sweep that area. Back up for the broom and dustpan. Who then do I see coming down the steps? The escape artist. Apparently the door was not shut tight. "whatcha doing momma, moppin?" Back up the 2 flights of stairs and a very good click of the door and back to work.

At this point I considered changing the mop water because it was a bit icky but, remembered I was now out of all cleaners. I forged ahead but was feeling a bit hot and I don't do hot so I had to stop and turn the AC temp lower. Hey, I turned off those lights so it is a wash on the bill. The floors are done... victory. Now I just have to put all the chairs back, shake out the rugs before I put them back, switch the laundry, decide if the laundry is being put away today and decide what is for dinner.

I am going to print this out and hang it on the door so that when Louie comes home from work and asks if I enjoyed my kids free time I don't have to muster up the energy to speak. It will also prevent the dangerous question of what did you do today? I don't want to have to clean the floors again... :-)

Really?!? Bacon...

I have to wonder..

what a grown man not to be named (My dad) was thnking when he gave my sick son bacon while at his house. Now, I understand he didn't have me with him when I was sick as a child but, just plain common sense tells you, bacon is not a good choice when you have puked in the last 24 hours. I highly doubt that he would eat bacon in the same situation.

Thus my mantra that the first response to ANY request a child gives should be NO! Giving kids what they want is not always a good idea even if you feel sorry for them. Just ask the wall, the carpet and the dresser that had a side of bacon with chicken noodle soup on them. Notice I didn't say the garbage can next to the bed???

I'm not sure if I am more annoyed and the giving of bacon or that it is going to take me a bit to think bacon is a good thing to eat again. I am now regretting my lunch choice as well. After playing in the bacony cesspool on the floor, I am sure some of those germs have found their way into my system. I don't want to see my mexican chicken again. Please.

Snow is Fun?

Just a little glimpse of why I am not really a huge fan of snow. Yes, it is pretty and it covers all the ugly dead stuff underneath. I admit that. I love when the trees have an icy layer on them. What I do not love is the complete chaos that devours my house when it snows.

Take Monday for example, the kids first day back after nearly a week off for Thanksgiving. I was ready for them to go! At 6:00 AM, I get a phone call from the principle of the school saying school was delayed 2 hours, OK, at least it wasn't cancelled. That didn't stop the kids from getting up at the crack of dawn, hmmmm could it have been the phone ringing at 6:00AM? Or maybe it was the driveway being plowed. Or maybe they just wanted to go outside. Which they did. In pajamas.

We made it through breakfast with minimal tears and then we had to wait for 2 hours for that beautiful yellow bus. Of course the kids weren't happy that I made them stay in instead of getting all wet before school. Then came the question repeated at least 100 times in those 2 hours. Can we snowmobile? Ummm, NO!

A) That is Dads thing

B) You smell like fuel 2 seconds after it starts

C) I am not going out and freezing this early in the day -I have a whole alphabet of reasons not to go outside.

Finally, it is 9:45 AM and the bus will be there in 15 minutes. You would think they had all their gloves and gear ready to do. Not so much. Where is my ____?_______.... So after searching the depths of the 2x2 foot closet, they are all ready to go. Just 5 more minutes and the bus should be there. Only 5 minutes to behave and stay dry. Can you see where this is going?

Barely to the end of the driveway and Angelina has been hit with 2 snowballs that have rocks in them because the boys grabbed snow that was freshly plowed. So, I yelled chores that were going to be assigned for that from the front door and prayed the bus would come. Then I proceeded to lock the door so they couldn't get back in! I watched out the window as they got wetter, their backpacks got wet sitting in the driveway and someone got a face wash...

Finally, 5 minutes later than it should have been, the bus. The glorious bus. Now I had to make up 2 hours of time lost in my Monday routine. Snow is great...

Ramen War

Just heard in my kitchen... "Conversation" Between Gabrielle and Jonathan.

"G -in tears" I didn't get to do anything to make the Ramen Noodles... You got to do like 10 steps. I only got to scrunch them. I want to scrunch them again and you already did it AND put them in the microwave. You even stirred them. I didn't get to do anything.

"J -with rolling eyes" Yes you did. You got to do the water and the packet and put them in the microwave. I didn't get to do anything.

Really, are there that many steps to make Ramen Noodles? I should have just made them myself. There wouldn't have been scrunched up noodles and flavor packet all over the kitchen. Why scrunch them? Isn't part of the fun of Ramen Noodles to eat a giant long noodle?

It's the little things that start the wars I guess. When do they go back to school?

Our New Alarm Clock

We have a new way to be woken up in our house. It is a slug alarm... yes I said slug as in the slimy, squishy worm like creature. We have an alarm by our sump pumps that detect water so that we know if there is a problem. Well, lately the problem has been that slugs keep crawling on the alarm, complete the circuit and the alarm goes off. One morning at 5 am, 11 pm. Apparently slugs come out when people are sleeping. On the plus side, the time it went off at 5am, Louie actually didn't set his alarm and he needed to be up. So, we are faced with the decision of taking out the alarm and risking a basement flood or leaving it and facing getting woke up at bizarre times of the day. Why would a slug like this thing so much? I just don't get it!

Cell Phones can't swim

After a busy and profitable craft fair, we found out that cell phones do not appreciate being washed in a jean jacket pocket. Somehow my jacket ended up in the wash and it was in there. So, in my mind that is a cost of business that day. Add that to all the $ the kids spent at the game and kitchen area and I have to seriously wonder if all the work was worth it! It of course was but, I am mad that my phone is junk. It actually turns on but "thinks" there is a charger on it. So, I'm afraid something isn't right! SO, if you need to reach me, cell is out for awhile. I have no idea when I'll get to replace it! Not that many call me on it but school questions do come up on a regular basis. Ok, off to get Madaleine off the table and extract whatever that is in her mouth... must be Monday!

Wash Machine Wars

I would have had time to post pics of all my new creations had I not been at war with my washing machine...

It all started at 10pm Sunday night. I wanted to put the "Up North" laundry in. Yes, I started that late. I didn't see them but I am positive that there were ticks, outside scuz or a bug had looked at the clothes so they needed to be washed and right then and there. Can you tell I am NOT an avid outdoor person? I was already having washer issues but thought I had just overloaded it. I actually stood there in my laundry room at 10:50 when it was ready to spin and rinse to see that it was going. Twenty minutes later when I was starting to fall asleep there it was... That beep that I thought was cute- kind of like a chord- when we first got our machine. Not so much now since it went off at least 25 times in the last 24 hours. After about the 10th time of me moving things around in the load hoping it would finish and spin, I began to refer to the washer as though it was alive using not so affectionate names for it... use your imagination. So I shut it off for the night.

I was dreaming about all the creatures now free to roam my house because I couldn't wash them out. Not since the crazy garage door opener have I been driven that far. Whole different story. So, anyhow, I finally was mad enough to empty the whole thing out and ask for help when I saw it wasn't draining right. Long story short, I know too late, there was a dime stuck in the drain tube that is only reachable by tipping the machine over (yes with all the water going everywhere). Design flaw or some repair person conspiracy. Ha, my Dad who lives 2 minutes away knew what to do...

I do at least 10 loads a week in a good week so, I know things need to be cleaned out but, that was not so accessible... I reloaded, too much, beeps again... took out some of the stuff, THREW it on the floor and finally, I got to the end of the cycle. There were so many better things I was pretending I would have done without this happening. Wish me luck, now I need to do the regular everyday laundry. I hope there is no change in the pockets!!!