Sunday, September 27, 2009

Answer: Clean, Camouflage, Hide...Clean, Camouflage, Hide...

Question: What is Debbie's mantra for the next 4 days?

Do you ever do this: live very comfortably in your house or apartment, knowing full well that you could probably spend a little bit more time picking up, dusting, putting away, but for one reason or another and mainly because it really isn't that bad, you juuuuust let it go? And then....when someone, who has NEVER been before, decides to come and visit, you start looking at your abode with different eyes...I was using my late Grandmother's...and suddenly you realize that your soon-to-be-here guests, unless they are blind, might be a tad bit disappointed? Uncomfortable? Disgusted?
~~sigh~~
My sister and her husband will be flying in from Atlanta on Thursday. I have four days to either get this place whipped into shape...or move to a new house all together.
I actually asked a friend of mine, who lives in an incredible house and whose children are grown and gone if we could borrow their house while they were out of town (conveniently, at the same time my sister will be here).
She laughed.
She thought I was kidding.
I might have been....just a little.
~~heavy sigh~~
Clean
I have spent the last day and a half doing just that. The boys' room is now in okay condition....considering that it is somewhere between this
and this


I'm thinking that we are okay here. We do need to clean out a drawer or two for my sis and BIL to use...unless, they don't mind living out of their suitcases for the duration....Hey! it's only 7 days!! :-)

Camouflage
There are certain "storage places" in this house that are just out of control.
For example.....

here are some shelves in our bathroom that are full of vitamins, lotions, aromatic body washes and soaps, sprays, powders and what-not that I have no control whatsoever when it comes to NOT buying when I see them.


(In my defense, I don't know what particular scent I'm going to want to wear of a day....I'm prepared for pretty much anything.)
So, last weekend, I spent a couple of hours making these..
to camouflage the evidence of my hedonistic ways. A successful venture, if I should say so myself.

(Yeah, yeah, I know...I could have spent the two hours actually going through all those and getting them organized...but...look how nice that curtain looks...and look again....I also made a curtain for the door!!)



Hide
Just for the record....
do NOT open this door...
**Look!! Something seems to be actually trying to escape!!

..and don't even think about touching this...

I'm just saying.


I think that the excitement of my sister coming for a visit is way more powerful than that of the desire to go and clean the toilet one more time. I can already feel the time until I have until their arrival sloooowly slipping away!!



So....

I decided.....in hopes of getting over this unneeded anxiety
(They're family, for crying out loud!!!):



a) We will use very little lighting...keeping it dark may be the plan here...I have candles and I'm not afraid to use them.


b) We will have on hand...mass quantities of alcohol....which will make anything (or anyone) absolutely beautiful!! If anything, they will quickly go to sleep and not have time to reeeeally have a look.

********************
FYI
In the 18 years I have lived here, other than my mom (who has been here 8 or 9 times), her friend Karen (who came with Mom one time) and my good friend Lila (who actually lived here before)....Sara and Jarrett are the only others who have chosen to venture across "the big water" and come be tourists.
Sis Sara and BIL Jarrett are now #'s 5 and 6 on our list of "people who can stay with us when we someday move to Hawaii".
Everyone else?
We'll help you find a very nice hotel, close to our place.
At least that way, I won't have to clean!!
Again...I'm just saying.

13 comments:

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

I know that feeling so well. You go from feeling happy about your house to feeling like you live in a hovel.

Have a great visit!

smalltownme said...

I cleaned the bathroom and guestroom when my BFF came to visit, but since she's known me forever I didn't worry (too much) about the rest of the house.

stephanie said...

Smart smart smart.

I have definitely put on new eyes for my home since having kids, and yet another even more generous pair since going back to teaching full time...Life is too short for such worries.

Enjoy the visit :D

Unknown said...

I intend to get on your list of people who can stay with you when you move to hawaii soon... well, kinda soon!

shrink on the couch said...

Do I know this feeling, you ask? I live it. Anytime company comes. Like last night, I had about six guests for my homemade gumbo. I now get the kids to straighen up their bathroom, although they cannot seem to get the hang of arranging their towels so that the toothpaste stains are hidden in the back of the fold. Sigh.

I do love your solutions, however. The curtains are masterpieces of beauty and disguise!

My son hopes to visit Japan one day. He is very bright, inquisitive and is emotionally cut from the same cloth as his mom. Would a visit from him count as maybe a night or two in Hawaii for me? ; )

Anonymous said...

Sit back and relax Deb, they are coming to visit yu and the guys not your house. And really how much time will actually be spent there...you will be showing them the sites. Enjoy your visit and don't worry about anything else.
Shellie

SaraRow said...

Speaking as one of the expected guests, who has 2 dogs and a cat at home, I publicly declare that you should stop cleaning. Anna & Joe stayed with us last Friday night and all I did was put clean sheets on the bed. It's the privilege of sisterhood. Besides, anything not covered in hair from 2 dogs and a cat looks spotless to me ;)

dkuroiwa said...

To Sara.....God love ya, honey!!!
Did you hear that folks??
I. am. done.!!!!!
...and beer for all my horses!!!

oh speaking of which...must go and buy more beer!! :-D
debbie....soooo excited right now!!

Ms. Lea said...

I always thought there should be a House Cleaning Fairy (like the tooth fairy)! When you do good things, you wake up in the morning and your house is all clean :)

Gina said...

I have a friend who used to drop by without warning and I seem to be unable to live up to her house cleaning expectations. Not that she has ever said anything.. she just looks at me with pity. Then I got George.. She still drops by unexpectedly but we sit out on the porch because she's afraid of the dog. I love that dog.

I'm sure your sister will be thrilled to spend time with you and isn't coming to look through your cupboards (unless she needs a new fragrance.) Nothing says "welcome" better than a relaxed and happy home and I know you've got that! Have a wonderful visit.

Miss M said...

Ooohhh Hawaii! Yes please! I have never been. That last part sounded an awful lot like an invitation to me :) I am stealing your tips for when I have house guests next!

Bob_Willson said...

Your Great Grandmother, Irene Creech, said, "if they are coming to see my house, they are coming for the wrong reason!" So relax and enjoy the visit. Tell them hello from Colorado. Bob & Marcia

Hula Girl at Heart said...

My biggest fear when potential buyers look at our house? That they will open a closet door and get injured. And I'm not even kidding.