Slattern*

There's nothing like some strong Spring sunshine and a few visits to immaculate houses for sale to make me realise that when it comes to keeping the house clean I am undoubtedly a slattern.  How did it happen that the place got in such a pickle? when did everything in the bathroom become covered in a fine miasma of talcum powder? how long had that piece of sweet wrapper been behind the settee? and when, exactly, did I last clean the windows?  

Now that the whirlwind that is P packing to go on his travels in the Far East has departed, I can (oh joy!) get down to the never-ending task that is housework.  I have to admit I find housework incredibly boring and tedious and although I love the end result the getting there is just dire.  However, having viewed two stunningly immaculate properties on Friday and with the sun showing up every teensy weensy little bit of dust around the place, I have - albeit reluctantly - decided that I really must get my act together and start cleaning this place with a vengeance.

Yesterday was the bathroom - including scrubbing the grout between the tiles with an old toothbrush (it still looks a bit yellowey to me) and scrubbing everything from the ceiling to the floor to within an inch of its life.  Today has been vacuuming all the floors downstairs (including behind the settee) and then washing the wood floors (and who knew that I'd apparently never moved the umbrella stand since we moved in here five years ago - you would not believe the dust and cobwebs behind it and the number of completely knackered umbrellas shoved into it.) This afternoon, amongst other more interesting things to do, I've cleaned the windows at the back both inside and out (the sun shining on them was showing up too much grime even for me!!)

Tomorrow I attack the floors upstairs - gah, that really is something to look forward to on a Monday. 

*Defined in the dictionary as 'a slovenly woman or girl' - why not a man or a boy I wonder?   Anyway, I love that word - makes me think I should be in a Hogarth painting clutching an opened bottle of gin.

Comments

[Lindsey]

Can you come to my house and demonstrate how it is done when you have finished? I, too, had to clean windows today. The sunshine is very welcome but it does show up dirty windows doesn't it?

[Maureen]

It's International Women's Day. Claim that wonderful word "slattern"forall of those who are domestically challenged!

By the way, there's usually a few bob hidden down the back of the sopfa if you give it a good old poke :)

[jeanie]

I have a small plaque on my refrigerator door, a gift from a good friend (and co-worker), that says "A clean house is a sign of a mis-spent life." And a card on my office door that says "One of the adventures of being disorderly is that one is constantly making Exciting Discoveries." Also a photo of a British Rail sign "Work in Progress. Mind How You Go." Do you see a theme here?
I love the word slattern too--it's one of those words that actually sounds like its meaning, if you get my drift.

[Frugal Trenches]

lol re the comment about IWC & cleanliness! lol

My mother is the worlds best cleaner - she scrubs between the window pains with a toothbrush, sweeps the floors 3x a day, washes the floor 1x a day, vacuums every single day and you could eat off any surface! Me, I was challenged in this department for a loooong while! I love cleaning now but hate the putting everything away in it's place! I think I need less stuff so it is easier!