Doldrums

Boy, it's quiet in Internet-land. Many of my favorite bloggers, including Messy Thrilling Life, Frugal Babe and Like Merchant Ships, haven't posted in days. (It's getting pretty bad when you read through back posts, just because you miss their voices.) Even Tight-Fisted Miser, having given up his Appalachian Trail hike (it's hot, muggy, and his expensive equipment broke down), has been surprisingly mum.

A few interesting bits:

Nesting Place (a new favorite blogger) is advocating a swap meet: where you meet with a group of friends, and swap out decorating stuff you no longer need or want. (I'm thinking of bringing this up with the women at church!)

Man vs. Debt advocates the power of resourcefulness...and a new Brazilian campaign to pee while you're showering, thus saving water.

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It is hot. As is "lie down and let the breath run out of you" (Husband's phrase), sticky, stuffy HOT. Even the dumpster swimming pools sound nice.

Staffers are all off this week -- not a real problem, since it's been so quiet. I let the phone collect calls, and put in time doing some long-needed cleaning up.

Mom and my cousin are coming for a visit next week. Although I'm comfortable with a certain amount of 'piles,' (often prep work for the next gig) Mom enjoys fussing about them. I made it my goal to have both Daughter #1's bedroom and the guest bedroom tidy for their visit.

While working on that, it suddenly occurred to me -- why not store the overflow buckets and bins of trim and embellishments in there, gift basket items, etc. until they're needed in the business downstairs?

That's meant raising clouds of dust, paper and pieces EVERYWHERE, and sorting ribbons, trim, buttons, handkerchiefs for future use, bit by bit by bit. I come out of it covered with sweat, dust sticking to me.

The only thing that's helped is waiting until late at night when things cool down, then jumping into the hot tub. A short soak calms down the back muscles and lets me sleep. If I don't do that, then I'm up until 2 a.m. mopping (which I did earlier this week), because I CAN'T sleep.

Another positive: we found four copies of the Hanky Panky book (now in woefully short supply) that we didn't know we had!

Ah well. Daughter's bedroom now has the photos of smooching couples removed, the cow fabric drapes are nearly out...and by week's end, there will be tasteful new curtains stitched, hopefully for both bedrooms. Extra books, tins, jars and shipping envelopes are now in tidy stacks across the shelves. Much better.