a couple of weeks ago on my way to pick up beatrix, i called my grandma. i hadn't talked to her in awhile. when i am out on one of my 4 trips during the day to pick up or drop off children i find it a good time to call people. we were chatting about her garden, the weather in iowa, grandpa putting in the crops, the weather in flordia, and how beatrix was doing in school. we were nearing the end of our conversation and i had a thought. "grandma, how did you get anything done when you had kids?"
she laughed into the phone and i knew i had transported her back in time. i continued, "i mean, did you make a schedule for your week? or did you just have one day set aside to do all the cleaning?"
she said, "well, i usually washed clothes everyday, there were alot of us. and then i would always wash the dishes and sweep up the kitchen floor after every meal. i would wash the tub while i was taking my bath. i mean i was in there anyway, i might as well wash it and my body. and then i had certain days that i dusted and did other odd things like that."
she laughed into the phone and i knew i had transported her back in time. i continued, "i mean, did you make a schedule for your week? or did you just have one day set aside to do all the cleaning?"
she said, "well, i usually washed clothes everyday, there were alot of us. and then i would always wash the dishes and sweep up the kitchen floor after every meal. i would wash the tub while i was taking my bath. i mean i was in there anyway, i might as well wash it and my body. and then i had certain days that i dusted and did other odd things like that."
"what about washing windows, or cleaning other big things?" i asked her.
she said, "i usually did that sort of thing twice a year. i would start it and do a little bit every day for a month until it was finished. spring and fall cleaning. i would wipe all the baseboards down, or wash all the windows and screens, give the kids clothes away that they had outgrown, or change out the clothes for the coming season."
i sighed, and she laughed again. "lydia, you just had a baby 5 months ago. you will get back into the swing of things."
it was my turn to laugh. "grandma! i never was in the swing of things when it comes to cleaning!" we both laughed hard at that. i told her i loved her and we hung up.
it was my turn to laugh. "grandma! i never was in the swing of things when it comes to cleaning!" we both laughed hard at that. i told her i loved her and we hung up.
last friday, micah had a day off of school, beatrix was home too, penelope was napping and i found myself with some energy. so i filled a bucket full of water and put a couple of drops of dawn soap in it. i got my squeegee and step stool out and i went to work on our front window. i got the tips for cleaning windows from here. and it worked like a dream! while i was cleaning, the kids washed their bikes and played in the water. penelope ended up waking up too. so into her "office" she went and i was able to finish the window. it was wonderful to get the encouragement my grandma had given me to take one task at a time.
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