September 2012 Week Six

So today I'm reporting in for week 5, master bathroom (also the main house bathroom - there is another small bathroom, which will get attention at "catch up" time).  It took all week, with various distractions going on.  But I'm fairly well pleased with what I got done.  The entire ceiling & molding area got cleaned.  I mopped the tub surround (only way I could reach, but worked well).  I took down the curtain & washed it (it's waiting to be ironed and rehung), took down the blinds and cleaned them the best I could in a tub of hot water; and I thoroughly cleaned the window and frame area and shutters (on lower half of window) before putting the blinds back up.  I cleaned all the porcelain, then took everything off the floor, wiped it all down good, and mopped the floor.  There are a few little detail things still to do: I need to wipe down the top of the clock, the wall heater, and the switch plates.  Also the exhaust vent needs to be vacuumed out.  Plus, I still have to clean the other vanity counter and mirror; but none of that is going to take long, and it will be done!

This week is "kid's room".  Since I don't have one of those (kids or their room! LOL!), I'm designating it for my sewing and computer room. I've gotten a start on it, so hopefully by next Sunday I can report good progress in here as well.

For the tasks this past week, I've really not been able to do much.  I have the labels for my Christmas cards all printed, and I just received the cards I ordered yesterday.  This week I will get started signing the cards and putting in envelopes.  I'm going to wait for Christmas stamps (Oct. 12th) before stamping them, since there aren't all that many to send.  The other things on the task list are dealing with working on handmade things (and I have to get work done on my sewing machine), and making holiday goodies, which I have not started yeet.  I have several vendor events coming up, and a big family function this month.  That's in addition to keeping 2 BGS after school, and all of DH's appointments.  Busy, busy!!

This week I will add my few Halloween decorations to the fall things already out.

September 2012 Week Five

This past week, #4, turned out better than I expected.  It was Master Bedroom week.  I thought I wouldn't get much done since that is mainly DH's domain.  But I was able to make a few changes that made it feel a little bit more open.  I also bought new curtains to make the room darker for DH.  I got it all fairly well dusted (even the windows) and vacuumed.  Considering several doctor appointments, including one that was from 6:40 in the morning to 10:00 at night, I'm really quite happy with the progress.
As far as the tasks go, I was not as successful.  There are a lot of things on the list that either don't apply at all, or just won't work for me to do this far ahead.  The task I can and should work on is sewing ... and that keeps giving me problems. I have some family things coming up, and that will take some extra time in addition to trying to keep up with HGP.  But hopefully after "the main event" (in October), I'll be a little ahead of the game and can put extra time into sewing.

September 2012, Week Four

I think I'm confusing myself with the way I'm labeling these blog posts!  So, today starts Week Four.  But what I'm reporting is the past week.  
Week 3 was entry week; but I actually don't have an entry.  The main door we use opens directly into the dining room.  When we first moved to this house, we only used the door to the back hall - because that was the only key the landlord had! LOL!  Since the front of the house had been converted (a porch enclosed), there is a "front" door but it's never used.  There's no sidewalk to it, and very awkward little steps.  Anyway, I had a new  door knob/lock put on the dining room door so that became our main entrance.  I also had a porch built (needed a ramp, so included a small porch area) that also only goes to the dining room entrance.  Because DH uses a walker, this is the most practical way.  And, all of that to say, since the main door opens into the dining room, that is the room I did this week.  
Any room can always use "a bit more" than it gets.  But each time I do a round of HGP, it gets better.  The dining room got a very good dusting/wiping down all the way around.  I cleaned the chandelier; but I've bought new bulbs, and today I will replace the ones up there with a set that all match!  They should also give a softer light.  In front of the one big window I have 2 trunks and my indoor plants.  The trunks are covered with plastic and then a cover (but I think water still gets under ... I'd love to find someone who could repair and refinish the trunks).  Because of a new-to-me chair purchase, I rearranged the window area.  Yes, that sounds silly!  But I had 2 smallish end tables I didn't have a place for ... but they work perfectly as part of the "plant stand" (see video on a previous blog post).  Behind the entrance door is a "bookshelf".  Actually, it's an old bookcase type headboard, but it fits there.  Someday, as I gradually let go of books I can't see, I will get rid of it and have nothing behind the door!  The floor underneath that unit had some old children's toys and puzzles.  I pulled all of that out, and sorted it.  The puzzles are all for very young kids, so I will donate them.  The rest I sorted and organized.  Then I traded places with those items and some plastic boxes of DH's old magazines (that he refuses to get rid of).  Now the toys (as well as some lincoln logs and legoes that I already had) are living in the bottom of a large shelf unit in the den.  Next month I'll start keeping  9 and 10 y/o "bonus" grands after school for a few months; plus they stay with us occasionally.  So this is nice and handy for them.  The shelves on that unit have an assortment of books.  A lot of them are children's books, so at some point I still will go through those as well.  For now, they're neat, and the shelves all dusted.
The tasks for this week included things like working on Christmas cards (they are ordered, and have not come yet ... but the address labels are all printed and ready); Christmas shopping (I do that all year when I find something "special" - and now I have a wonderful large 31 tote to store them in) ... I have some of it planned out, but it's really too early to do most.; and food planning and shopping.  I also have no idea who will be here for Thanksgiving or Christmas, so I really can't plan those meals.    Other tasks include organizing and working on crafts - which I am doing, but very slowly due to poor vision; and setting up a wrapping station - which will be the folding table that is currently my organizing area.  One thing I have been able to do was start a box of non perishable food items for local food drives around the holidays.
I think that's it for this week. :)  As mentioned above, I took some brief videos in the house (and of the cats).  There's also some pictures of the doll house (which I've not done anything with yet - big house first, then little one! LOL!)

Maggie

Butter

Fall Table

Dining room video

Views of dining room starting at living room and moving left around the room.