Spring Cleaning

There is just something about the spring thaw that makes me want to clean! Like most people, most of the time I don’t like to clean; I do it out of obligation. However, for some reason, in the springtime, I do like to clean; and clean is what I did for most of the weekend.

For the first time ever, I not only cleaned the inside of the windows, but also the outside. Sure, I have cleaned the windows before, but usually just the inside because it is always too difficult to get to the outside of the windows. One of these days, we are going to get new windows, the kind that can tilt in, which are so much easier to clean. Anyway, Steve pulled out the ladder and helped. If I had to guess, I do not think those windows have ever been cleaned from the outside. Nevertheless, the pay off was worth the effort. Every window in our house now sparkles.

On top of that, I also began the process of scrubbing the kitchen floor. I say began, because after working on it for 2½ hours yesterday I didn’t have the energy to finish it. This was after spending 3 hours cleaning the windows and other parts of the house, so do not think I am lazy.

I typically mop the floor it on a regular basis, but it always looks so dingy. You see, we have a type of linoleum that has some texture and the dirt gets down in those groves and it just does not come up with the mop, no matter how hard I scrub, and I do scrub. In fact, I typically scrub so hard that the sponge on the mop falls off after just a few uses. I have yet to find a mop that can withstand my mopping style. With all the sponges, I buy, I have even thought of buying stock in the mop company. So, if you know of a good mop please let me know

Anyway, I was determined to get this floor clean so armed with a scrub brush and a spray bottle of dishwashing liquid and water I set out to see what the floor really looked like. I was truly amazed at the dirt that came out of those little groves in the linoleum. Now all I want to do is finish the project so I can enjoy the new floor.

You might be wondering why I was using dishwashing liquid to clean the floor, so let me tell you, even if you were not wondering. A few years back one of our cats got sick with kidney disease and after doing a lot of research, I found that many of the cleaning products that we had been using around the house were harmful to pets. I think of all the times I mopped the floor and the cats would go walking through only to pick up chemicals on their feet, which they would proceed to lick and ingest. I do not know how harmful the chemicals were, but I was determined to go more natural with my cleaning products. I have since switched to using mostly vinegar and water, and just this weekend decided to try dishwashing liquid. I am amazed at how well it worked and I also thought of the money I would save by using these products instead of buying the more expensive cleaners, that can also be harmful to pets.

 

Basement is DONE

The Basement is DONE. Okay, let us just say functional, because I still need to sew two panels for the screens, Steve still needs to put in the door to the laundry room, and we still have some furniture to build, but we are using the space, and we love it. Here is where we are today.

 

The exercise area could still use a little organizational help, but for the most part, it is also functional too.

The space seems so much larger without the bar, and I love being able to close off both the exercise area as well as the stamping/scrapbooking area. It really makes the basement feel more like another room rather than a catchall area, and it will be even better once we have a door leading into the laundry room.

OMG..has it really be nearly 3 weeks

I can’t believe that it has been nearly 3 weeks since my last post, and unfortunately I don’t have a lot to show for my time. I did start a new job, which I don’t remember if I mentioned in a previous post, but that isn’t what has kept me busy. Over the last few weeks I have been hopelessly addicted to SIMS 2. I know I am a game geek, but that game is way too funny. I have owned SIMS 2 since it came out, I don’t know how long ago, but a few weeks ago I decided to buy an expansion pack to enhance the game and since then I have spent a lot of time playing. My husband thinks I am totally nuts when he hears me laughing at the game. I have had so much enjoyment from the game over the last few weeks that I am not going to feel guilty about neglecting other things in my life, like my knitting.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have been knitting, but it hasn’t been a project for me. I have been working on a knitting for hire job for a designer. I really want to get this project completed so I can focus on finishing a sweater for my niece, and start and finish one for her twin brother.

I don’t have any pictures to post today, since this was sort of a spur of the moment post. I promise to take some pictures soon, and I haven’t forgotten to show pictures of the finished basement, for those who couldn’t come to CLUB last Saturday.

Basement - Almost Finished

If you have been reading my blog for awhile you know we are in the process of updating our basement. The process has taken longer than I would have liked, but the light at the end of the tunnel is now becoming visible. We still have quite a bit of work to do, but I am hoping it will be livable within the next few weeks. The idea is to get the new radiator covers built and the floor molding in place before we purchase the reclining couch and loveseat. After that we are planning to build a few more pieces of furniture to house my yarn stash as well as the mini refrigerator and the coffee maker, and we will also need something to put the big screen TV on when we get it, but those are things that can be done at a leisure pace. Here are some pictures of what the basement looked like as of this morning.

Below is the new exercise area. We will be tweaking this area a little once the radiator covers and baseboard molding are in place, but at least I can get on the treadmill and get a decent workout. With the space redesigned, I am also hoping we will be able to add a new piece of equipment, either a recumbent bike or a elliptical machine, maybe both eventually.

Next is the main area of the new family room. See that big box in the middle of the room. That would be the new fireplace we will be placing on the brick wall to the right. With all this cold weather we have been having, I can’t wait to turn it on and to sit mesmerized in front of it knitting.

Back in the corner the new crafting area is just about complete; I have even set up my ball winder and swift. There are still a few finishing touches that need to be completed in this area, like painting the window frame and molding, but it is fully functional, although I haven’t done any stamping lately.

Here is the first of three radiator covers you have heard so much about. My husband is a Woodworking God. It still needs to be painted, but it is just amazing what you can do with a few dollars worth of wood, a saw and a router. Oh and that handy dandy little brad nailer I bought for him with some of my craft sale money.

Check out all those little slits he routered out, I have even started to help out and took my hands to the router this morning and worked on the second radiator cover.

Tomorrow, I will give you an update on the current WIPs, and maybe some new projects.