Y’all, I’ve lived in Texas all my natural born days and as my Daddy would say, “I ain’t no spring chicken.” I should have learned something in all these years, but any lesson that came my way didn’t take. Right now I’m feeling plumb silly, and I know things like this don’t happen to you.
The weatherman gave me a couple of days of really lovely weather and I got industrious! I must have had a bout of the “nesting instinct.” This long hard winter made me want to clean the place up in celebration of that first day of Spring. Aren’t you ready for some pretty weather? I darned sure am. When Spring comes around, I want my little corner of the world to be spruced up and shining.
Tired of looking out my living room window on the wood chips and piles of logs scattered on my back porch, I dragged the wood to the back of the house and stacked it. Now it will be a wonderful habitat for snakes and rodents … but I won’t have to see it. There were too many wood chips to bother with a broom. Besides, a broom is “girl stuff,” and I enjoy pulling out loud “guy toys.” In fact, put a chain saw in my hand and I giggle with glee — but a chain saw wasn’t warranted for the back porch. I got the leaf blower and my safety goggles and blasted that porch clean.
Not satisfied with that, I fluffed the pillows on all the porch furniture and wiped it down. I washed the windows. I brought out some pretty plants to brighten it up, and to free up my spare room (it’s been so piled with plants all winter that I haven’t been able to move around in there). I trimmed a few of the bushes that were threatening to overtake the walkway. When I got done, it was beautiful. It beckoned me to sit and sip coffee, to listen to the birds serenading me with love songs, to admire the irises that are beginning to bloom, to watch the squirrels romping in the … wait! They aren’t romping! Hey! Y’all stop that right now! Don’t you make me want to go and change my tone! This is a G-rated blog! And, I don’t need any more squirrels running around here!
I stepped back inside the house and I noticed that my living room carpet showed the dirt from dragging wood across it to the fireplace all winter. That wasn’t very attractive. I got out my steam cleaner and attacked my living room carpet. Now it is pristine and waiting for one of the cats to decorate it with urp.
My house and my back porch looked ready for a photo shoot by Southern Living Magazine … except they might not appreciate that I decorate with nekkid mannequins. Probably, they wouldn’t like the rubber chicken hanging in the kitchen. And, I guess they wouldn’t find the gas mask hanging in the bathroom to be very funny.
Exhausted, I sat down to watch the evening news.
I hate intensely dislike my weatherman.
I know this is all his fault. Snow flurries are predicted! What? SNOW??? It’s the first day of Spring, for Heaven’s sake! This isn’t supposed to happen. This is Texas …
Oh. That’s right.
This is Texas, where folks will tell you: “If you want the weather to change, wait a few minutes.” I should have known better.
So, now I’m shivering in my very clean house, looking out on a lovely back porch that soon will be covered in an inch or two of snow. Since the firewood is wet, we can’t heat the house with a fire, so it’s possible that I will have to ransom my first born child to pay the Electric Company … but, they will be happy (or not) because he is a lawyer.
At least I didn’t get so carried away that I packed up the long johns.
Please tell me I’m not the only person who does ridiculous things like this.
Other posts you might enjoy:
- Save Frida!
- There Is A Word For That
- Manic Monday. My Mind Is Off Track.
- Nesting Guest
- Leapin’ Lizards
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{ 16 comments }
Far, FAR, from it, Shelly. Yours is a domestic version of the “when you finally wash your car, that’s the day it will rain” snafu. If we look long enough on the internet, we could probably find a 12-step program
.-= LuAnn´s last blog ..Lucky Not-a-Stroke =-.
Perhaps, LuAnn, we need to create our own 12 step program? Maybe I just jinx it when I go ahead and clean? Hmmm.
Well, it’s raining like a son-of-a-gun here in Austin, which pretty much negates all the work I did yesterday afternoon on the pond. The flowers my wife put out front took a beating. So you’re definitely not the only one, Shelly. Welcome to the first day of spring in Texas!
At least I didn’t plant flowers … and at least you (probably) won’t get a freeze
. Thank God for small favors, eh? I wanna see pictures of your pond. I’ll have to search your archives some more and see if you have posted any.
I just desparately ran around trying to put out weed n feed before the rain starts (it has to be watered in so why not let nature do the watering?) plus putting down grass squares & digging up dead plants. It was supposed to be a pretty day until the weatherman changed his mind last night.
.-= Elizabeth´s last blog ..Adoption, The Census & Us =-.
I know your Houston weathermen! Every time I travel that way, those fellas sound like “Chicken Little.” “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” But, when the weather is really going to change, they seem clueless don’t they? Bless their hearts.
You’ve learned plenty and tell it with style in a way that deeply connects with others. I love hearing about your world, and delight in envisioning a creative storytelling and feisty chainsaw-packing redhead.
Don’t you know that God’s name is Murphy? That’s no reason not to spruce up the little corners of our lives, nesting in our own unique ways. It’s what makes a house a home. I would’ve done the same, and you reminded me with fondness of the little house I left outside DC to come to NYC.
The only thing I would’ve done differently would have been to build one last fire in the fireplace as insurance against another wintry blast. You win no matter the outcome. If Mother Nature has her way, you’re prepared to simply light and enjoy. If no final chill were forthcoming, well then you have a fire in place, awaiting Southern Living’s call.
We have to strike when the energy for a job is upon us. Going with our natural flow is part of connecting to ourselves. Sometimes work is our physical inspiration. I would never suggest you be otherwise. Enjoy the fruits of your labor. There will always be others to decry whatever faults they see when looking at the world through half empty glasses.
.-= Joy´s last blog ..MARCH MADNESS =-.
I’m afraid I’m aware that God’s middle name is Murphy
. This has happened often enough that I really should expect it, but I wake up in a new world every day. Yes, we do have to strike when we have the energy. Today, we are using those fire logs (we got some expecting to run out of firewood). I didn’t want to find a place to store them anyway, and at least it doesn’t dirty the floor. So, I guess it all worked out in the end. Stay warm!
Yep. I did the same.
If so many smart people did something similar, I’m feeling better about it. Still wish I had dry firewood in the snow, though.
We had a glorious last few days here in Chicago. In the 60′s and sunny! Today I woke up to at least 2″ of snow, which is not a lot by any means, but more than enough to ruin a fine spring fever mood!!!
.-= Jessica The Rock Chick´s last blog ..YIKES! =-.
It simply MUST. GET. WARM. SOON. I am sick and tired of winter.
Here in the Northl;and, we have two seasons. Some say they are Winter and Road Construction. But I think they are Winter and Poor Sleddin’ season.
Right now, after a few days in the high 60′s and low 70′s, we didn’t get snow. It just got cold and blustery. Yestedray, it was cloudy and gloomy, today had us in the bright sunshine. Both days you needed the winter jacket with scarf, gloves and hat to stay warm.
I guess wedo the same thing. Clean and get ready for outside. I brought out the lawn chairs and actually sat in one and smoked a good cigar! (three days ago).
It’s Spring though, and I ain’t payin’ fer no more heat! I’m gonna sit in here in the cold house and that’s that! I’m in denial!
Peace to you.
.-= Spadoman´s last blog ..Only the Good Friday, March 19, 2010 =-.
Now, even in denial I could not handle the cold. Although we use the fireplace to heat the house (it has a stove inset), I am not above turning on the heat when necessary. I’m finding myself complaining about this cold, but give me a few weeks and I’ll whine about the high temperatures. Danged if I do and danged if I don’t.
Enjoy any bits of nice weather you find, Joe.
Washington weather is such that it will hold a rainy, gloomy fall in the middle of summer so I wasn’t fooled by a couple of days of bright sun in a clear sky. Today is gloomy and overcast with no hint of change. No cleaning going on other than … the cat threw up and I stepped in it in the dark on my way to the bathroom this morning. The toilet then overflowed. No it didn’t do that because I tried to flush the cat.
I decided to regain my usual cheer by putting up a tribute to Elvis on Take This Tune and the post about it on My blog
Girl, I’m such an optimist that I would have been fooled by a day or two of nice weather. I love Washington, but could never live there because I need the sun. I got my carpets cleaned, and all five cats took that as a sign to hawk a hairball. Love your Elvis post, BTW.
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