Spring Cleaning Begins

Coming home from the Artist's Way seminar meant a long drive on a day when I was already tired.  It was a long haul from Massachusetts to West Virginia, but well worth it given how desperately I was missing my family.

It has taken me a couple of days to get over the exhaustion, both physical from the drive and mental from everything Julia Cameron dredged out of me at the seminar.

What I wasn't prepared for upon my return was how much clutter could breed in my absence.  And, more importantly, how much that would really matter to me at a gut level after I got home from several days on my own.

Because it does.  The cluttered chaos matters a lot.  Turns out it drives me absolutely nutso right now.

And so?  I have spent the day tackling the worst of the clutter offenders downstairs, in preparation for Stanley Steamer to show up in the morning and give our carpets a thorough cleaning.   Because, believe me, they need it right now.

Our dachshund, PJ, will be 15 years old this coming June, and her bladder control just ain't what it used to be.  We try to keep up with clean-up as accidents occur, but we don't always find them immediately and as the weather warms up and the humidity begins to rise?  It's is becoming unbearable in here.

If anyone has suggestions on dealing with an old pooch and her disaster of a bladder, we'd love it.


She's still pretty with it mentally, when she's not sleeping and peeing on her blanket (sigh), so we are not even close to thinking about having her put down  -- she's my baby, and I will not do that unless and until medical necessity makes me make that decision.  But in the meantime, I'd love ideas on how other folks have coped with this -- because I am truly at my wits end.  Thoughts?  Ideas?  Solutions?  Please let me know.

In the meantime? I'm going to get back to picking up the dreck and then take a walk in the lovely weather over to pick up The Peanut from school. Despite the irritating clutter? Life is still really, really good here. Hope things are well with all of you.

(Photo by Christy Hardin Smith.  Taken with my Canon EOS Rebel and an 18-135 mm lens.   Please, only use this picture if you give named credit and a link back to this blog.  Thanks!)