Another hour, divided between more laundry and the living room. One pink lemonade lip balm.

So, I did do another hour yesterday, earning myself some new eyeshadow. I’ve already done one hour this morning, mostly on laundry related stuff, but I haven’t picked my goodie yet. I just sat down for a few minutes to make sure a couple of online projects are running smoothly, and then I’m hopping back up again.

Oh, and not to keep you in suspense, I picked my reward by reaching in the bag and taking the first thing I touched: eyeshadow applicators. I sure hope that bag holds out until I get the whole house clean

Passed out a load, started a load, sorted a couple of loads for washing. seven shelves, behind the couch, under the couch and one curling iron. Sounds like the 12 days of Christmas, kinda, doesn’t it?

I think that’s all I have time for today, though.

I’m going to live blog my adventures today. Well, sorta. I’ll be reporting on what I get accomplished, so you can cheer me on. OK? ok

This past hour, I passed out clean laundry, switched loads, sorted a bunch more ready for the machine, organized the coloring books and puzzles in teh game cabinet, straightened the top of the bank of bookcases, and for my trouble I earned hair gel that is mine, all mine, and I don’t have to share.

I’m taking a break to let you know about a book I’ve heard about that applies directly to my house situation, and how I am handling it. The book is called Appreciative Coaching: A Positive Process for Change. It was co-authored by Sara Orem, and she is a faculty member at Capella, where students can earn an online college degree. Appreciative coaching involves four steps, and they are discovery, dream, design and destiny.

“Rather than focusing on individuals in limited or problem-oriented ways, Appreciative Coaching guides the reader through four stages – Discovery, Dream, Design and Destiny – that inspire them to an appreciative and empowering view of themselves and their future,” Orem says.

Now I have discovered that I hate the way my house is, and my dream in this instance is a tidy, pleasant home. (Gosh, it’s hard to admit that my home is unpleasant, but frankly it is, and it’s my fault.) I’ve designed a plan to meet my goal, and I am working toward achieving that destiny.

Now, Orem’s book applies to professionals, of course, and so the steps she lays out are not quite the same as the way I have done it. Nonetheless, I can apply her ideas to my own situation, and I am doing so. And also, I really want the rest of my STUFF.

This seems as good a blog as any, so here we go: My first Tackle It Tuesday project. You will note in the after picture that the dishpan of “stuff” has been replaced with a knitting basket. All is now right in my world

If you are not reading this blog via feed, you had a surprise this morning, didn’t you? I switched to this theme late last night. I still have quite a bit of work I want to do on the sidebars and such, but it was time to give my taste for pink some phentermine. I do love pink, but…….sometimes I just need a change It was originally a two column theme, so you can see I’ve done a little work on it already.

So, why was I switching themes late Sunday night? And why isn’t it finished?? Well, I’d been thinking about changing for most of last week, but I was incredibly busy. With the mopping and sopping, you know. Then on Thursday, I started at the door that opens into the kitchen, and I cleaned. Appliances moved, cabinets emptied, vacuum cleaner on the cabinets so I could do the tops. That kind of cleaning. And folks, my kitchen is spacious–about 26×13. When I sat down last night, exhausted, I decided to look at themes, and one thing led to another, and here it is. This morning, I got up and I finished the last of the kitchen, so I haven’t had time to finish it up yet. I’ll be working on the tweaking this week as I have time.

Let me know what you think!

Technorati Tags: switching themes, cleaning

So, the plumber came. And I’ve been cleaning since he left. I’d been really unmotivated to do any cleaning while the water was seeping out from the walls, but now that we’re dry (well, sorta dry, things are still pretty wet under the surface), I’m back on it. Today I cleaned the cabinet above the frig, de-iced and cleaned the frig freezer, then did the frig itself, including the grill underneath. No, I mean really cleaned it. And I had to heat the water on the stove to do so. No hot water heater, see. I am beat. If I were a rechargeable battery, I’d plug myself in to the nearest outlet.

I am also incredibly dirty and I really want to wash my hair. I feel like a pioneer, only with inside toilets.

Ya’ll, I told you Monday that I had leaks, and I had been mopping them up. Yesterday and today were more of the same, only faster, better, and much improved from the leak’s point of view. From mine, not so much. I am now at the point where I am having to wash and dry laundry just do I can sop up water, and running the washer causes the puddles to grow to the point that it takes most of the load of towels to sop it back up. The plumber will be here tomorrow. I hope when everything dries out that I don’t need to shop for any North Carolina furniture, but I am pretty sure I’ll need a new floor in the kitchen.