Category Archives: housekeeping

Where I’m at

family, housekeeping, journal

I haven’t been blogging much at all, and have contemplated giving it up for the simplicity and ease of Facebook, where it’s all really ephemeral and you don’t need to think much to post a status update or quick link. I’ll give it one last shot to see if it sticks.

It’s been a rough summer in many ways. Alex headed off to university this fall and not a moment too soon. Lots of drama, and not a lot of positive and pleasant interaction kept me walking on egg shells much of the time. Which is not what a mother should have to do.
He’s been gone a week, and I miss him a lot. But the tone at home is calmer and I’m working to find a new equilibrium inside myself. This past week, I have been very sleepy a lot of the time, and that is probably my body telling me that I am destressing. I’ve also had more than my share of headaches and back tension. A massage might be in order.
Michael started at the local high school last week and so far, so great. He is enthusiastic about most everything, is trying out for the Volleyball team, will play in the band, is taking tuba lessons and karate and Japanese on Saturdays (for his third year). He’s picking up extra chores around the house for some extra allowance now that his brother is gone, and is generally easy to please.
Z is away for 9 days in China on business, but my brother is here as he transitions from Berkeley to Toronto. He starts teaching tomorrow, and I’ve been helping him think through how to furnish his office and organize his stuff. My sister-in-law (the saint) and their three children (under 4) are still in California and will move up in November. He’ll be spending time in both cities until then.
The house is a bit of a tip, so I need to reboot my cleaning schedule and get back to the gym. I hope to hang out here at Domestic Bliss more often, particularly as things get a little more blissful around here. Thanks to anyone who’s still dropping by.
Peace!

Where I’m at

family, housekeeping, journal

I haven’t been blogging much at all, and have contemplated giving it up for the simplicity and ease of Facebook, where it’s all really ephemeral and you don’t need to think much to post a status update or quick link. I’ll give it one last shot to see if it sticks.

It’s been a rough summer in many ways. Alex headed off to university this fall and not a moment too soon. Lots of drama, and not a lot of positive and pleasant interaction kept me walking on egg shells much of the time. Which is not what a mother should have to do.

He’s been gone a week, and I miss him a lot. But the tone at home is calmer and I’m working to find a new equilibrium inside myself. This past week, I have been very sleepy a lot of the time, and that is probably my body telling me that I am destressing. I’ve also had more than my share of headaches and back tension. A massage might be in order.

Michael started at the local high school last week and so far, so great. He is enthusiastic about most everything, is trying out for the Volleyball team, will play in the band, is taking tuba lessons and karate and Japanese on Saturdays (for his third year). He’s picking up extra chores around the house for some extra allowance now that his brother is gone, and is generally easy to please.

Z is away for 9 days in China on business, but my brother is here as he transitions from Berkeley to Toronto. He starts teaching tomorrow, and I’ve been helping him think through how to furnish his office and organize his stuff. My sister-in-law (the saint) and their three children (under 4) are still in California and will move up in November. He’ll be spending time in both cities until then.

The house is a bit of a tip, so I need to reboot my cleaning schedule and get back to the gym. I hope to hang out here at Domestic Bliss more often, particularly as things get a little more blissful around here. Thanks to anyone who’s still dropping by.

Peace!

New Template – New List

decluttering, housekeeping, music

I finally got around to getting a new (free!) template.  It’s kinda happy, and spring-like, and sunny, which is what I need during these dark, rainy, days of whatever season we’re in right now.  

My decluttering list is quickly shrinking.  A trip to Goodwill today and I’ll be in great shape.  Not on the list were my five home theatre speakers that are being sold tonight (thank you, craigslist).  The A/V receiver isn’t going, likely because it’s not HD-compatible.  Not sure what to do with it at this point. 
Yesterday, I hung a bunch of art, photos, and a heavy mirror on the walls in the basement hallway and it looks great.
Today is errands and cleaning day.
Errands:
  • Goodwill

  • Library 

  • Costco
Cleaning:
  • Four One bathrooms
  • Boys bathtub
  • Vac main floor
  • Vac second floor
  • Dust master bedroom
  • Ironing
  • Kitchen floor
  • Microwave
  • Outside of kitchen cupboards
This list should be much shorter, except I haven’t done any cleaning yet this week.  I use the Motivated Moms chore list so that everything gets done in some semblance of rotation.  This week has been one distraction after another, particularly with the push to declutter before our guests arrive on Saturday.
Tonight, Z and I have tickets for the Toronto Sympony Orchestra with pianist Radu Lupu.  We usually have dinner out before, but work commitments (Z) may preclude that.   Anyway, it will be a little treat for all our hard work this week.

New Template – New List

decluttering, housekeeping, music

I finally got around to getting a new (free!) template.  It’s kinda happy, and spring-like, and sunny, which is what I need during these dark, rainy, days of whatever season we’re in right now.  

My decluttering list is quickly shrinking.  A trip to Goodwill today and I’ll be in great shape.  Not on the list were my five home theatre speakers that are being sold tonight (thank you, craigslist).  The A/V receiver isn’t going, likely because it’s not HD-compatible.  Not sure what to do with it at this point. 

Yesterday, I hung a bunch of art, photos, and a heavy mirror on the walls in the basement hallway and it looks great.

Today is errands and cleaning day.

Errands:
  • Goodwill
  • Library 
  • Costco
    • Cleaning:
    • Four One bathrooms
    • Boys bathtub
    • Vac main floor
    • Vac second floor
    • Dust master bedroom
    • Ironing
    • Kitchen floor
    • Microwave
    • Outside of kitchen cupboards
    This list should be much shorter, except I haven’t done any cleaning yet this week.  I use the Motivated Moms chore list so that everything gets done in some semblance of rotation.  This week has been one distraction after another, particularly with the push to declutter before our guests arrive on Saturday.

    Tonight, Z and I have tickets for the Toronto Sympony Orchestra with pianist Radu Lupu.  We usually have dinner out before, but work commitments (Z) may preclude that.   Anyway, it will be a little treat for all our hard work this week.

    Loose ends are getting gathered.

    computer, family, housekeeping, journal, school, Wilson

    Many things are finally coming together.

    • My new laptop arrived yesterday and I’ve transferred most of my data over from my old one. It’s a lovely thing, with green satin lid, large glossy screen, and Windows Vista which doesn’t seem as bad as all the reports and, frankly, is not that much different from XP, at least in terms of the interface.
      I can’t find my CD copy of Quicken though. I purchased it last summer when we arrived in Toronto and were living in the condo. I simply cannot lay my hands on it and I need it to transfer all our financial files to my new machine. I will do a detailed scour of the house today to try to locate it.
    • I have been in touch with a behavioural therapist/trainer for Wilson. He’s a doll in many ways, but he’s got a lot of anxiety and is dangerously prey driven. That includes people, other dogs, small animals, and anything that deigns to come onto our property. Jana will come out Tuesday afternoon for 4 hours of training and we’ll see how it goes. She’s with Bark Busters and the organization has been recommended to us by multiple people. I just need to be able to have a plumber over without Wilson barking his head off for two hours.
    • My car is scheduled for repair starting on Monday. The total (including rental) is about $1300….I’ve learned not to be surprised at how expensive it is to have a few scratches and dents taken out of a car. But that’s why we have insurance. Because I wasn’t at fault and got to the car to the Collision Reporting Centre within 24 hours, I don’t even have to pay the deductible.
    • I’m back on track with my cleaning schedule. I’ve flipped between Flylady and the Motivated Moms planner, and am on the latter these days. I like her system because it’s slow and steady. A little bit every day and pretty soon the house is looking fine.
    • Alex was all in a tizzy because he is behind in his community service hours for school, specifically for Religion class. He is a peer tutor for math and science but he hasn’t had much business so doesn’t have the requisite 20 hours. I have lined him up some tutoring with one of his cousins who’s in Grade 9 and having trouble with math, and he’ll start that tomorrow. He and his father are also going to make some casseroles as part of a ministry that our parish has, making meals for the Good Shepherd Centre. The parish provides the recipe and large aluminum foil casserole pans. Parish members make the casseroles and then drop them into the freezer at the parish on an on-going basis.

    Loose ends are getting gathered.

    computer, family, housekeeping, journal, school, Wilson

    Many things are finally coming together.

    • My new laptop arrived yesterday and I’ve transferred most of my data over from my old one. It’s a lovely thing, with green satin lid, large glossy screen, and Windows Vista which doesn’t seem as bad as all the reports and, frankly, is not that much different from XP, at least in terms of the interface.
      I can’t find my CD copy of Quicken though. I purchased it last summer when we arrived in Toronto and were living in the condo. I simply cannot lay my hands on it and I need it to transfer all our financial files to my new machine. I will do a detailed scour of the house today to try to locate it.
    • I have been in touch with a behavioural therapist/trainer for Wilson. He’s a doll in many ways, but he’s got a lot of anxiety and is dangerously prey driven. That includes people, other dogs, small animals, and anything that deigns to come onto our property. Jana will come out Tuesday afternoon for 4 hours of training and we’ll see how it goes. She’s with Bark Busters and the organization has been recommended to us by multiple people. I just need to be able to have a plumber over without Wilson barking his head off for two hours.
    • My car is scheduled for repair starting on Monday. The total (including rental) is about $1300….I’ve learned not to be surprised at how expensive it is to have a few scratches and dents taken out of a car. But that’s why we have insurance. Because I wasn’t at fault and got to the car to the Collision Reporting Centre within 24 hours, I don’t even have to pay the deductible.
    • I’m back on track with my cleaning schedule. I’ve flipped between Flylady and the Motivated Moms planner, and am on the latter these days. I like her system because it’s slow and steady. A little bit every day and pretty soon the house is looking fine.
    • Alex was all in a tizzy because he is behind in his community service hours for school, specifically for Religion class. He is a peer tutor for math and science but he hasn’t had much business so doesn’t have the requisite 20 hours. I have lined him up some tutoring with one of his cousins who’s in Grade 9 and having trouble with math, and he’ll start that tomorrow. He and his father are also going to make some casseroles as part of a ministry that our parish has, making meals for the Good Shepherd Centre. The parish provides the recipe and large aluminum foil casserole pans. Parish members make the casseroles and then drop them into the freezer at the parish on an on-going basis.

    The end of a taxing effort

    housekeeping, journal

    Yep…my taxes are done. Well, at least the part where you organize everything and fill out extensive online forms so that a professional can actually complete the return.

    We have the services of an accounting firm, courtesy of Z’s employer. Our taxes are complex, mainly due to our return to Canada from the US over the past year and a half. We have to file two returns, one for each country, and there are complexities that are beyond two mathematicians (Z and me) to handle.

    On top of this, we neglected to update our address with our US mortgage company (for example), forgetting that they would need to send us a statement of mortgage interest for the year. Multiply that by 5 and I had to make a lot of calls.

    Bottom line: the electronic files are submitted, the envelope of information slips is ready to courier to Vancouver, and the form disclosing all our Canadian bank and retirement accounts is ready to mail to the IRS (because, you understand, they need to know all this.)

    This is the earliest we’ve had all this done in years, and I’m feeling pretty proud of it all. Taxes are one of those things that hang over your shoulders and play with your head until they’re actually done. And being the domestic goddess that I am, I get to do it all!! Me! And my computer!

    The end of a taxing effort

    housekeeping, journal

    Yep…my taxes are done. Well, at least the part where you organize everything and fill out extensive online forms so that a professional can actually complete the return.

    We have the services of an accounting firm, courtesy of Z’s employer. Our taxes are complex, mainly due to our return to Canada from the US over the past year and a half. We have to file two returns, one for each country, and there are complexities that are beyond two mathematicians (Z and me) to handle.

    On top of this, we neglected to update our address with our US mortgage company (for example), forgetting that they would need to send us a statement of mortgage interest for the year. Multiply that by 5 and I had to make a lot of calls.

    Bottom line: the electronic files are submitted, the envelope of information slips is ready to courier to Vancouver, and the form disclosing all our Canadian bank and retirement accounts is ready to mail to the IRS (because, you understand, they need to know all this.)

    This is the earliest we’ve had all this done in years, and I’m feeling pretty proud of it all. Taxes are one of those things that hang over your shoulders and play with your head until they’re actually done. And being the domestic goddess that I am, I get to do it all!! Me! And my computer!

    Menu Plan Monday

    food, housekeeping

    With my new headache prevention regime, I will have to pay more attention to ingredients and recipes going forward. Here’s my plan for this week:

    Monday: Poached salmon, roasted asparagus, mashed potatoes
    Tuesday: WW Pasta and sauce, steamed green beans
    Wednesday: Shrimp stir-fry on rice
    Thursday: Parent-teacher interviews over dinner hour – order in/dine out.
    Friday: Chickpea curry on rice.

    Menu Plan Monday

    food, housekeeping
    Media_http3bpblogspot_qtcwa

    With my new headache prevention regime, I will have to pay more attention to ingredients and recipes going forward. Here’s my plan for this week:

    Monday: Poached salmon, roasted asparagus, mashed potatoes
    Tuesday: WW Pasta and sauce, steamed green beans
    Wednesday: Shrimp stir-fry on rice
    Thursday: Parent-teacher interviews over dinner hour – order in/dine out.
    Friday: Chickpea curry on rice.