Cleaning never meant much to me. I’ve gotten better at it since living with Ber, because she really appreciates it and that’s enough reason for me to do anything. Mostly I do what she would say is ‘straightening up, not cleaning’ which is more putting things into their proper place and less spraying cleansers or sanitizing surfaces. But when it’s time to clean I’ve stopped trying to get out of doing my fair share. Only took me 25 years to learn that lesson. Sorry, Mom.
Ever since baby has come along, having a clean house is one of the few things that can make us feel like life is still moving along. Yeah, the baby is still screaming and we’ve eaten nothing in the last 18 hours but dammit that kitchen counter smells like lemon! We’re still the ones in charge here.
Today Ber’s mom brought us breakfast and helped a lot with the baby. Doing my part for the day, I hard-core vacuumed all the floors. Moving furniture around and using all the attachments available, I was cleaning out corners and nooks that haven’t been touched in months. And it felt amazing. Knowing that every room had a clean floor left me calm and refreshed.
Maybe this why some people obsess over having a clean house. It’s like a drug that reminds you that you’re capable of being an adult if you try. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about Vacuumisol; mileage may vary.
Alex Gustafson 