Fall Cure 2011 Day 3: Aspirations

I've always thought of images of interiors as inspirational. But Maxwell is calling them "aspirational" these days.

Jaimie Drake via Color and Style

Personally, I don't like the upward, reaching, grasping, connotation to "aspiration." It's outward. Worse, to my ears, it's riddled with consumerism.

The Spade Kitchen. source: The Selby

Inspiration is much more inward. It's reflective, meditative, thoughtful. Organic.

source: Little Green Notebook (her own entryway)

I looked at blogs today with the word "aspire" in mind and I became depressed. Discontent. Envy stole my joy.

Jill Scholes via Desire to Inspire

I looked through the hundreds of images I have already saved to my computer which inspire me and I wanted to jump up and create something.

from: svensktennColour Me Happy

After hours and hours of looking at beautiful interiors today, both new and old, I traveled what seems like a gravel logging road from the valley of envy to the mountain top of exhilaration.

source: decor pad

I can imagine myself inside some of these interiors. They speak to me, personally, intimately.

from Four Walls and a Roof.

Others speak differently. They will forever remain simply beautiful. Marvels. Three dimensional works of art.

Steve Giannetti via Cote de Texas

To be admired and appreciated. To bring me joy.

Day 25: Grumpy.

Daedalus (my husband. Not his real name.) had to go back to work this morning after his week off. We don't get up with him.

But, my daughter and I overslept our alarms. So, I woke up "behind." That was the first "grumpy."

I gathered all the clothes out of our laundry hamper to sort into baskets and take downstairs. The laundry room isn't done: but Daedalus hooked up the machines last night before bed so I could do some laundry.

As I turned right at the bottom of the basement stairs and stepped into the laundry room, I just missed a pile of fresh poop.

That's the second grumpy.

I started the first load and helped my daughter get some breakfast (last of the frozen pre-made pancakes. Errgh.)

Then, I walked into the living room to begin my "pick up and put away" and lo and behold, a fresh wet stain on the carpet.

What is wrong with the dog? Is he just protesting my husband's return to work? This is the third time in five days in roughly the same spot. I'm going to have to do some research and figure out how to stop this. Fortunately, our curbside carpet was treated with something, but nothing can stand up to much more of this abuse.

Oh--and the last grumpy?

(If you are at all sensitive, have a weak stomach or are eating something, look away.)

I put a quarter down for scale

This was left in a bucket under the bathroom sink.

Yes, Daedalus finally tackled that clogged bathroom sink. He said he'd found a "clump of hair" in the pea trap.

The anger gave me a lot of energy, though. I scrubbed away at that stain in the carpet (before breakfast!) and wiped down the fixtures in the downstairs bathroom. Truth be told, I am glad we have the sink useable again!

I washed the breakfast dishes after briefly debating with myself about leaving them until after lunch and just giving up this morning and hopping onto the computer.

But I did them after cleaning out my purse and reviewing the calendar and my to-do lists for today.

I have washed, dried, folded and put away two complete loads of laundry already! (There'll be more.)

I went upstairs, wiped down the upstairs bathroom, made my bed, and quickly dusted. I knew today's Fall Cure 2011 task was "buy fresh flowers." Currently I have lots, so I made a fresh bouquet for my nightstand.

You know why?

I knew it would cheer me up.


And so it does.

(Did you catch that? I did housework to cheer myself up. It's just weird.)

Day 24: The Fall Cure 2011, Day 1

Yep. Maxwell is doing that abbreviated 20/20 cure for "busy" people, again. Yep. lots of dusting, vacuuming and flower buying. Whatever.

It feels odd to say, "I don't need it." But I don't. Not the extended 8 week version, or this quick lick and a promise version. It feels odd--but strangely liberating too. Odd because the Cure was the reason I started this blog in the first place. 829 posts ago I wrote the very first post announcing my intention to participate in the fall Cure of...wait for it...2007.

Liberating because this daily thing is working so well. Finally, I feel like I've got this cleaning figured out.

Nonetheless, I can't ignore it. I'm not quite ready to just let it go. So, here is what I'll do. As always, I'll make it work for me.

Today, Maxwell encouraged us to "surface clean" one room: vacuum and dust. I chose the dining room. With spilled chocolate cake crumbs and gift packaging littered the floor, a toddler's handprints and a Beagle's nose prints smudging the windows, it seemed the obvious choice.

So, in addition to my morning routine, I quickly dusted all the shelves, washed the windows and swept.

Then, I wiped down the top of the two doors, the sides and cleaned up a few spots on the walls.

I've been wondering how to prioritize my projects and get them done. This 20/20 Cure thing may provide me with the format I need. This week, I will finish up the projects related to the dining room and give a little tour on Friday.

Then, we'll do the kitchen and the living room in the weeks following. I just made up a schedule. Either it is unrealistic: or I am going to be very busy!