Suck it Up

Dearest Readers,

I vacuumed the apartment yesterday. I could write this as the Inspiring Message of the Day and leave it at that. No kidding. When I vacuum it's a miracle.

Organization and neatness are important to me. I like order. The apartment in which I live is fairly spare and everything has its place. My work desk can often be a mess but it doesn't last. After a couple of days I'll stack papers and clear off unwanted business.

But vacuuming? I'll put it off forever. For some reason cleanliness is less important to me than tidiness. The place will look immaculate because of its orderliness but upon closer inspection you'll often see that the dust bunnies have turned into full-grown rabbits.

It's a blessing that I have to travel a lot for work not because I get to see the world but because I'm forced to vacuum for the housesitter. This excuse brings great relief. "I have to vacuum! Thank GOD."

Too bad I'm not going to be around to enjoy it. By the time I get back the place is ready for another pass with the hoover and I'm counting the days until my next trip.

What's that all about? How can I love a tidy house but not care about a clean one?

Lazy. There aren't too many areas in my life where laziness still reigns but this is definitely one of them. But I'm hopeful. Change is possible. I have often visioned myself vacuuming the place once a week. Hmmm.... maybe I'll start saving up for a cleaning lady.

For now, the dust rabbits are gone and the cat no longer has to cautiously round corners fearing an attack by one of them. I've got two months before I leave town again. That's about the time it takes for them to become full-grown.

Inspiring Message of the Day: If you leave the vacuuming of the house long enough it will actually feel like a victory when you do it.