Saturday, June 14, 2008

The Weekend of Insanity---or Why I Won't Be Posting for Over a Week!

I think I mentioned previously that we are having our floors redone...if I haven't--we are, and it's something I have been waiting for for a very long time! However, while this is happening we had the brilliant idea to go camping. It is a brilliant idea, in that we love camping and haven't been in a very long time, we need to vacate the house so the guys can work, and so we are killing two birds with one stone. However, it is also causing us no end of trouble to get ready for both these events simultaneously!

Today has just been ridiculous. First I had to get up early so we could all be at the park by 10:00 am for Rachel's softball game. (This alone is an insult that is very hard to swallow on a Saturday!) Then Ben and Julia both played at 12:00--Ben at a different park from the girls! So we were watching baseball entirely too long in the heat and humidity...and then we went home and rather than relaxing, we had to get started with the Weekend of Insanity....In no particular order, this is what we did:

Reorganized the attic, garage and basement storage rooms (we put on the A/C but let me tell you the attic was a real barrel of laughs in this heat!) including moving a dresser up to the attic and filling it with clothes for Julia and Emma to grow into.

Got out a bunch of camping gear from said basement storage.

Packed some things for camping--books and toys, kitchen gear and dry goods.

Did three loads of laundry.

Moved the sofa, the sideboard (which weighs about 1,000 pounds, by the way!), a wing chair, a few bookshelves into the garage.

Took down (and dusted) assorted picture frames, books, photos in frames, candle holders, lamps, globes, seashells, sheet music, etc. from living room. Put in boxes and took up to attic for the week.

Dismantled Emma's room and our room--including closets. That's toys, books, desk, area rugs, nightstand, knick knacks etc. etc.--I think we have way too much stuff!


Oh. And tomorrow. Before we go camping------we have to take apart the beds, the dining room table, move a couple of dressers, the piano, the dining room chairs, undo the computer and printer and move the desk, chair and printer stand----all of that goes to the kitchen, garage and basement. Wherever it may fit. (Hopefully it will fit!)

We have to prepare the cats, the guinea pig, the toads and the chickens for our departure, including clean cage/litter boxes/food/water, lock the cats up because of the fumes and the floor guys. We have to pack clothes, bathroom stuff, assorted gear/supplies we didn't get to today, the cold food, the dog stuff, and pack the car.

And by the way---once we do all this and drive 10 minutes to the campground--we have to unpack it and set up camp! Did I mention I will sleep really well tomorrow night???

But it will be worth it. Right? RIGHT??? Because we will come back to shiny, beautiful floors. And I cleaned up a whole bunch of stuff today, got rid of a lot of clutter. Made a pile that I will freecycle when I come home. Dusted all the little things that collect so much dust. And all the baseboards. And behind all the furniture (on the 1st floor, anyway!) And my attic looks stunning. And the kids' clothes are so nicely organized. And even though I am coming home Friday and leaving immediately for a Girl Scout camping trip that I don't particularly look forward to---that just means Matt will have to set the house up again by himself, which is a bonus, right?

Anyway, I will miss blogging, I wish everyone a Happy Father's Day--most especially to my fantastic Dad, who I will miss spending the day with as we normally do--and by the way, I have a request....wish for plenty of nice weather, OK? (I say, as I listen to a thunderstorm outside!) When I get back and the dust settles, I will post pictures of camping, tell you the highlights of the trip, and also post some pictures of my super beautiful new floors...........

--Jen

2 comments:

Nan Patience said...

We had old wall-to-wall carpeting removed and floors sanded and finished while away. Clearing away roomfulls of furniture and stuff was, as you say, quite an undertaking, but it WAS worth it. Love it.

j-m said...

I just re-read this. I can't believe you did all that in such a short amount of time! Wow! Our living room floor really needs to be redone. I was toying with the idea of doing something myself...
so much work, no matter how you look at it.