Playing house
Today I cleaned the house. Cleaned like a mofo. Things were tossed. Bags of clothes and shoes were bundled ready to be taken away. Mirrors gleam. Dark wood is dust free. Washing washed. Beds made. Floors vacuumed and mopped.
Flowers have been cut and placed in bottles on the huge mantle in the lounge. Furniture had been moved. Trinkets rearranged. Music cranked. Nag Champa burnt.
The house smells all heady, earthy, clean. I walk through the rooms admiring the cleanliness.
You know, don’t you when you clean a house, I mean really, really clean it, its got nothing to do with a clean house. Right? Or is that just me.
All that cleaning. Scrubbing. Wiping. Moving. Rearranging. It’s about everything except a house that would pass the white glove inspection. Isn’t it.
Isn’t it?
I have a lot on my mind. It whirls and knocks about in my head. And you know that when there’s things to be thought on, shit gets done. Not the shit I need to really do, but all the other stuff. Like cleaning the house. Or getting Hubby to help me rearrange the kid’s lounge to include a study space for homework.
It’s been a week. You know the ones; they seem to go on relentlessly. For no particular reason and a thousand all at once I feel stretched to the limit.
It will pass. As will the neat as a pin house and, no doubt the homework area.
But for now, I console myself with nag champa and earl grey. With scotch fingers and a cleaner than clean house.
The days with their short light and cold still air will wrap me in the comfort of autumnal indoor living.
And my mind, it will clear.
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Amanda Palmer; freakin amazing song… imagine being exactly the person you want to be…
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Naomi Reply:
April 28th, 2012 at 7:51 pm
Imagine…
As for Amanda Palmer, she is the awesome. The end.
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No, it is not just you, I do exactly the same, cleaning like a demon when its really something else that needs my attention.
I had never heard this Amanda Palmer song before, and I love it!!!!! Going to see if I can get it from itunes. Thanks
Beautiful looking blog as well by the way, I need some serious blog lessons to make mine as lovely
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Naomi Reply:
April 28th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
I am fairly sure you can download the song for free from Amanda’s site.
As for the blog look, it helps to have a hubby who is in the multi media business and with enough nagging will make a design just for you!
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Sharron Reply:
April 28th, 2012 at 8:03 pm
Indeed you can – thanks for the tip – off to get me some free music now
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As a child, whenever my mum was in a really bad mood, she would clean. If we came home and the pantry was emptied onto the kitchen table and she was viciously wiping the shelves, we’d know to steer clear for a while.
I do love the productivity that comes out of complete overwhelmedness, but I love even more when that overwhelmedness passes.
Wishing you a clear mind along with your clean house.
Tam recently posted..Letting go of baby
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Naomi Reply:
April 28th, 2012 at 8:15 pm
What is it about cleaning out the pantry!
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Had a bit of a cleaning workout today. My 25 year old son moved out. I’m officially an empty-nester. A torrid experience. Cleaning helped.
Cheers.
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Naomi Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 3:36 pm
You did well to clean. I have all this still in my future.
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I know exactly what you mean. I do the cleaning thing too. Today I’ve done the outdoor working bee thing and it has done me absolute wonders. I am so exhausted in such a good way that I know I will sleep like a baby tonight, and I’ve been in desperate need of some decent shut eye after a cluttered mind has kept me up until all hours of late. I’m sure tomorrow you’ll feel better for the cleaning and the promise of Sunday, and all that it has to offer. xx
Shelley recently posted..When Being Exhausted Is The Best Feeling
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Naomi Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
It does do wonders. And I did sleep a little better last night for it. I hope you feel better and less cluttered today too. xxx
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Spooky freak out.
I coached netball all morning then did a 4 hour birthday party at the zoo. Tomorrow I have to clear out Mums old house. Huge stressy weekend and I am DREADING tomorrow.’
So what do I do all arvo?
Clean. Scrub. Rearrange. Hoover. Mop.
Nag Champa is now lit & I was thinking of you.
Spooky spookster.
I hope your mind clears my sweet.
xx
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Naomi Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
And I hope your mind clears too lovely Lucy. xxx
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When I lived in a share house while at Uni the house was always cleanest for the weeks leading up to exam time. People cleaned the oven, scrubbed the shower and all those things that seem to get put off.
I hope you feel less stretched soon.
E. recently posted..Day Zero Update – April 2012
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Naomi Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
So true! I had a spotless house when exams were near.
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Gawd, I do the same thing. Need to get some important stuff done? Hey, let’s clean out the pantry!
But you know what? Having a clean, neat house alleviates a heaviness. It allows more clear thinking, so can only help, right?
Hmmm…me thinks a big cleaning day is ahead!
xox
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Naomi Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
You are so right, I can’t think at all when there is clutter and mess! xxx
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It’s cathartic, cleaning out the cobwebs (literally and emotionally). What a cool song…I haven’t heard it.
That image at the top made me smile. I’m re-reading Wuthering Heights and early grey and scotch fingers are my favorites.
Hope you feel clear now! x
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Naomi Reply:
May 1st, 2012 at 9:44 am
So cathartic! And I couldn’t agree more about it clearing the cobwebs in my head!
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Love a clean house – actually I’ll rephrase – I love sitting in silence when a house is clean with a coffee
Whatever the motivation to get it clean. What is a Nag Champa?
Hope all is settling in the mind.
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Naomi Reply:
May 1st, 2012 at 9:46 am
Oh, just the thought of sitting in silence in a clean house is inspiration to do it all again!
Nag Champa is an incense – the only one to ever burn in my opinion
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