And so it begins (post semester apartment cleaning)

I didn’t intend to start today. I knew it had to happen soon. After all, I have let stuff build up during this last month of the semester, basically because of lack of time - there were days I was out the door within half an hour of waking up at 6:30 and not home again until after midnight (when the library closes). So mail would get picked up and tossed on the table after seperating out the bills so they could be paid.
It wasn’t supposed to start today - the semester isn’t officially ended for me (I’m waiting for web site content from an agency so I can get it online before I have to turn it in). Sure, it was getting on my nerves - a sure sign that my stress levels are way down. When I’m really stressed, I pay almost no attention to my surroundings as long as I have sheets on my bed, clean clothing to wear and diet coke in the fridge.

Then my mother called at 9:00 last night. Dad’s uncle (who lived here in town and who I’d never met) died this week and the funeral is today. So they might stop by. If they leave their house around 10, they’ll get here around noon and the visitation doesn’t start until around 1. I don’t want them to think I live like this all the time, because I don’t, especially since I’ve had the cats.

So, I started it today. First the newspapers that had been read and set in the corner for later recycling. Out, by 8:00 this morning. Then the papers pulled out of the backpack when it got too full and set on the floor (in a neat stack sure, but still on the floor). That got moved into the bedroom, out of site for the moment and will be dealt with tomorrow or the next day as far as sorting. The table got cleaned off (well, mostly. There’s still the box of resume paper on it and the laptop, but that’s all.)

The blankets on the sofa got folded and the sheet that was on there put in the laundry basket (for those nights I didn’t make it to the bed before falling asleep). Then I pulled out the vacuum to begin getting up 3 weeks of cat hair. It’s bagless. In the living room alone I emptied the canister twice.

Now, I’m going to do the dishes (not many - I keep them pretty much under control. I don’t want bugs), straighten the counters and the bathroom counter. That’ll be good enough.

But it wasn’t what I had planned for this morning.