Friday, October 17, 2014

Home Sweet Home

(Bringing in the storybook stuff!  A friend at book club asked, "What's with the toadstools?" I'm sure she thought they must have some sort of symbolic significance.  Nope. I just like them.)


 When I was a cleaning lady I could clean a four bedroom home in four hours.  I vacuumed and mopped the floors, cleaned the stoves, dusted the entire house, scrubbed and shined the bathrooms in that short amount of time.  Hmmm.  
I was hosting my new book club and I figured cleaning was in order.  I cleaned for much more than four hours and I realized how far behind I am in our home.  I guess my house has been crying out for a little care for about (gasp!) ten years.  It's been longer than that really.  Before I worked as a teacher I was a college student and before that I was busy with a part-time school related job and our children!  So, long ago when I cleaned four to five days a week (for others) I think I neglected our house then, too.  Oh well!  Houses are forgiving, aren't they?  A bit of paint is sometimes in order, but intense cleaning erases neglect MOST of the time.  Yay!  All this to say, it's nice living in a clean space and worth the work.  Too bad that I am borderline lazy.


I'm so thankful for our old house.  I am thankful that it's worked so well for so long.  We now have a guest room and two studies (the children all live close enough to sleep at their own homes!) and we still have a family room full of toys (for the grands!) Everyday doings are my favorite.  We're getting ready to travel to Taiwan and I'm looking forward to being with the people there, but I shall be homesick.  
Our youngest daughter quit her job and will be staying home with her girls.  I'm so thrilled for her.  She's a good little homemaker.  Now all of our "moms" are stay at home moms.  I'm happy about this.  My mama says that we can save a lot of money when we stay home and I think she's right.  
I love all the women who work, too.  I was a away-from-home worker for a long time and I know that it is hard as well as fulfilling.  I don't express my opinion as to how women spend their time because there are so many variants.  All I DO know is that I love home base right now.  Home sweet home.

26 comments:

Elderberry-Rob said...

Oh I do love to clean the home - it makes everything feel homely and loved. I am glad to work part time though as I like to meet my friends at work and have something to talk about when I get home. Bringing up my boys I found the finances hard but got round it by working at night so I could be with them during the day - sleep was always a problem though!

Elderberry-Rob said...

Oh I do love to clean the home - it makes everything feel homely and loved. I am glad to work part time though as I like to meet my friends at work and have something to talk about when I get home. Bringing up my boys I found the finances hard but got round it by working at night so I could be with them during the day - sleep was always a problem though!

Granny Marigold said...

I have always loved being a stay-at-home mom too. For 15 years I had a home based daycare so I could help out with money yet be here when the children came home from school.
Can't say I actually LIKE doing housework, but I love a clean home so.....

Farm Girl said...

I love that everyone is stay at home Moms in your house too.
I love your dear little house and you get to stay home.
It sounds all so pleasant and homey today.

Happy@Home said...

I have noticed that it takes me a lot longer to clean the house than it did when I was a young mother. Oh well, I guess everything is a bit slower now.
Taiwan... wow... how exciting! I hope you have a wonderful trip, although I understand about the being homesick.
I think it is nice and admirable that you don't express your opinion on how women spend their time. I think there is no right or wrong way. It's just important that we do what is best for ourselves and our families.

Sharon said...

Thanks for visiting my blog. Hope you will stop by again!

I am a retired middle school registrar.

Love your blog! It's very cheerful

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

"Borderline lazy" -- I love that! Think *I* have fallen into that lately myself. Need to do a little deeper housecleaning next time!

Kezzie said...

Oooh, I hope you have a happy trip! That's great that your daughter can afford to stay at home, that must be fab for her kids. X

Lisa Richards said...

Lol! I understand borderline lazy! I share that characteristic. Have you ever heard of Flylady? I used to visit her website to get cleaning advice. I'm still a lazy cleaner, but I try to keep things picked up and watch those "hot spots". (Spots that collect clutter.) Now that you've cleaned, you can relax for a couple of decades, eh? I'm SO glad that all of the moms in your family are able to stay home with their kids. It's such a blessing to them and the kids. :)
A trip to Taiwan sounds exciting! Home will feel so good afterwards. Blessings to you!

Gumbo Lily said...

When I was a teenager I cleaned houses and I could get them in ship shape in just a few hours. I do not do that in my own home, but I should. I really should. I rather do a little here and there when it needs it instead of doing the cleaning all at once.

I'm glad your girls are now staying at home with their littles. It isn't long when they are all busy and off doing so many things and the time at home is soon gone.

Wishing you happy and safe travels to Taiwan. How exciting!

melanie said...

Home is the best place on earth isn't it :) I love our home, we're busy decorating right now, I'll be pleased when it is done though! I am a stay at home mam, and I love this, been able to spend my days with my sweet baby girl is everything to me.
I love your home Pom Pom, so cosy and homely!
Have a lovely weekend xxx

ann said...

More moms should consider staying at home, but who am I to judge? Some just have to work to make ends meet, but lucky are the ones who can actually make that leap for their family. As for cleaning, as you I am just lazy, so I hired a cleaning lady when I was working and I just can't seem to let her go. She can get it all done in 3 hours when cleaning the whole house at once would take me all day or two. I like home, too. Have a fabulous trip.

sandy said...

Love your pitchers! And I also loved being a stay-at-home Mom when I was able in between being an RN and starting a ministry to juvenile offenders when our kids were grown!

Tessa~ Here there be musing said...

Seems that to-each-her-own "should" be the way. And hopefully, everything is working out well.

Then of course, there are those, who would love to stay home, and can't.

B-i-g topic!!!

Tessa~
"Here there be musing" blog
"Here there be more words" blog

happyone said...

It makes me happy to have a nice clean home.

The pictures you have shared look so pretty and colorful. : )

Kit said...

I was so lucky to be a stay at home Mom. My most favorite job of all time. :) Kit

Anonymous said...

Oh Pom Pom...how I can relate to you. I cleaned houses for a living in the late 80's and early 90's. What a great aerobic exercise that was. This old house of mine is now pretty neglected. When I was first married I was a school teacher until our first child was born in 1979. I went back to work when hubby went back to school in the late 80's. I'm so happy to be a stay at home wife now...
I'll clean in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas LOL!

mamasmercantile said...

Thanks for stopping by - I too was a stay at home Mum when my children were younger, they are now all grown up and have children of their own.

Amy at love made my home said...

Your autumny pictures from your last post are beautiful! I think that cleaning takes so long because you get distracted, you know, you go to put something away in a cupboard and then decide to turn the cupboard out and get into that and then it leads to other things, and all you were doing originally was putting something away! xx

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Yes, home sweet home is best!

Every time I see a toadstool I think of you!

Julia said...

I would love to just stay home and be a homemaker but since we are short handed on the farm I started working full time at the farm and doing the farm bookwork at home and caring for the house and yard and every things in between.

Maybe some day I'll be able to retire and enjoy doing the things I did when I was raising my children at home. It would be very nice just being a homemaker for a while.
Hugs,
JB

Aida said...

Hi PomPom, would be nice to stay at home and just be a full time homemaker. There Are things I'd like to do and learn. And especially try to bake up a storm. But while I am working that wouldn't be possible. Ahh would be good to find a part time job. It's good to hear that all the mum's in your family are a stay-at-homes. Good for the kids.

Thank you for your visit today. Enjoy your trip to Taiwan.

Hugs,
Aida

Attic Clutter said...

Oh POM..
Love your cheerful colorful home..clean clean.. hehe
the mushrooms are just such a fun thing to collect too
hugs,Patty

M.K. said...

Like you, I love being home BEST :) I've done a good bit of both, and each season of life has its needs and necessities. I'm so thankful that right now, I can be home. It's a treasure! Have a lovely trip, and I hope you'll be able to visit us online while you're overseas :) I have a dear friend in Taiwan; she's taught at Christ College for decades.

Sharon Lovejoy said...

Me too. I love my home. I was lucky in that I always had a business and my son could be right there with me behind the counter.

I forgot to mention from my Maine blog posting a few weeks ago, that I know "We Took to the Woods," by Louise Dickinson Rich. My neighbors in Maine were in their 80s when they told me the story of paddling out to Louise's property for a visit. It took them a day to get there. They were tough outdoors women, but even they were hard pressed to get there!

Take care.

Sharon

Maggie said...

There's no place like home and yours sounds and looks wonderful! X

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