A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Do You Want to Know What I Did Today?

Sometimes I think... does anyone really want to know what I am doing each day? I started this blog to keep track of my days in the garden...giving little thought to what I would write about when the weather was bad or during winter time here in No. Illinois. It has developed into a habit of writing almost everyday...telling about my less that exciting life. I get a few comments each day, so I know that someone is reading. I know that I am attached to several bloggers...I look forward to their posts and find myself here with a cup of tea...reading with interest about what they are doing. If they don't post for a day or two, I find myself worrying about them. Maybe there are a few who look forward to reading about my life...maybe I can bring joy to a shut-in or maybe someone can learn something new here. I try to have a mix of things...recipes, gardening, houseplants, house cleaning, simple poetry etc. So, that being said, I'll continue on and tell you what I did this morning. The holidays are coming and I like to clean all the "nooks and crannies" before we decorate. The tops of the kitchen cupboards hold collections of pottery, enamelware, covered chicken dishes, and other stuff. It really gets greasy and things start to look dull. I love to see those enamel coffee pots shine. I decided to get the little stepladder and take the things down, one by one, for a good cleaning. I make an all purpose cleaner mix of one quart of hot water with 1/4 cup sudsy ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar and one tablespoon of baking soda. This cuts the grease and makes things shine. My Mom used to make up that solution years ago, and I haven't found anything in a bottle that does any better. First I did the blue enamelware. I have had these pieces for a long time. A couple of them belonged to my mother-in-law. Since I was cleaning, I wanted to switch things around a bit. Most of the things are old and collectible. My first thought was to put my Christmas village up there and pack these things away for the holidays, but after starting the job, I changed my mind and felt that it was just too much work for me. I think that the village would look so cute up there, but not now.
I have a covered chicken dish collection. I don't know what else to call them, but you know what I mean. I used to have several more, but now I have only the ones that mean something to me. A bunny dish from my brother, a turkey from my old neighbor Ruth, several from neighbors and friends in my old town.
On the other side are some geese that Joe's first wife made. Then the bowls...all in shades of brown and yellow. I have looked them up on the internet and some are worth more than I paid for them. Here is where the blue collection went...on the corner of the cabinets. I don't use these things...they are just there to look at. I take that back...I do use some of them for vases for flower arranging.
Before I started working on this project, I cooked some chicken breasts and then started some chicken noodle soup. I like to have something in a pot that we can eat without any fuss after I work so hard, and it was hard work...up and down the steps so many times being careful not to drop anything. Making sure my hands were dry (they are rough and need cream now) The walls were webby, so I had to use my lamb's wool duster on them. Then the cupboards themselves were cleaned before things were put back. It looks so nice now and I can move on to another job. We have a high shelf in the living room....Joe calls it the loft. We seldom clean that, but this year it will be done. We're going to hire a kid to help with the climbing. Neither of us feels safe on a ladder any more. Well, I feel like I really accomplished something. It's an especially good day for me. I was at the neurosurgeon yesterday,,,and my MRI didn't show a new tumor. So, I'm OK for a couple of years, then I have to go for another MRI. We celebrated with a dinner at Red Lobster yesterday afternoon. Life is good...Balisha




17 comments:

Racquel said...

Yep I need to do those things in my kitchen soon too. Glad to hear that you got a good report from the MRI. Take care and yes there are some people in the blogasphere that care. :)

Margie's Musings said...

You folks always tease me about being so busy. Well, it looks like you're just as busy. :)

Pat said...

Wow...you got so much done. Congratulations on your test results. I'm sure that really eases your mind. Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Meadowview Thymes said...

Call me crazy--but I love days like this. It gives me such pleasure to clean and re-do. And soup was the perfect dinner for you! BTW--that soup looks delicious!!!
(and congrats on the good news!) :)
Linda

garden girl said...

I enjoy your newsy posts Balisha. Life doesn't need to be exciting to be good. I enjoy your writing, and how you notice and share the beauty of everyday moments, your garden, your wisdom, and your trials and triumphs.

I'm so glad your test results were good. What could be better than that! (a celebratory dinner, and a delicious pot of soup ain't bad either.)

Balisha said...

Hi Racquel, I don't know how you do all that you do. Your garden is so neat and tidy. Sometimes we have to let things slide in another dept. to get the gardening done. Oh, well, we have all winter to do those chores. Have a nice weekend. Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Margie...You have me beat by a mile in doing things. I read your posts each day and wonder how you do it all. Hope you have a nice weekend. Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Pat, My dr. appt was always in the back of my mind. Now I can relax...knowing that I'm OK. Have a great weekend. Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Linda, I had a problem with my blog a couple of months ago and lost my list of favorite blogs. I have slowly got them all back...one by one...when people would comment. So glad that you left the comment and now you are on my list again. I see that we are the same...loving to make things shine and changing them around a bit. Have a nice day.
Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Linda...(Garden Girl)
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. Without comments we wonder if anyone is reading. I love coming to your blog and seeing the wonderful things that you do in your garden.Have a great weekend. Balisha

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Balish, I usually check in on you daily :). At one one my area over cabinets was full. When I built this home I gave most of those things away. A few things and I will have to let someone get up there and dust. Just do not feel comfortable on a ladder.
I love writing about my day knowing my children and grandchildren check in on me that way. Pleases me so that others read it also.
So happy for you about the MRI.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Thanks for the cleaning solution recipe. The soup looks wonderful.

Diana LaMarre said...

Hi Balisha,
I have written a post or two very similar to this one! I, too, have lots of items on top of my cupboards and I used to climb up and clean them 4 times a year.

As I get older, I clean less because as you said, it is hard work!

I really enjoyed seeing some of your collectibles and hope to see more during the long winter.

Anonymous said...

I loved hearing about your day and felt like I was right there cleaning away with you. I like getting on what I call "cleaning sprees". My girls collect that graniteware. They have a set of it. I like the bowls. They are really pretty. Your soup looks good, too! I could manage a bowl of that soup. I am so glad your test was good. I have been thinking about you and said a prayer, too. I may not get here every day but when I come I don't miss reading any posts and catching up. I love your blog. Have a great week.

Balisha said...

Hi Judy, I love my old granite ware too. I used to really like the color blue and had it everywhere in my home, but I guess tastes change...now I use it as an accent. I go through cleaning spurts too. Somedays I wake up and just feel like tidying a drawer.
Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Ernestine and Zoey,
I gave so many of my things away when Joe and I got married.I love seeing them in my kids homes. As for ladders...well, I just go up two steps on a wide little ladder with a handle on top to hold on to. I probably shouldn't do that either. I hate giving up the things that I used to do. I'll show more of my "treasures" as the winter keeps me in. Balisha

Elenka said...

I was thinking about you and your MRI the other day. So glad all went well with it!! What an ordeal.

Sue said...

I am so happy to hear of your good news! So take care of yourself and be careful while you're on your cleaning binges, okay?
~ Sue