How to Motivate Yourself

I looked out the window as I was reading with S last night and saw a group of people on the sidewalk looking at my house. I went out, casually, pretending to put trash into the can, and asked if I could answer any questions about the house. This group was on a historic walking tour of our street. I started telling them about the house, when I heard myself ask if they would like to come in and see it. They thanked me but declined. I said good-bye and headed back in. Then it struck me... Thank the Lord they refused! I looked around at the piles, and got my butt moving. It's amazing what you can do when you really do it, instead of putting it on the list. With back to school and hauling treasures from my parents house, it had gotten a wee bit (okay, a lot) out of control. All those little "put-away" piles are gone. I woke this morning to more order, and felt better. They can come back now.... after I finish vacuuming, mopping, dusting, and cleaning the chandelier. Okay, come back next week.

Marvelous Macon

We saw this house the last time we were in Macon, and fell in love with it. It was for sale then, and the new owners have done a great job.

The famous Johnston-Felton-Hay House.

B wants the turret. We love Macon, just driving the streets, admiring the homes.

A Visit from the Schey Sisters

A while back I stepped out of the house to get the mail and saw a woman taking a picture of my home. I asked if I could help her with anything, and she replied that her grandparents used to live in the house. I invited her in and gave her a tour. It was interesting to listen to her memories of the place and how things were when she visited her grandparents. I told her if she wanted to bring her family to see the house to give me a call. And she did. Yesterday she and her sister brought their three aunts, who grew up in the house. It was a great afternoon listening to their stories about peach and plum trees, goats and ponies. Using Vine Street, in front of the house, for sledding, and watching the blacksmith at the end of the street. They pulled on the drawers of the built-in china cabinets, and loved the smell of the attic, all bringing back memories of years gone by. They talked about wedding parties held here that went on to the wee hours, with dancing in the basement. Their mother was a wonderful cook, and had a huge garden in the back. The youngest of the sisters was born in the house in 1926. Each of the ladies enjoyed seeing "their" room, and thinking about the huge down quilts piled on the beds to keep them cozy. The house was sold in 1963, after the deaths of their parents, so it has been many years since they have sat in the dining room and enjoyed coffee and dessert. The house has changed over the years, but I think they approved of the way it looked still, and enjoy knowing that I'm taking good care of, and love, their childhood home.

Thank You for All You Have Done

May the sun in his course

visit no land

more free,

more happy,

more lovely,

than this our own country!

-Daniel Webster

Calgon, take me away!

This is a crazy week! Today the kids didn't have school today, so we ran to Sam's Club quick, then came home. They ran around for roughly 6 hours straight, had dinner, showered and instantly fell asleep. Tomorrow is Parent Guild meeting, in which I will be introduced as the President-elect. A dubious honor. Then swimming right after school. Thursday night is J's choir concert. Then Saturday is the first of two Low Country Boils, which were our donation to the school auction. Eleven couples are coming for dinner, and I am consumed with getting the yard and house cleaned. I love our home, and don't want to move, but it might be easier cleaning a 50's ranch, rather than a hundred year old Victorian. I got three bathrooms scoured, so on Saturday they will just need a quick going over. I even took the toilet seats completely off, which I think is the only way to really get them clean. I live with three males, which makes the process disgusting. Next came dusting all the bedrooms, so a quick vacuum should finish it up. I always make B take the boys away for the day when we are having a big shin-dig. With them here, it's like shoveling during a blizzard! All these people keep telling me how excited they are about dinner, which is wonderful to hear, but, boy, the pressure. Cheese straws, pimento cheese, pork bbq sliders, red velvet cake, pecan pie, banana pudding. I hope no one is on a diet!