One More Day

After all these years, I’ve never forgotten the quote by President Harold B. Lee: “Thank God for one more day to prepare to meet God.”

That too.

And I don’t mean to be blasphemous,

but I thank God every day I have one more day to get this house organized.

Every since I was inspired by our last renters who left our St. George house so amazingly organized and delightful,

I have been cleaning –

One drawer or shelf or closet a day.

The desk Grandpa Pope crafted.

All the kitchen cabinets, drawers & shelves. . .

The pantry (i.e. shelves on stairs down). .

 Some things got messed up before I thought to take pictures.

Some members of my family seem to specialize in sabotaging me--

not putting spices back alphabetically;

filling empty space w/non-related items--

I wouldn't want to mention any names.

Just know that it's 3 against 1.

The coat closet. . .

The utility closet. . .

Forgive the flaws

for I am not obsessive compulsive,

even though I yearn to be.

The linen closet. . .

 The closet in the spare bedroom. . .

This might not look like much to you.

You should have seen it before.

Window air-conditioning units have to be stored somewhere

in close proximity to the windows--not two floors down.

Desk and nightstand drawers. . .

The shelves at the head of our bed. . .

My dresser. . .

 Jewelry was a jumbled mess before.

Granddaughters get to choose from the surplus,

some dating back to my high school years.

Remember rhinestones?

 

My 92-year-old friend, Sylvia, taught me to roll.  Cool.

DeRay's dresser, which by the way, wins 1st prize for Most Improved. . .

The drawers were stuffed before and now he has an empty one.

Not for long, of course.

The Cedar Chest. . .

The biggest challenge so far:

The Fruit Room. . . . . .

A formidable task.

  Old fruit.  Old dried food. Old cans.

  Old clothes.   Old projects. 

  Old text books; assignments, newspapers.

  Ski clothes, boots, goggles, gloves.

  Empty jugs.  Boxes.  Stuff.

  Records.  Tapes.  VCR’s.  Albums.

Actually, if I could bring myself to throw away the empty boxes,

the room would be half empty.

I can't do it - yet.

What if we were to need them?

Half trash.  Half D.I.able.

I’m glad I didn’t die when I had the bowel blockage

  Or during surgery

  Or fall when I hiked to Angels Landing

  Or down the stairs laden with heavy boxes

  Or get killed in an auto accident

  Or drown or have a stroke or heart attack

  Or wasn’t hit by a car while riding my bike.

Thank God I have one more day to clean this house; and that I’m fit enough to do it.

I’m so thankful it’s not left for someone else to do.

One more day. . .

Afterthought:

The trouble with cleaning up is that you can’t ever find anything.

..I can’t find my cache of  pills for bladder infection.

..When the Scouts came around to sell tickets to the Dutch oven dinner I couldn’t find $16.  There’s always before been money lying all over the house in every drawer and cubbyhole.
..We haven't had hand towels on the back of kitchen chairs to serve as napkins because they are folded so nicely I don't want to mess them up.
..I go into the fruitroom with everything in plain sight and labeled and can’t find what I’m looking for because it’s been moved and categorized.

Hmmmmmmm.