Monday, January 18, 2010

Calendar, profiled and uncluttered

- My dad got a kick out of Jeff Foxworthy of tongue-in-cheek "You might be a redneck if..." fame and always enjoyed his tear-off-a-day calendar. I would get it for his Christmas stocking every year and when I asked him what he wanted for Christmas, he would say, "I want my Jeff Foxworthy calendar and that's all." Of course he got a good present, but this always went in his stocking. So I discovered it last week, forgotten in the bag it came in, and put it on my desk at work (just for this year) as a tribute to a man who was not a redneck, but had a hearty sense of humor.

- A couple of years ago, I ordered the calendar from Amazon.com which confused them in their profiling for the recommendations they always give based on past orders. They began putting suggestions for items like Larry the Cable Guy dvds on my "home page" along with cookbooks and the Debussy and The Chieftains cds. :)

- 2009 was a year filled with ups and downs, but bottom line, I was very busy and used my home to "hang my hat in," as they say. There were stacks of papers everywhere to go through and I finally did it last week, culminating in a major cleaning by a hired house cleaner on Saturday. My place is so sparkling clean and uncluttered, I barely recognize it. A wise friend named Grace once told me that "your home should feel like welcoming arms when you walk into it." And it does again.

16 comments:

Jannie Funster said...

I can't wait for the day this house is done enough to feel like a sactuary. Good for you, that must feel great!

Blue Bunny said...

my jannie not kleening her house for menny menny yeers, so helping she.

TALON said...

Just for the record, "I am not smarter than a fifth grader" :)

Grace is right. It's lovely when everything is neat and tidy and if we didn't mess it up, we wouldn't appreciate that :)

Lynn said...

Jannie -

It feels like a hotel right now, but I am sure some of the clutter will find its way back. :)

BB -

I heard you were a good vacuumer.

Talon -

I'm not smarter than a 5th grader either! And I need to keep a better grip on that cleaning thing this year so I don't have to part with hard earned savings for someone else to clean. :)

Meredith said...

How wonderful to have a professional cleaning! I love that you did that for yourself, Lynn. :) Just this a.m., I was telling F. that we live in a universe of entropy when he apologized for spilling crumbs on the newly vacuumed carpet. So don't worry, I don't think you'll need to wait long for some of the homey-feeling clutter to creep back in. ;)

I, too, love Jeff Foxworthy. He makes me laugh and laugh. That tribute to your dad is a great one.

LL Cool Joe said...

Yeah nothing like walking into a clean house. We have areas in our home that are immaculate and others that look like a bomb site. I have a studio and it's a tip. I'm very creative really, and have loads of pieces of artwork and projects on the go, and that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!

Lynn said...

Meredith -

I lollygag when I clean - it takes me all day. It was a new year treat to myself.

And I've already had a couple of comments about the unlikeliness that I would have something like that on my desk. :) But I think it is funny, too.

Joe -

My home office was the worst - the last batch of papers that I got to were such a chore that after a cursory look, I pitched them.

Fireblossom said...

Your friend is wise indeed.

Got to love it about Amazon recomendations. Netflix, too.

Cookie said...

I was just starting to get my house organized again. I reorganized some drawers in the kitchen and cleared off my desk. Not as major as your work, but it's a start!

Lynn said...

Fireblossom -

Yes - the Amazon profiling cracks me up. I was looking up something for my niece and suddenly I am getting jewelry recommendations.

Cookie -

I'm glad I'm not the only one who had to do that. :)

Riot Kitty said...

That's very bittersweet about finding the calendar. How are you hanging in?

Lynn said...

Riot Kitty -

I felt a little stab when I found it - I had completely forgotten about it. I got it in November when I saw it on sale at Kohl's.

I am doing OK - just sad. I'll be OK though. Thanks for asking.

Maude Lynn said...

Congratulations on the big clean! Doesn't it feel fantastic?

Lynn said...

Mama Zen -

It does feel fantastic - wish I could freeze it like this. :)

Snaggle Tooth said...

Good for you deciding to use your Dad's calender. I can't count the things I do because of my Dad's influence- like wearing plaid.
Amazon suggestions- That's funny!
Good for you getting out the clutter- Good new year mode to be in-

Lynn said...

Snaggle -

I miss my dad terribly. It is nice that you have that legacy from your father, too. And it is so good to have a clean place.