Cleaning?

I have a confession to make.

I hate cleaning. 

I would rather watch tatting dry than clean the house.

And I'm not a neat person, making my house somewhat cluttered.  

So when I do clean house it takes a lot of time.  (I keep telling myself I'm going to do better, pick up things more often - but it hasn't happened yet.) We don't have people over often  - we would probably keep the house up better if we did - so when we plan to have company we have a lot to do.  Then it comes down to the wire and I start putting my clutter in boxes so I can stash them out of the way in a hurry, thinking, of course, that I'll go back soon and take care of all of it when the company is gone.  

What usually happens is most of it stays in the boxes and I start the clutter all over again.  Those things I thought I was using/needing are replaced by other things.

Yesterday I was going through a box of such things when I came across a couple of pattern books I knew I had but couldn't find.  Yea!

The "Tatted Animals" book by Inga Madsen I had purposely purchased to have patterns suitable for boys - what boy doesn't like animals of some sort?  I have already started a project out of it, though it's not for one of the boys, it's for a niece ☺

Also in the box were these note cards I made probably twenty years ago, possibly more.  They are large, unlined index cards - 5" by 8"? - folded in half.  The thread used is DMC size 8 in various colors, the only thread I could find at the time that came in so many colors.  I wasn't much of an artist with these, but I was guaranteed that the recipient wouldn't be getting cards like these from anyone else.  And they would know who it was from.

There were a lot of other things in the box that I had been looking for.  I kick myself sometimes for how unorganized I am.  I really, really need to start putting things away better.

I also need to start spending less time on social media and the Internet in general.  I get sucked in and spend more time there than I plan to.  But, the other day while on Facebook there was a suggested article, you know, one of those that pops in that are chosen for you based on what you've read or searched for, from Ancestry.com, which I found interesting. And it mentions tatting by name!

Picture from Ancestry.com

11 Skills Your Great-Grandparents Had That You Don't

That's only 10 skills for us tatters!

For myself, better housekeeping should probably be on this list of skills I don't have.

"Housekeeping is like being caught in a revolving door."

Marcelene Cox

www.brainyquote.com

TIme out for a party

I don't think I got any tatting done at all this week. We were go-hosts and planners for a 60th wedding anniversary, which took up a lot of time. My oldest daughter was such a huge help! She was great, putting together the flower arrangements and the slide show of 70+ years of the couples' lives, before and after they were together (there weren't many before years!) My sister-in-law planned the dinner and arranged for the cake. Then there were different family members that jumped in and helped where needed, from serving the cake and punch to changing the tables for the reception after the meal. It was a great day, full of lots of wonderful friends and family, and the most important part was the anniversary couple were happy about everything!

Then on Sunday, for Father's Day, we were invited to our daughter's house, where our son-in-law grilled dinner for us, our other daughter's family, his folks and his brother's family. It was hot but a lot of fun. And the food was delicious! We got to watch the grandsons play in the blowup pool and run around being boys. It was another great day.

By the time we got home Sunday night we were tired out! Then there was more running around on Monday. I gotta say, today I'm doing very little. The housework that got ignored for two weeks can just be ignored another day (or two).

Bookmarks made for my husband
With no tatting done I was commenting to my husband that I didn't have anything for pictures today. Being the sweetie that he is, he got together several bookmarks I've made him and took pictures for me. He didn't want me to stress or worry it, and likes to make me happy. I think he's a keeper, don't you?

Today for Tatting Tea Tuesday I'm drinking iced green tea again, but this time with a squirt of MIO Strawberry Watermelon. I was a little leery about trying this combination but it tastes pretty good! The actual tatting will come a little later, but there will be tatting!

"My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance."