UPS just did a weird thing. I saw the truck leave out of the corner of my eye from the office, but didn’t hear my giant loud Green Man door knocker. They left two big boxes of supplies in front of the door. I have a bench at the front door to set packages on. They set it on the ground. It’s raining. Had I not walked out and got them when I did, they would have been sitting in a puddle. What a brat I am for having attracted that out of them! Well, I have been scattered and unfocused much of the day… that’s what I can expect…

I keep taking breaks from working on the mag to clean my floors with  my first ever Steam Mop — A Bissell PowerFresh. Being a gardener and kitty owner, immaculate floors were never a priority. When I re-enter a room I cleaned earlier, I’m surprised at how clean the floors look. That means they were pretty rough before and I’ll be winning no good housekeeping awards anytime soon. Well, at least I don’t have clutter. I like space between my molecules. I like being able to see at a glance into all the corners and under everything in my rooms. I could argue that after “a friend” put down the tile, they did not tell me it needed to be sealed.  So the white tile shows the ground-in dirt from the past decade and every scuff mark ever made. I thought I’d have to have a professional out to buff the floors then seal it, but I see I can keep it a lot cleaner than I’ve been doing, with little effort. I like not having to use chemicals on my floor to get it clean. The refillable water reservoir lasts about the length of time to takes to do a room (maybe 15 minutes), letting it steam up to 15 seconds on tough areas. Good investment, I’m digging it!

I’ve been cleaning my floors like a mad man

UPDATE: I used it about 2-3 times a month for six months, then let it sit for 2 months. It no longer dispenses the steam and the little screw-on water reservoir cap is coming apart as it would do from being over tightened.  I never over tightened it. Other reviewers said this as well, although this was the highest reviewed steam mop at Amazon.  It was out of warranty and no replacement part available.

An excellent article here with good suggestions. Living in an atmosphere of anger will suck the life from you. It’s disrespect at its most basic. To live being afraid of triggering someone’s anger, not knowing which personality will wake up, is a hell on earth. And to keep your kids in that atmosphere for any reason is unconscionable.  Here are ways to break the pattern:

The Downside of Anger By Hara Estroff Marano
A strong emotion that is accompanied by arousal of the nervous system, anger produces effects throughout the body. But if you express it, you’re not necessarily better off.  Funny thing about anger. As emotions go it’s often pretty clear-cut. It’s rarely subtle.  But is there an emotion that is more misunderstood? Many believe that holding anger in is bad for you, that it only builds pressure to be expressed. In fact, sudden bursts of anger or prolonged anger are bad for you. A strong emotion that is accompanied by arousal of the nervous system, anger produces effects throughout the body. It eats away at your cardiovascular system, your gut and hijacks nervous system, often obliterating the capacity for clear thinking. And it may even grow in intensity.  Continue reading →

I forgot I had my big puffy hugger pillows on the living room couch and when I went in to bed at midnight, I was too sleepy to walk back out and get them. I slept with one flat head pillow and one small throw pillow as an arm hugger. I awoke all crinked up. Oh, how I appreciate my pillows so much more today!

Today I begin final layout on the November magazine. Maybe take breaks to paint and prune in the garden. The turk’s cap are growing like crazy due to the rain, so are the bamboo. They’ve made a nice wall out front. I dig a trench in the direction I want them to grow next, and keep it fed and watered. Then when they sprout, it’s the path of least resistance. I don’t like to force things, I like to suggest alternatives, then let them find their own way.

A Facebook friend saw my posts about wanting a pair of binoculars and sent me the perfect pair, they arrived today! Thank you, mysterious benefactor!  I’d ordered a pair from Best Buy and they were too heavy, and their 12x amplification was too hard to hold a steady view.  These 8 x 21 let me see right into the treetops here, so watching the hawks will be a breeze.

I just watched –> this video on my new Bissell PowerFresh Hard Floor Steam Mop.   I’ve been using it and like how it cleans, and without chemicals!  I had carpet until 1997.  I had no idea how toxic an older carpet could be until my home was rid of it.  With cats and my own foot traffic in and out of the house and yard and garden all day long,  I sweep or vacuum every few days.  I like the act of cleaning my vinyl tile floors and this will make it more fun.   It only takes me about 15 minutes per room.  I’ve even taken it onto the back porch and done the floor out there!  That will take several times to get “clean.” Since the floor was never sealed, there’s a lot of ground in dirt.  I’ve been using the steam mop every few days.  Good purchase, I wish I’d thought about it years ago.   I paid about $70 for it at Best Buy.

UPDATE: I used it about 2-3 times a month for six months, then let it sit for 2 months. It no longer dispenses the steam and the little screw-on water reservoir cap is coming apart as it would do from being over tightened.  I never over tightened it. Other reviewers said this as well, although this was the highest reviewed steam mop at Amazon.  It was out of warranty and no replacement part available.