Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Getting Ready

In two days, I am accompanying my daughter's grade six class on an overnight field trip to Camp Arnes. I've cleared my schedule and made arrangements with Brian's folks for our other three kids to be cared for in my absence. There's nothing like the impending visit of the parents-in-law to get a girl motivated around the house. Not that this is any reflection of my mother and father in law, who couldn't be nicer to a marry-in like myself. Still, the idea of me taking off for two days and leaving them in the house to look after the little one and get the bigger ones off to school kind of puts me in a bit of a cold sweat. So far I have managed to clean the top of the fridge (I'm so sure they'll be checking!), get the girls to clean their bedrooms (truly disgusting spaces), and last night even spent several hours in the boys room, trying to bring it back to bedroom-ish standards.

The fridge is still cultivating things, the laundry is sky-high, and I'll need to wash some sheets if I want to have overnight guests and not scare them off. This is where it gets complicated. Yesterday the washing machine went on strike, it looks like there must be a belt problem or something. (do washers have belts?) All I know is that it sounded like it might just bust through the back wall and into the yard at any moment, and I dare not tempt fate and use it today.

It's a good thing that my parents-in-law are coming. When Grandpa needs a break from nintendo he can go and fix my washing machine so that when grandma gets done cleaning the fridge, she can get some laundry done.

There's only so much a gal can do!

4 comments:

andrea said...

I did something similar with my son a couple years ago but had no mother to fly in and catch up on the laundry, ironing, oven cleaning and (ugh) dusting. Can I borrow yours?

Christy said...

I totally get the pre-parent cleaning frenzy. What's sad is we clean like mad people and my Mom manages to still find things to fold, polish and spit shine.

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

joyce said...

Janice: thanks for the tip. I'll try to leave room on the counter for the vacuum cleaner, laundry, and ingredients for monster cookies :)

Andrea: trade ya for a painting?

Christy:my frenzy only lasted 24 hours, now I'm thinking I should drop about $300 in groceries before I go, which would be tough in -29, with four pre schoolers, and no van... Hope they like frozen slabs of pork......

Cherrypie said...

My soul mate! I think I love you, Joyce xx