Happy Mardi Gras!
Today I have a reprieve from Spring Cleaning (though I don’t dread it enough to need a “reprieve”) because I’m packing for a trip. I’m waiting for my baby cousin to be born. Since I’m using air miles, not money, to fly down to California, I can go on very short notice. (That’s assuming my airline has a seat available for mileage customers on the day I need it)!
I took the day off work today. I wish I could have spent today throwing a Mardi Gras party, but alas. Instead of doing a Spring Cleaning project today, I did general all-house maintenance cleaning. I want to leave my roommate with a very clean house before I leave for several days. Let’s hope he returns the favor so I can come home to a very clean house too!
QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:
- How are your supplies of shampoo and conditioner doing? I like to keep a spare set in the house during wintertime so I don’t run out during a snowstorm. I just put my last Herbal Essences conditioner into my shower, so its replacement is now on my shopping list for tomorrow.
- Have time to jot a quick note or set out some stickers to slip into your child’s lunchbox tomorrow?
- Celebrate Mardi Gras tonight in your own way, even if you can’t go to a party or have to work tomorrow. Sip a tasty drink or eat a naughty chocolate treat. It’s Fat Tuesday!
TODAY’S PROJECT: All Over Cleaning
Today I emptied the dishwasher, scrubbed the kitchen sink and floor, emptied all the trash cans and took out the recycling, threw out two vases of dead flowers, vacuumed every room of the house, removed mail off the mail table, dusted the upstairs and downstairs living rooms, washed a particularly grimy window or two, and wiped down my three dog crates. My last task will be to tidy my bedroom and clean my bathroom so I can come home to a clean, restful space after my trip.
After I’m done with my cleaning tasks, I’ll lounge around in bed packing my suitcase, watching a movie, catching up on email, and writing letters.
LOVELY BLOGS: The Lettered Cottage
Layla and Kevin blog from their fixer-upper in Alabama, sharing their passion for interior design. You will probably enjoy their “Before and After” section, as well as their Guest My Nest adventures. You can also keep up with the progress of their Ethiopian adoption, a subject very interesting to me as I am beginning the process as well.
http://theletteredcottage.net/
LOVELY MOVIES: Camille
I couldn’t resist the temptation of seeing the delightfully handsome Colin Firth in this 1984 Hallmark Hall of Fame film, so I picked it up on Amazon for $14. I figured it was well worth the splurge to see a young Colin Firth, John Gielgud, and the possibility of fabulous French costumes.
This version of Camille is a remake of the 1936 Greta Garbo/Robert Taylor film. So far I’m thoroughly enjoying watching it and having it on in the background while I’m tidying, packing, and blogging. The production values are decent for a made-for-TV movie, though the sound quality is inconsistent. The costumes and set decor are even more beautiful than I’d hoped, and I’m enjoying Colin Firth’s pre- Pride and Prejudice boyish good looks.
LOVELY THEATER: Mary Poppins
It seems like so long since a nice children’s musical came to Seattle. I’m so excited that Mary Poppins will arrive here in May. Mary Poppins has never been one of my favorite movies, but I do enjoy all the songs, and I’m so in the mood for a colorful, fun, positive show. My niece lives too far away to invite her to come enjoy it with me, unfortunately. But there are a couple young children here in Seattle who call me “Aunt Carrie” and might love to see this play. I’m not ashamed to see it without children or even by myself if I have to!
If Mary Poppins is coming to your town, are you eager to go see it?
LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:
Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake (Leite’s Culinaria)
Cooking Up A Whole New Form of Art (Newsweek)
Cupcakes Inspired by the Runway (Fashion Tribes)
7 Healthy Mardi Gras Cocktails for a Less-Fat Tuesday (Blisstree)