Today on my lunch break I enjoyed looking through Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management. I’m enjoying the chapter on the confidence to be the Mistress of your house, as well as the chapter on the Mistress’s second in command, the Housekeeper. (In my house, with my budget, I have to play both roles!)
Though written so long ago (the 1860s), I find the advice still very helpful. And there are sooo many recipes in this book! I suspect I’ll still be leafing through this later tonight after dinner.
QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:
- Make plans for your Memorial Day Weekend, if you haven’t already.
- Today would be a great day to shop for Memorial Day weekend supplies (hotdogs and buns, potato salad, corn, watermelon, marshmallows and graham crackers, beer?) because stores will be crowded on Friday and the weekend.
- If you’re traveling, camping, or doing a road trip for Memorial Day, why not pack today so you’re done and ready to go?
- Make plans for Fourth of July travel or festivities.
- Pay bills now so they’re done by the 1st of the month.
- Wipe down one appliance in your kitchen if there are any that need it. I can do my stove/oven, refrigerator, or dishwasher in just the time it takes to heat water for tea.
TODAY’S PROJECT: Bathroom
Today, in between work, caring for pets, and going out to dinner, I’ll thoroughly clean one of my three bathrooms. I don’t want to spend my Memorial Day Weekend cleaning, so I’ll do a nice project every night this week and relax on the weekend.
If I clean one bathroom thoroughly per week, my three bathrooms get cleaned a little more often than once a month. That’s not quite often enough, so I want to remind myself to clean all three at the same time sometimes. When you have all the cleaning supplies out and ready, you might as well keep going if you have the time!
It will take me less than twenty-five minutes to scrub the toilet and shower, wipe down the toilet tank, mop the floor, scrub two sinks, wipe the counter and mirror, empty the trash, and wipe down the walls. I’ll swap out the four towels, two hand towels and bathroom rug for clean ones, and start laundry washing while I’m at dinner. Tonight it won’t take but a moment to toss the washed bathroom towels into the dryer and take them out to fold before bed.
I’ll be removing makeup, moisturizing, and brushing my teeth in a sparkling clean bathroom tonight!
LOVELY BLOGS: The Nesting Project
“A working girl’s account of nesting dangerously.” I wish when bloggers put an About Me page they’d put their name in there so you know how to reference them! This girl blogs about domesticity, baking, cooking, knitting, etc.
Recent enjoyable posts include Chocolate Cherry Waffles, Sweet Potato Pancakes, and Raspberry Chocolate Pancakes. (I’m sensing a breakfast theme here!)
http://www.nesting-project.com/
LOVELY FASHION: Kate Spade’s Straw Hat
This hat just embodies summertime to me. I don’t look good in yellow, I think, so I probably won’t buy it. But I love looking at the picture and fantasizing about wearing a straw hat on the beach on a warm summer day, with nothing to do but relax, read a magazine, and figure out where to go for dinner!
Boardwalk Stripe Straw Hat, at Kate Spade
LOVELY FOOD: Summer Getaway Cookies
These are a bit expensive to treat myself to, though they are adorable. I’ll likely buy them as a hostess gift when I travel to a beach house this summer.
Summer Getaway Cookies, at Dean & Deluca
LOVELY HOME: Fondue Set
Summertime is a bit warm to be serving fondue, but with Seattle’s continued rainy days in May and probably early June, I could just get away with serving fondue in this adorable, colorful set. Maybe I’ll skip the cheese course and go straight to the chocolate and strawberries!
Jonathan Adler Fondue Set, at Barney’s
LOVELY QUOTE FOR TODAY:
“You will find that the mere resolve not to be useless, and the honest desire to help other people, will, in the quickest and delicatest ways, improve yourself.” –John Ruskin
LOVELY WEBSITES: Matchbook Magazine
Yet another one of the new trendy online-only digital magazines. This one celebrates “classics – shaken and stirred.” They cover fashion, art, decor, travel and culture.
You can read about the Matchbook girl (She could live happily off of red cake forever), and “thumb through” the lovely May issue. This month’s articles include a tour of Charleston, a visit to a San Francisco boutique and a jewelry designer’s studio, and a whole bunch of articles on wedding planning.
LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:
Flowers in the Mail (Bakerella)
Kate Spade’s Orange Julius Smoothie Recipe (Kate Spade)
Listgeeks, a Social List Making Tool for the Organizationally Obsessed (Lifehacker)
-Carrie
Copyright 2011
Joy to the World
Ooo those towels are delicious!