Spick and span and ready to go.
Sep. 23rd, 2009 02:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jadesfireToday I am awesome because I only had one piece of chocolate brownie not two, because I walked all the way to work and because I cleared a large heap of books before lunch. Oh, and last night I hoovered the flat and wiped down most of the skirting boards. I'm on a bit of a cleaning kick right now, that I'm hoping will turn into habit. Reading The Cleaning Bible is definitely inspirational, and the one piece of advice that I've decided to adopt is "if it takes longer than 5 minutes, you're not doing it often enough." Now, it takes longer than 5 minutes to hoover the whole flat, but it does only take 15 if I do it twice a week. Ditto wiping down the skirting boards, dusting things and cleaning the bath round. I'm not a naturally tidy person, but I'm finding keeping the place clean and tidy enormously good for my peace of mind and hugely satisfying. It's going to be interesting to see how long this lasts - usually my 'new habits' fizzle out after 6 weeks, so I shall keep reporting back.
One of the things that definitely spoils you in Oxford is living in college accommodation. Not at all colleges, but in most of them, someone comes and cleans your house and empties your bin every day. 'Scouts' are as much a part of the Oxford University fabric as the Porters. But I'm starting to realise that what education doesn't teach you is how to actually look after yourself. Because my mother was on her own, she worked full time and was out two or three evenings a week, so I learned to cook and do the washing. But just the general household running wasn't something I was ever interested in (I was going to get an EDUCATION, why would I need to know anything else?), and I never really thought about it. Now? Now I'm starting to discover that I'm not the only woman in her late twenties who realises that she's got a good degree, a half-decent job and some basic skills, but we also need what would have been (disparagingly) called "housewife" skills that our grandmothers had.
I'm not going anywhere with this, incidentally. Just...I'm learning new things and like to share :) My focus has always been on my education, my work and my hobbies. Now, with friends being further away and therefore coming into our home more, I'm finding that I want to MAKE it a home and that I have a houseproud gene after all. It probably sounds stupidly obvious to most of you, but it's a new thing for me!
I also had a lovely coffee/lunch with knitting friends, and my little stained-glass window cross-stitch is coming on nicely. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy making things, and while I can't knit or crochet, just doing something with my hands is good for my brain.
Anyway, that's me today. What about you, flist? How are you awesome today?
One of the things that definitely spoils you in Oxford is living in college accommodation. Not at all colleges, but in most of them, someone comes and cleans your house and empties your bin every day. 'Scouts' are as much a part of the Oxford University fabric as the Porters. But I'm starting to realise that what education doesn't teach you is how to actually look after yourself. Because my mother was on her own, she worked full time and was out two or three evenings a week, so I learned to cook and do the washing. But just the general household running wasn't something I was ever interested in (I was going to get an EDUCATION, why would I need to know anything else?), and I never really thought about it. Now? Now I'm starting to discover that I'm not the only woman in her late twenties who realises that she's got a good degree, a half-decent job and some basic skills, but we also need what would have been (disparagingly) called "housewife" skills that our grandmothers had.
I'm not going anywhere with this, incidentally. Just...I'm learning new things and like to share :) My focus has always been on my education, my work and my hobbies. Now, with friends being further away and therefore coming into our home more, I'm finding that I want to MAKE it a home and that I have a houseproud gene after all. It probably sounds stupidly obvious to most of you, but it's a new thing for me!
I also had a lovely coffee/lunch with knitting friends, and my little stained-glass window cross-stitch is coming on nicely. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy making things, and while I can't knit or crochet, just doing something with my hands is good for my brain.
Anyway, that's me today. What about you, flist? How are you awesome today?
