Saturday, April 25, 2020

Window Washing Saturday

     My how laundry can pile up even with three people home considerably  more than before. That's a task today, as well as getting some comforters and other bedding washed and hanging outside. DD2 has a lot of school work this weekend, plus some studying to do for her finals as the semester ends this week. I'm going to search for cardboard to lay over the spot we sort of cleaned up, and hope that will get the last of the weeds to die out, making it easier to pull up and then till for the seedlings to go in. My other task this weekend is getting out windows on the main floor washed, inside and out. My back is already not happy with the thought of it, but it needs to be done. I'll make a warm vinegar water solution to get the yuck off outside, then  the same in a spray bottle to get them squeaky clean. I usually recycle the newspaper quickly, but kept Thursday's for this purpose. At some point I'll probably just spray the send floor windows from the outside.

     I hate window washing, but it is a job that the results justify the loathing. The sun craves shining through a clean window, and I need that sun to shine through as much as possible. What's your opinion on this task? For some reason I and one or two of my daughters get charged with this job at the lake. My mother-in-law, who is very neat tends to oversee and it drives us a little bonkers. The windows they put in are the type that come down, then flip out so you can actually wash both inside and out from inside. But, they are very heavy, hence why it is a two person job when we get to that point. She can't to this job, but doesn't go elsewhere so sits and watches, pointing where she thinks we missed a spot, even though usually it is a shadow or a speck of paper from the toweling. It is a once time a year thing, so I suck it up. The rest of the year is more spot cleaning as needed. Once we can freely move around more, I think I might take a vacation day on a Thursday and go with DH and clean the windows without her there and give myself a year off of scrutiny. 

     What else is on my agenda? At some point this morning I'll do my mom friends weekly low impact work out. If I am motivated by the time she goes live, I'll join at 9:00. I don't even remember what I was planning for supper, but last night ended up just being leftover burgers for DH, along with cous cous and sweet potatoes. I had a couple  flatbread wraps that needed to get eaten so I made a sort f margarita pizza by putting some olive oil, a little cheese, spinach and some sliced cherry tomatoes and popped under the broiler. It ended up being a cross between a  savory cracker and very thin pizza. and quite tasty. No waste on the wraps, plus there is a bit of all, except the burgers for lunch. We're going to do a fire tonight. My sister who lost her husband recently may stop over, safely distanced in the back.  We back up to a park, so technically, she wouldn't even need to come to our yard if we wanted to be so strict, but I think we are honoring the guidelines. 

     My coffee is done and I'm going to throw that first load in the wash, grab a cup, and then read through blogs. I'll see where my motivation is by 9:00 for the work out. I've got the whole day to keep busy. What's on your plans today? Anyone else window washing or planning a back yard fire?

22 comments:

  1. My current motivation is nonexistent! LOL I started the dishwasher as that wasn't done last night and put a movie on for the boys. We might go to park later as my sister wants to meet up for an outside visit. I have more laundry to do but don't want to. Not sure what I will doing today other than that. I am so over being at home.

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    1. Well I got much of the windows cleaned and laundry caught up. Success. I'm not supervising school, so you need to do what gives you all the needed breaks.

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  2. I hate cleaning windows! It's been a couple years, so I really need to do it soon... Ok, if I'm honest, it's been longer than that, just a vague memory.Celie

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    1. At least 1x year I do a good clean then spot cleaning as needed. The back patio just gets gross.

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  3. I was up around 3 and had trouble falling back asleep and am just now getting a late start. But it’s supposed to be a gorgeous day, 66 and sunny so I will be outside as much as possible. Our windows could certainly use a good cleaning too. Sweep off the porch, clear some debris. A fire this evening would be lovely. Maybe make some s’mores with leftover Easter chocolate and peeps? Enjoy your day! JoAnn

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    1. We had a perfect fire- followed by a bath for our soot covered dog! It was awful.

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  4. My windows need washing too. I don't enjoy it either - mostly because they never seem to get clean and always still have spots and streaks. I'm going to try the warm vinegar! what's the ratio of vinegar to water?

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    1. I just probably dump 1/2 to a cup in a couple quarts of warm water. Its cheap and more natural than Windex. I keep vinegar in a spray bottle as well.

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  5. I hate window washing, tend to only do it when it gets terrible. I need to plant some of the things I've been growing and flowers I've managed to collect this week. I like to do it gradually rather than all one shot so it doesn't get overwhelming. The rain might alter that plan but we will see. I have hubby hooked on vinegar now, he used to use all sorts of chemicals to clean things like the car, outside of the house etc. As long as I keep a good supply now things are way cheaper and less chemically which is wonderful

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    1. I need to repot a couple houseplants today. It did seem sunnier after cleaning.

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  6. Window washing is one of those tasks that I outsource without a second thought. I have them professionally washed twice/year, in spring and fall. These windows will probably miss their spring cleaning, though. Yes, there is nothing quite like the sun coming in through a clean window.

    Regarding your garden spot...you can do what is called a "lasagna" bed garden if you want to avoid pulling/tilling. It was an idea given to us by an organic farmer here when my son asked about tilling for a bee garden. Turns out the farmer doesn't believe in tilling. What he instructed us to do is lay some dark plastic, (garden stores sell this stuff specific to this job, but it's very spendy, so you can use Hefty bags, or old shower curtains) over the spot in fall and weigh it down. Over the winter the lack of light will cause weeds or grass to die, and enrich the soil below. So, in spring, you pull up the plastic, and voila...a nice, fertile plot, easy to work over with a hoe, and ready to plant. BUT, if it's spring, and don't have that time to spare, (as we didn't) you simply lay the plastic down, then lay cardboard on top of the plastic, then lay compost (in my case it was dirt from another part of our acreage) over that, and plant away. The cardboard will decompose, creating more dirt. Come Fall, after harvest, you can dig down and pull up the plastic if you want, but it isn't necessary. The plastic helped keep weeds from encroaching in that area, and over two years, since we added compost every spring, I had an attractive bit of height difference between my bed and the rest of the lawn. What weeds did find their way in were a breeze to pull up.

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    1. Lucky you to oursource. Since I do once a year and then spot clean, I think I'll save the funds for other jobs. S little late for this year to learn that tip but I'll remember come fall.

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  7. I hate washing windows but my living room windows catch the sun and I can only ignore it so long. I also use water and vinegar (although I've never heated it - will give it a try) but still they never seem to get really clean. I hope you did your workout!

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    1. The warm is as much because I hate my hands in cold water, but I think it does clean a bit better too. I confess, no work out.

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  8. I am not good at window washing, so Hubs does a poor job at it.

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    1. I'm not meticulous, why I like to use a bucket and cloth. Much easier and does a better job than spraying.

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  9. I do not mind washing windows. But, now with both torn rotator cuffs, it is so difficult I quit doing it. Tommy has lived here since 1985 and never washed a window. So, I need to at least clean at them. Neither of us can climb a ladder, so not much will get cleaned.

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    1. I'll hire out as Meg B does when I get to that point. I feel clean windows are my portal to spring and summer.

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  10. I usually do window washing when I clean a room. But it’s so tedious and not my favourite job!

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    1. I'll spot clean with towel and spray, but I do muliple windows in the spring.

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  11. I do wash the windows quarterly, but the windows at the kitchen table are an effort in futility. As soon as I wash the outside of the first window and move to the second, the spiders have already started spinning new webs.

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    1. Quarterly is high achieving! I do have to dust and spot clean in some rooms more often.

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