Spring Cleaning

Spring has finally arrived; sure signs are the daffodils and dandelions. Bright, shiny accents against walls and posts; love the way they carpet hillsides and lawns although I am sure the lawn owner may not be as thrilled .


Another sure sign of spring is ‘spring cleaning’ time. I swear my almost 93 year old mother is related to ‘Mr Clean’. Scrubbing, scurrying, chasing dust that doesn’t exist! This is very serious business with my mother…. It means every cubby and cubicle is stripped, turned upside down, washed, polished and put back in order. Everything must absolutely gleam … in preparation of what I don’t know. Spring cleaning , and fall cleaning MUST BE DONE come hell, high water or whatever else. No excuse! She’s barely five feet tall and a regular little tornado.

Growing up with Mrs. Clean was a nightmare! Being her daughter at this age when it is spring cleaning time is beyond description The short of this is … she is legally blind, getting quite frail and these cleaning antics could cause serious injury. So, for the next ten days to two weeks my sister and I will be cleaning mother’s house!

Where she can no longer reach she uses her cane to empty cupboards. She is standing precariously on chairs with a sponge mop trying to clean windows that she can’t even see well. We hear all about her balancing acts and at such a distance we conjure all sorts of disasters. Better to go get it done and over with than to spend worrisome hours over what damage she may eventually do to life and limb..

So, Hi! Ho! … it’s off to mother’s we go with brooms and mops and pails.. Hope to be back to posting on my return in … well I am hoping for ten days, but it may well be two weeks.  And, if I am really nimble I may be able to escape for a few hours of sketching, definitely no painting of blog postings. 

Meanwhile, happy painting and enjoy spring!