Spring Cleaning

I wrote last week about having the air ducts replaced in my house. Naturally, drywall had to be cut to allow installation of new return vents, and just as naturally, drywall dust settled on every surface, large and small alike, in the entire house. This is certainly not the only reason for a thorough cleaning, but merely the most recent. So, one room at a time, I’m cleaning every surface, every item. This requires picking up each book on each shelf, as well as a host of other items. I’m taking this opportunity to throw away unneeded or obsolete items, and to store properly all the things I want to keep. I consider this a long-term task, expecting it to take up to four weeks to complete. But I intend to have my house clean and organized throughout, perhaps for the first time in my life.

The same bug has followed me to my office this week. I’m on a roll now, having organized my books and notebooks, files and records. Wow! It feels good.

After everything is in place, I can spend much more time writing. (This is a story I keep telling myself; the only variable is the task that must be finished first.) When I’m busy doing something else, I plan what I’m going to write, or how I’m going to mend something already written. But somehow, I can’t settle down to write until the to-do list is empty. Anyone got any suggestions for how to get over this?

Several students who have been with me for two years or longer (Kelly M. has been with me for four years) are graduating this year. I’ll miss them even as I wish them well as they embark on new adventures. And I’ll start the attachment process with their replacements. (Gee, that sounds just like a teacher, doesn’t it?)


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