Contributed by Marilyn Bennett
Spring is sprung. The dust is riz. I wonder where the vacuum is???
This year the first day of spring or the Spring Equinox in Palmer was March 20th at 8:15am, Alaska Time. The snow was melting that day; but until I can see the green grass, I have a hard time getting that “Spring Feeling”. I don't get too emotional until some time near the end of April.
Also, I definitely don’t feel like beginning my spring cleaning until mid-May.
Growing up in Minnesota, my mother would gather up all the throw rugs and large carpets about the 1st of May. She would hang them outside no matter what the temperature and give us kids paddles to beat the accumulated dust out of them. She would then open all the windows and start scrubbing floors and walls to rid the house of the accumulation of winter grime. Because of coal-fired furnaces in the houses back then, the walls and ceilings did need to be washed down.
Fast forward to today. Perhaps because of custom, habit or just spring fever, some of us get an uncontrollable urge to clean. In Palmer, we look with horror at the winter accumulation of glacier dust that has settled into every cranny of the house.
Wall to wall carpeting across America has given rise to the invention of the vacuum cleaner. That is one chore that I have always had great aversion to. I like this quote from Roseanne Barr: “I'm not going to vacuum until Sears makes one you can ride on.”
I have been happy since moving to Alaska that the house I am living in and the one I am moving to has no carpeting. However, the fine glacier dust is a new and unwelcome visitor to my home. I have been looking with great interest at the Roomba Robot.
This robot is a small, computerized cleaner that nips round your house, automatically brushing and vacuuming the floors. I hear it is even smart enough to know that it should go back over the particularly dirty areas. Also, the Roomba is low to the ground and so can easily creep under tables and chairs.
However, I have heard that if you have a pet, you might find two issues with a Roomba. First, the hairs will repeatedly clog up the bristles, which means you will have to be constantly cleaning the little bugger. Second, if your pet makes a mess on the floor, your Roomba will drive straight through it and spread it around your home. Finally your pet may decide to attack the little fellow.
Just thought I would end it on that cheerful note for the pet owners who are thinking about acquiring a robot. It certainly is giving me second thoughts.
Enough talking about cleaning. It is time for me to get busy and take that boot tray outside and shake out the dirt.
Gorgeous day outside. Maybe I should go for a short walk and leave the spring cleaning for mañana. How many of you remember the words of this old Peggy Lee song?
“The window she is broken and the rain is comin' in.
If someone doesn't fix it, I'll be soaking to my skin.
But if I wait a day or two, the rain may go away.
And who needs a window on such a sunny day?”
“(Mañana, mañana, mañana is soon enough for me.)”
Now, some advice for those of you who can’t rid yourself of the urge to clean. Watch the TV show, “The Hoarders”. It will make you feel really clean. If that doesn’t work for you, then use this time to get rid of clothing and excess items that have accumulated over the winter. Be sure to give your old clothing to a thrift store so cool teenagers can laugh at your favorite jacket. Although next year that retro jacket might be the new cool.
Next, put your imagination to work and come up with a way to recycle all your precious trash. Perhaps make yourself an outfit for the Wearable Art Show next year. Venetian blinds, VCR tape and paper bags are just a few of the items that were turned from trash to art last year. So have fun, sweep out the glacier dust, but remember:
Spring in Alaska is way too short to waste too much precious time on house cleaning.
