I"m so sorry, Theo.

My friend went to her next stop on the visit, but it was lovely seeing her. But having someone stay here, even someone as kind and forgiving as her, reminded me of what a flith ridden nightmare my house has become. I've been cleaning up truly awful messes all day. Ugh.

Anyway the next step, besides finishing up some of the cleaning of course, is to color Easter eggs for tomorrow.

Damn, I forgot about Steph's lamb cake. That thing always makes me happy.

It will look like a scary disemboweled bunny.

We just ate the bow tie.

The lamb cake sounds wonderful.

Also this morning, my car started making a Dreadful Noise. But I took it to the nice little garage around the corner (as opposed to the Awesome Garage that rebuilt the engine, which isn't open on Saturdays) and they were able to diagnose and fix the tie rods and heat shield. That cost a shade over $200, but I was able to get out and Ubering for part of the afternoon, to at least defray the cost a little.

I feel like I'm on the hamster wheel of personal finances.

I went out and bought a bunch of small plastic bins to aid in the decluttering. It worked quite well: once I'd filled the trash bin and the plastic/paper recycling bin, I'd also put lots of stuff in the Thrift Store, non-magnetic metal, and magnetic metal bins. Plus the eBay and This Bears Further Study boxes. I think I went through two hours of the PBS home improvement shows while working, they were interesting enough that I didn't get bored just being in the room, but not so interesting that I looked up from working for more than five minutes at a time.

I need to start corralling various household chemicals and glassware to take to the pick-up next Saturday (no one around here recycles glass), and I'm planning on a trip to the metal recycler next Friday. The thrift store bin holds enough to fit into a grocery store bag, so I can decant that into a bag, put the bag in the car, and start tossing things as I come across them into the bin.

I also need to do another paper shredding session, I keep finding shoals of medical documentation that I'm not sending out into the world in a readable form.

I am not going to have a problem of too many plastic grocery bags for a while.

I am not going to have a problem of too many plastic grocery bags for a while.

Some groceries have bins where you can bring back plastic grocery bags for recycling, if you don't want all of them.

Theo, I'm so sorry.

We just brought a bunch of plastic bags to Mom's because she uses them for trash and we noticed she was out when were here last. We were overflowing because I ordered so much from Peapod this winter rather than going to the market with my reusable bags.

Since I do mostly reusable bags, I don't acquire nearly the amount I used to. When it hits critical mass, I take em to the field where someone put a bag holder ( same as I have, ikea) to a tree. For dog walkers.

I've survived 10 hrs of socializing, with an hour break for naps after the shower. Then went out to dinner and a friend came over who couldn't make the dinner. My houseguests are leaving my house pretty early, but may be stopping by on their way out. Whirlwind of a visit. Gonna happen again in May, though technically, they're just crashing here for a nap after driving through the night and will be staying elsewhere for the wedding.

Did not get stopped for driving blindfolded people around. Did turn a 15 minute trip into a 45 minute maze around town.

Whumph, I'm tired and wired.

Cleaned the downstairs and even got a shower before sister and her BF arrived. Success. I'm so much happier and calmer when my house is clean. I need to seriously work on ways to keep it that way. The method I've been using (avoid, berate myself constantly, then clean frantically whenever company is coming) is not really working out. I need a sustainable plan. The anxiety about cleaning is way worse than the actual cleaning; I need to write that on my mirror.

And for once the cats joined us instead of hiding because Other People were here, and were very well-behaved, so that was nice. The Other People were quite surprised that all the cats came when called by name.

Also got taxes done, finally. Refund is going straight into savings. My goal is to build my savings back up, to at least three months' worth of my income, by the end of August. I don't know if I can do it, but I'm trying. They say you should have six months' worth of your income set aside in case Something Happens, and that makes sense, but I've never actually had that. I don't know a lot of people who do. It almost feels scary, to contemplate having that.

Still wired. My cats are even asleep on me and that's after abandoning the strange new humans in the spare room. (Well, they both seem more fascinated by the boy. K,they know-and love her hair- from previous catsitting. The boy.. Well, both cats stuck their whole heads in his shoes. They were kinda stalkery.) I really want to like this boy, but I'm only managing tolerating. Awkward, but still tolerating another friend's husband 15 years in. Just as much who I am as they are.

I vacuum and mop every other week. It's the only way I can keep the fur in check. It leads to secondary cleaning. But my windows got filthy this winter (I blame blowing snow) and I don't wanna talk about dusting and clutter. But bygod, I will have clean floors.