I can’t believe I actually did it, or

 A clean desktop.

 

I finally had a bit of time to myself and with bills paid, letters and e-mails to various friends that I had neglected were first on the agenda.

 

Those done, my thoughts, and finally energy, turned to cleaning off my desktop.

 

There are many theories as to the validity of a clean desktop, most written by those who chose to see a cluttered desktop as a sign of creativity including Einstein’s

 

“If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign of?”

(sorry can’t resist: apparently even Einstein used dangling participles!)

 

"Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid altogether. A clean desk is a sign of a cluttered desk drawer. All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure." ~ Mark Twain

 

"If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, what is the significance of a clean desk?" ~ Laurence J. Peter, paraphrase of Einstein

 

"It's pointless to have a nice clean desk, because it means you're not doing anything." ~ Michio Kaku

 

"Clutter in its highest and most organized form is called collecting." ~ Ada Louise Huxtable

 

That being said every couple of years I make the effort: in between I simply sort important and less-so-important-but-need-to-keep-for-reference and offload the later onto another surface. I could probably solve every problem ever thought of, never mind give you details on minute projects, recipes, statistics or whatever. Sometimes I actually do find something worthwhile having saved, so it doesn’t encourage me to let go.

 

I finally tackled the desktop and am ashamed to report that amongst the “urgent-leave-it-on-the-desk” was an unopened birthday card from last year as well as a Christmas greetings from 2020! Help.

 

But in one afternoon I waded through the lot and to my credit only put one small pile of books on another flat surface. Most of the rest was filed or tossed.

 

I promptly told both my sister and sister-in-law, I mean what’s the point of doing it if no one knows? That is the problem in the first place as my office is downstairs and I am the only one ever using it.

Feels good, may actually do it more often, but don’t hold your breath. Here for prosperity is the proof.

 

 

Law and Order

-      If only for a day

We moved into our house May 2, 1981 and over the years I have very seldom actually been “home alone”, even after the death of my husband.

First of course, although the older son was studying in another city, the younger was still a minor and thus here.  Then there was the housemate, eventually her daughter for a while as well as her husband to be. Once they had all moved to their own homes it was son number two who returned. I did have a very brief period in 2016 when I had my broken shoulder where there was no one living here, but all in all in between family, friends, visitors (one of my names was “Hotel Julia”) I have always benefitted from having company.

I have been extremely lucky in that all these multiple “lodgers” only produced the very rare and usually when-I-was-too-tired clash. We all rubbed along very well indeed… with one notable exception: the kitchen. After I had the kitchen renovated in 2010 my whole goal was to keep the counter top neat (read empty mostly), the stovetop clean, polished and free of utensils, the sink empty and clean as well as the small sideboard. The table is black glass top and shows every crumb or streak as well.  And I like it all to look like no one has ever had a meal there.

Yesterday, my younger son moved back to his flat in town after having been here – with my permission – since January.

So what was more normal this morning than my deciding to put the kitchen back into “my” type of order. Scrubbed the back splash even and washed every piece of equipment allowed to stay on the counter-top.

Will it stay this way – hardly. Will I enjoy it while it does – greatly.

However, believe it or not, I’m already looking forward to my next lodger and more life in the kitchen. If only for the day works for me!

Now on to something a bit less smacking of household chores like my puzzle, sorting photos, sorting papers, sorting, sorting. The wash is well under way, I am invited to dinner tonight – oh heck, think I’ll go to the spa – everything else can wait now that my kitchen’s clean.

The counter top as I like it.

Kitchen - CLEAN - hadn't realized that there would be a cool reflection matching my place mats!