Everything old is new again?

Recently, my mother-in-law regaled us with stories about a rolling store, a peddler in a converted bus that traveled through rural areas, bringing staples and what-nots to those living in remote areas.  With a twinkle in her eye she sheepishly bragged that she was a little miserly  with the gum she was able to buy from that rolling store, only giving half a piece to classmates who asked her to share.  Times were tough and money was scarce; I'm sure she didn't get "gum money" very often, so it was a precious commodity on the playground.

Back when personal transportation was extremely limited, mail order was another way to obtain things you needed or wanted but couldn't get locally.  My grandparents' generation treasured the Sears-Roebuck catalogs (and recycled them when rolled toilet paper was a luxury few could indulge in.)

1966: Bet I had this dogeared

As a child, I remember anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Sears Wishbook catalog each fall, poring over it to make a list for Santa.  It mattered little if I got any of the specific items I picked out...it was indeed a book for inspiring wishes and dreams.

With our first home, I fearlessly forayed into gardening.  But I quickly realized the local stores' selection of plants and seeds was pretty limited.  So I visited the Tulsa Garden Center Library and jotted down addresses to send away for catalogs.  Ever since, I have been rewarded with a steady stream of gardening catalogs in my mailbox. Like the old wish books, they're filled with photos and tantalizing descriptions that inspire hopes and dreams, especially in the dead of winter.

When we prepared to move into this home, one of the first to-do's involved removing old carpet and replacing it with hard flooring.  I had researched hard wood vs. laminate, and given our budget and age of kids, I opted for laminate flooring.

The only sources of laminate available were flooring showrooms and big box stores with a limited selection of pricey laminate.  And...I had the Internet.  My husband's family thought I was crazy, but I happily hopped online and ordered hundreds of square feet of discount flooring, going on nothing more than a description and a website picture.  I'm happy to report that ten years later, the floors have withstood traffic from skidding kids, cats, dogs and daily living, and look great.   If you think that my purchase was crazy, let me introduce you to my better half, who has bought BMWs and a hot tub on eBay!

Ten years later, I still love ordering stuff, and it keeps getting easier.  Boxes with books, plants, dishes, purses, pots and pans show up on my doorstep.  The mail carrier might wonder what I do with all that stuff from Oriental Trading.   (I teach 3rd grade Bible class - do you really need more explanation than that?)  This method of buying is really nothing new; the concept is at least as old as those old mail order catalogs and peddling buses.  It's just a little easier nowadays to search to the ends of the earth for what your heart desires and have it delivered right to your door.

My favorite part of throwing a party

I should preface this by saying I think I'm a fairly typical housekeeper...there's a little clutter that accumulates, but the house is reasonably clean underneath the daily stuff.  But when I throw a party, my otherwise latent OCD tendencies kick into high gear and I feel compelled to do things like arrange my socks by color, artfully organize the pantry contents, or repaint the laundry room or garage.  You know, things that are highly unlikely to be seen--let alone appreciated--by guests.

A party is also a good impetus for thoroughly cleaning and organizing anything that's been bugging me. Rarely do I just stow something away unsorted, and for the record, I can say I have NEVER been tempted to use my oven, clothes dryer or dishwasher as temporary storage.  (I know a lot of people who confess to having done that, so if you're one of them and you were smirking at my OCD-ness, just remember we all have our little quirks.)

And sometimes it's a good excuse to "spruce things up a bit," like my last-minute notion to  display my great-grandmother's vintage aprons.

I guess it's fair to say that my parties tend to come with a bit of self-imposed stress.   But I love entertaining, so it's the price I'm willing to pay. So what is my favorite part of throwing a party?

Well, it's not tidying up, although a looming red-letter day on the calendar does tend to get me in the cleaning spirit.

The cooking is fun (but it also makes another mess AND there is the risk of a "dud"), so it's really not my favorite thing about entertaining either.

Having a great time with our guests?  That's certainly a high point.

But my very favorite part of having a party?  Don't tell the guests, but sometimes it's the after-the-party.  We don't throw "swing from the chandelier with a lampshade on your head" type parties, so cleanup is usually a breeze - pop a few serving pieces in the dishwasher, toss or refrigerate any leftovers, and take out a bag of trash, and it's done.

After the guests are gone, the house looks great, my little clutter piles have been dealt with, my decor has been snapped into focus, and some area of our house might even sport a new paint job.  I can kick back, smile, and enjoy the memories of a fun time with family or friends, and not have to worry about mopping or organizing my closet, at least for a few days.

Today's Secret Sister brunch was wonderful - I am blessed to have so many caring and fun Christian women in my life.  And judging from the food we enjoyed today, our 2010 cookbook is going to be chock-full of extra-yummy brunch recipes.

Next weekend, we just might get to see some old, err longtime friends from Oklahoma who are coming through.  Wonder what I might accomplish before they arrive?

Clean Desk Mission: Week 5

It looks like I have passed the one-month milestone for a clean desk.  How is it looking?  Well, here it is today.

Yes, the inbox is getting a little full.  Thanks for pointing that out.  One of today's missions is to tackle it and get it back under control before it gets any messier, then dust the desk.

And so you know the "rest of the story" (with apologies to the late Paul Harvey), here's the stack of stuff that is currently piled on the floor next to my desk.

I don't count it as part of the desk, because it is not allowed ON the desk.  But it needs to be dealt with ASAP.  What is it?  Well, it's the leftover kindergarten curriculum printouts from a project I'm wrapping up this week; new curriculum for our 3rd-5th graders (classes start next Wednesday - woohoo!); a binder full of youth ministry forms that I need to sort and organize and give to our youth minister next Tuesday; a box of plastic sheet protectors for a recipe project I've got goin' on; and unsorted mail from yesterday.  (Oooh, is that a new Better Homes & Gardens issue peeking out? I guess that will be my reward for culling through the pile today.)

My little green orphan doodad has not been tossed out, as threatened.  It's been joined by a compression fitting.  Like the green thingamajig, I have no clue what it goes to or who put it here, (but at least know what  it is.)  Wonder what cute little offspring these two might morph up?  If I leave them alone overnight, I might find out...

I can't brag about my stupendous photo file organizing efforts; too many other urgent things took priority this week.  But there's always next week, right?