Sunday, September 13, 2009

I am a domestic goddess and I don’t care who knows it

Yeah, not really. But today, I cleaned the breakfast nook.

The way I saw it, I had two choices when I woke up this damp, drizzly morning. I awoke at 10, very late for me, but it was due to the fun and interesting wedding I attended the night before in Philadelphia (partial post below). One choice was to stay in my pajamas and enjoy the laziness that such attire calls for. Or I could choose to be really energetic and do some cleaning. For a change.

I was leaning towards the pajamas but changed my mind while eating my Cheerios in the breakfast nook a short time later.

Lord have mercy, was it ever messy in there.

DSC_0219 copy 2

So I moved all the furniture out, swept the floor and then scrubbed it. I don’t know what possessed me to take photos of it, but there you go. This is a photo of the breakfast nook with the old hunter wallpaper [explanation here] after I’ve scrubbed the floor.

DSC_0226 copy 2

The print hanging on the wall on the left is actually a puzzle that my husband and I did several years ago. He liked it so much, I put it in a frame for him.

It’s perfect for hiding the peeling wallpaper on the wall where it hangs, although it’s not covering all of it, as you can see.

Aren’t you glad you come here? Isn’t the peeling wallpaper just too exciting?

Today, I even put felt covers on the bottoms of the chairs after sanding them and cleaning them. And took photos of them.

Crazy? I care not.

I love Starbucks Double Shots. They were made for people who need an energy boost while doing chores.

After I finished scrubbing the floor to perfection, I put two coats of polish on it, letting it dry between applications. While it was drying the second time, I headed up to the licorice store to get a couple bottles of wine for whenever . . . just to get out of the house for awhile.

Ok. One of them was for tonight.

DSC_0230 copy 2

And then I came home and put all the furniture back in the room. I took a picture standing on the little set of steps that leads up from the mudroom door. I love a clean, shiny floor and am not afraid to admit it.

DSC_0227 copy 2

Well, hello there my little friend.

You know that saying? That the floor is clean enough to eat off of? Well, that’s this floor today.

DSC_0244 copy 2

While I was out, I picked up a nice little sirah because I’m sort of into that lately. I liked the hawk on the label, although that wasn’t my prime motivation for choosing this particular brand.

For a real wine review on this sirah, you can visit here [link]. My friend Cathy, at Noble Pig also has excellent wine reviews. (And will soon have her own vineyard!)

DSC_0241 copy 2

I will say that this Petite Sirah from Huntingdon Wine Cellars hit the spot after a day of domesticity at the manor house.

Oh, yeah.

Until tomorrow, my friends . . .

33 comments:

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Goodness me, what a thorough cleaning! I don't know if we would dare invite you into Necky Knoll House after reading this - our floors haven't seen polish for many moons! :)

CHummelKornell said...

What a great post! You breakfast nook (including peeling wall paper) is lovely. How great it must feel to have accomplished so much after the day you had yesterday. "Domestic Goddess" just doesn't seem to say enough. The wine is a nice touch, though.

Country Girl said...

Well, Raph, I would have shuddered if you'd seen it earlier! I was only kidding about being a domestic goddess . . .

Country Girl said...

Welcome C Hummel Kornell/C Hummel Wilson (my heavens, that's quite some name!)

~ C.G.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Martha!!! I love your sparkling clean floor and I particularly love how your dog matches your floor - only you would go out and buy a dog to match your floor OR lay a floor to match your dog.

What? You're not Martha? Could have fooled me!

Great post. ;)

Gail said...

Perfect finish to a successful day.

Unknown said...

Such energy! Surely you put many of your blogging friends to shame. Like me!

I still love that wall paper. And your pink countertops.

Anonymous said...

I have light colored tile floors as well and they show EVERYTHING! Next house I want dirt brown colored tiles... that should mean less cleaning required, right?

Di

Leenie said...

Hey, a sparkley clean floor is worth a post and some photos in my book. I did about the same a year ago. Guess I should clean that floor again. ;). Always love the George photos.

Deb said...

I have a thing for clean floors too! I can't help myself!

Sweetpea said...

Oh my goodness. I think you have inspired me to clean something. Would you mind sending George over tho. Think I need him to look at me thru a few pairs of chair legs in order to keep me motivated :>}} (luv that face!)

Skogkjerring said...

I love George...my leo girls love him too...I tried to scroll down to look at your wine and they nudged me to scroll up again....George is our hero...George is our friend...we Love George...

Now that you're done with your floors could you you please have a go at mine?? ;-))

My name is Riet said...

Wow, cleaning floors with everything out of the kitchen. Don't think I did that before. I might need to do that one of these days. Ouch. That glas of wine was a perfect end of the day. Have a great day.
Riet

Egghead said...

I'm still stuck on the wine part of your post. After looking at your sparkling floor then looking at mine....well I need that wine.

Hilary said...

I love George's little face.....if only he could talk....he would say....what is my mommy up to today???
Crazy woman.
I always am imagining what my dog and my cats are thinking/would say, if they could talk.
Who's crazy, eh?

Mary said...

Um..... I'm speechless. But I AM going to go out and find some Greased Lightening. Or can I go straight to the sirah? ;)

ELK said...

such energy...and humor...cheers Kate

Daryl said...

Amazing, I just looked, and my kitchen tile is still dirty I dont understand how it hasnt cleaned itself.

Mental P Mama said...

LOL. Well you sure put me to shame;)

Woman in a Window said...

You know, it might not be exciting exactly but married with your wit it's always a pleasure. Love your perspective on the world. Love the colours in that nook, too. Oh, and George, of course.
xo
erin

Michelle said...

Charming house, charming dog.... You lived a charmed life! :-) I know, full of irony considering what you and your have gone through, but there is still a measure of truth in my words.

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

I'll give you a case of that Huntingdon wine if you come scrub my floors.

noble pig said...

Love the kitchen, thanks for the shout out and I hope you enjoyed the wine!

abb said...

Got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed the flagstones in our entrance foyer. Totally took whatever sealer was on them off. Looked HORRIBLE! Had to reseal them with polyurethane. I will never clean again. The end.

Swetha said...

I loved the hanging in the wall!! its really good!
And you are a "Clean Freak" like me!
You have a wonderful dog, i love that shot!

tj said...

...Girl, you're a Goddess no matter which way! ;o)

...Love, love, love that breakfast nook of yours! I wish I had that breakfast nook and you had a feather - we'd both be tickled! *giggle*snort*

...And I second what CBW said up there! Just think, there'd be 3 shiny floors in this great land of ours and you'd have 2 cases of wine! Yeah baybee! lol...

...And love that photo of George! He looks like he's thinkin', "just what the hell are you doin'?"

...Blessings... :o)

cottage farm villa said...

Well, happy to hear you have a clean floor....but you know the photo of George caught my eye most and made me smile! LOVE HIM!!! Have a beautiful Sunday! :0)

Deb said...

What an exciting day for you!

Your breakfast nook looks marvelous!!!

Debra (a/k/a Doris, Mimi) said...

Goodness I am jealous! I also love the smell and look of clean floors. {sigh} If I provide the Sirah, would you like to come over to lend me a hand? If nothing else, we can sit, sip our wine, and watch the dust bunnies roll across the vast plains of my wood floors.

Jill of All Trades said...

Gosh, everybody spent the weekend cleaning. I spent it doing nothing. I need to get cracking!

Heather said...

Kate, this is a marvelous post!! I really enjoyed every bit, and of course, especially George. Sweet curiosity peeking at you there. He is adorable, Kate :)

GailO said...

You can bet that if I actually did that much cleaning it would be worthy of posting about too!...as it is, my particular kitchen flooring was chosen for it's distinct ability to never appear dirty:)

I thought for sure that the picture after George's cute face was going to be pictures of his footprints on that nice white floor!

Greener Pastures--A City Girl Goes Country said...

Your house has a lot of character. I love the sloping ceiling and the deep casement windows with the pimento-colored trim.

I remember in the old days, my mother used to wax all the floors once a week with Future. Remember that stuff?

www.GreenerPastures--ACityGirlGoesCountry.blogspot.com