FALL CLEANSINGS 5

Saturday, I began to clean out the inside of the dresser that I cleaned the top of on Thursday/Friday. The dresser itself was made by my maternal grandfather, who worked as a carpenter. It was loaded with dishes, bowls, and 'bits n pieces', all of which belonged to my parents, rather than self. Inside, plates, bowls, rolling pins and loads of junk sat...

I have my own belongings and not much use for the stuff left behind by my parents. I use an Indian serving bowl as my main bowl/plate for example - not chipped/stained china platters, bowls, saucers...

Much washing up, wiping out, lining with face cloths, and piling of excess stuff into garbage/the junk room went on. However, I now have a dresser that is full of things that I will use rather than things I will not - such as jelly jar covers, piles of plastic tubs, stained and rusted graters, chipped plates, and 5 dirty/dusty piping bags!!!!

I also cleared half the 'wine closet' but more about that when I finish it off. For now, I will leave you with a photo of the dresser, now that it is cleaned over and set with my own stuff.

FALL CLEANSINGS 4

5 days after my father passed away, I planned a day at home. I had 4 deliveries and 4 collections, a few phone calls and a friend over to coffee, all on the agenda. One of the collections was the amassed collection of equipment my father had accumulated over the years. When I first arrived back from Australia in 2009, he had a bath seat, perching stool, and not much else. After his bowel op, then subsequent UTI troubles, each hospital stint brought him home with yet more equipment. He amassed almost enough to open a shop with just that which were on loan from the NHS!

As you can see, the room had much more room in it after the equipment had all been taken away - as does the phone table without a lifeline! However, this room did not remain a room for long, soon turning into a pile of stuff when my son camping in the upstairs 'store room', emptied out everything he did not want so he could actually have his own room, after removing a desk my grandfather had constructed - leaving a pile of dust and dead slaters.

sigh...

FALL CLEANSINGS 3

Next job was to tackle the toilet. I spring cleaned the room only 2-3 days after my father passed, using the weekend to recuperate from the sudden onslaught of red tape rigmarole -documents, appts, phone calls, emails all flying at me and needing my organized attention.

I began by dismantling the wooden framed bubble wrap contraption my father had put up in lieu of double glazing. I do not use a heater, so double glazing is basically a waste of money and quite unnecessary - plus I did not want old dusty wood and bubble wrap in 'MY' loo. The end result, a clean room with a few upgrades on the horizon. (thinks PAINT!)

I chose to potter on over to Asda and collect one or two nice things cheaply - including a new baking sheet, which I hope you will agree was almost necessary rather than pleasurable.

 

My final September chore was to empty out the airing cupboard of my father's t-shirts, jumpers, socks, underpants, and pyjamas.

FALL CLEANSINGS 2

I took a few pictures of the house that had suddenly become mine in order to give myself ideas and incentive to 'get the place up straight'. The hallway was a bit of a mess, as were dad's room, the kitchen and the pink & white room. 

The bathroom cabinet was the first area I turned out and cleaned over - alas, it did not look much better despite my now being able to put my own stuff in it instead of mother/fathers' unused junk. It needs a paint or replacement!

 

 

I then proceeded to remove the dusty rag from the pantry door, along with my mother's animal-free info chart and mantra. I then took a break from dust and went out to dig over some veg plot.

FALL CLEANSINGS 1

You can expect a larger quantity of pasts from now onward, as I lost my father and gained his house just over a week ago. Now, I not only have more time at my disposal, but I also have ownership of these walls, floors and ceilings - and consequently more say in what happens within them. But firstly, shall we flip back to September...

 

This was how my alter looked until a few weeks ago. Frankly, a mess. Crammed between a bedside cabinet and bookshelf, with piles of books, vinyls, and computer junk in front, it needed attention. It was when I purchased a Vajra and Bell, that I decided to spring clean the alter. 

 

 

Firstly, I removed everything from the table which at one point belonged to my grandparents, I understand. I cleaned the table and reassembled my belongings. This is the result...

Ah yes, my favored chore of pantry organizing appealed more than any further turning out of what was at this point still my father's house. The fridge/freezer looked well stocked for our family's various oddities of diet and my father's upcoming 90th.

 

Luckily my father was still alive and at home on his actual 90th birthday, although not well. It was a shame, but he was only able to eat a chocolate cookie and an apricot, leaving much food over his party guests had departed that evening. This is the last photo I took of my father - enjoying his chocolate cookie as best he could. The next day I had to call the ambulance, he went into hospital, and passed away several days afterward.