If You Give a Mom an Idea...

Sometimes I think that the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is actually based on the real life adventures of moms.  Seriously. 

Let me explain...

A few months ago, I had the bright idea that it was time to paint the laundry room.  My neighbor is a General Contractor and needed a little work and I really wanted to the laundry painted.  Unfortunately, in the middle of the project, he got "real" work and the area behind my washing machine and dryer have not matched the rest of the laundry room since then.  With the holidays put to bed for another year and temperatures in the mid 30s, I finally decided to pull the washing machine and dryer out of their area and paint their "cubby" myself today.  So far, so good, right?

Well, pulling out the washing machine and dryer out from the wall exposed the fur and other detritus of life that accumulated under those machines since the last time they were moved out from the wall.  Sigh.  Since the space I was going to be working in was very cramped, I needed to vacuum FIRST...so out comes the vacuum with the hoses, etc. 

Got vacuuming and cleaning done and I made short work of painting behind the machines...no big deal.  (I'll show you all when it all done...I have to make a cushion for a bench and put up some art.)

I was using the lovely utility sink that Superman made for me during his last vacation to clean all the painting paraphernalia and looked around my garage.  Big mistake. 

I actually saw the garage, darn it.  All the stuff that has been put off since before Thanksgiving suddenly "showed".  I couldn't deny the mess.  (Valiant seems to know where to find equipment, but not where to put it back, so it all gets "thrown" in the vicinity of where it belongs.)  Also, like my desk, if I know something belongs in the garage but I don't have time to deal with it, I instruct the kids to put in "on Dad's workbench and I deal with it later".  Well, later arrived today.  Cold or not, I needed to tackle this garage or we wouldn't be able to find a way in by Spring.

Armed with a space heater (it is so cold!), an iPod and speakers, and a broom and dustpan, I tackled the garage.  Again, it didn't occur to me to take a picture until I'd already begun digging out, but this is what it looked like when it occurred to me to share this journey with you.

It took 3 hours (!), but I got it done.   Superman's work bench is beautiful.  (I even changed the bulbs in the fluorescent light fixture!)  My work bench is beautiful. 
 

The plants I'm wintering are organized.  (The dead ones have to stay  until I can't get to the compost.)    I even repaired the dog kennel.

See, it is just like Give a Mouse a Cookie...one thing leads to another...

P.S.  Do you see that round thing in the AFTER of my workbench?  That is a $20 dining room table that I'm going to refinish when it warms up...I'm so excited.