Things have been a little crazy at my house lately. We’ve had many projects under way simultaneously. In addition to the home craziness, my working overtime and Hannah’s summer basketball league have added to the chaos reigning here. Here’s a little insight.

Hannah decided that her bright Milbridge Elementary School orange room is no longer appropriate for a high school sophomore. She moved into the guest room while we pulled her room apart and repainted it a lovely, grownup pale blue. The last of the children’s toys (almost) have been banished to the dining room to sort for resale and Goodwill.

The guest room was dismantled as we play musical beds so we can turn the guest room into a TV room suitable for teens. A trundle day bed will make it multifunctional for those errant grandparents who are overdue for a visit. Hint, hint.Of course, this meant going through all the stuff in the guest room and making decisions about what stays and what goes – miscellaneous stuff, extra sheets, blankets, furnishings, etc.

While clearing out under the kitchen sink so Paul could fix a leaky drain, I discovered mold along the outside wall. No, not from the sink, but the outdoor spigot that was leaking in the wall. That meant the counter, kitchen sink and cabinet had to be yanked out, moldy drywall and insulation cut out, plumbing repaired, drywall replaced etc. Oh, and the mold also ran along the drywall into the next room, so the storage closet off the laundry room had to be dismantled as well. Guess where all that stuff went. My dining room that already had half a dozen bags of clothing we recently sorted from our closets and needs to go to the second-hand shop.

All of this leads to today. I was visiting with my friend, Carol. Stage-four breast cancer has her confined to home. Carol is a standing part of my Fridays so I can enjoy a few hours with her every week. She is very frustrated that she doesn’t have the energy to clean her house. She longs for a clean house (as do I!). She tells me this every week. I sat there today and looked around her home thinking, Huh. Looks pretty good to me. So, I pulled out my iPhone and showed her this:

She laughed hysterically and said, “Oh, I’m so glad you shared that with me.”

It’s all about perspective, right? Glad I could bring a little levity to your day, Carol!