Spring cleaning

Yes, I know it is July, but Madame decided that today was the day that she would wash her carpets. Having watched Bee-boy’s dad using his karcher pressure washer to clean segments of bee hive, she had decided that it was just what she needed to do a proper cleaning job.
The two rugs were spread out on my new patio area, and after some technical instruction, from Bee-boy’s dad and she was up and running. First the carpet was watered, then cleaning liquid was sprinkled on the tapis.

Bee-boy’s mother also watched the proceedings as we struggled not to laugh at the carpet scene unrolling before us.
Next came the scrubbing with a brush which she keeps for use only when cleaning her carpets.
The next stage was chasing off the soap suds with the pressure washer.

Madame was enjoying herself so much, that door mats and my ground floor corridor carpet all got the same treatment. One obvious problem that I could see was that the patio was not sufficiently sloping to let the dirty water run swiftly to the drain, instead it gathered underneath the carpet.
“What a pity that I just threw out all of those pallets” I said, you could have put the carpets on top of them to hose the carpets down better”. Well one tries to find useful suggestions when one can.
The final stage was to drape all of the washed carpets over various railings.
A job well done, and one that would have normally taken her all afternoon just to clean two carpets!Next year I must sell tickets.

3 November 2008 Monday - shelfish

It was a wide awake night last night, not helped by the heavy rain.
A dry day has been forecast after the drenchings of the last two days, so the washing machine goes on first thing.
I start fixing the rails and shelves back onto the alcove walls. Bad news is that I omitted one of the brackets and there are 3 holes missing. I poke match sticks at the wall, but can only find one hole. Even using that hole I cannot find the other 2. Did I fill them in?
Time to find the electric drill.
Rails and shelves finally in place, I start hanging up coats, suits, trousers etc that have been living in drawers or suitcases. I find the curtains that S altered to fit over the alcove and that is another job done.
I attack the sticking bathroom door, which refuses to not stick, but which is now slightly easier to open and close.
I sweep and mop the apartment floors.
The tenant and his visitors finally go out late morning, so I sweep the staircase and entrance corridor, then start mopping.
Of course Daveed’s family, for that is who they are arrive just as I am about to mop the entrance hall.
Most of the washing is dry now, so I take it upstairs and this leads to drawer re-arrangement.
This in turn leads to some more putting away of things in cupboards.
I am on a roll.
Just an apple for lunch and the family go out again. I just have time to croak along to the petite messe CD once before they return.
I don’t think I’m cut out for this singing lark. My voice is getting worse.

I have been trying to pin down my house insurance man for a multirisque policy since September. I finally chase him again by email and receive a reply that he proposes visiting me tomorrow morning to progress things.
It has been rather a dull day, but progress has been made.