What's cookin' good lookin'?

Last week I embarked on a massive cleaning, clearing, sorting, organising, painting, hammering, shifting and redecorating mission.

'One Word Week' was something I came up with to minimise blog time and maximise mission time.

Each day I chose a word that summed up my day, which in itself was challenging.

One Word Week is now over yet my mission is still going - so I'll continue to focus on short blogs.

This is a very exciting time for me. I can feel change stirring in my belly (and no, it wasn't last night's cannellini beans). While the source of my recent busying is a mystery to me, I know that I'm cooking up a storm - though I don't exactly know what (or why).

I am directing this bizarre burst of domestic energy and enthusiasm into altering my environment, despite not having any concrete plans. It's all a bit of a mystery, much like the way I cook. I simply start by chopping vegetables and the dish reveals itself. Perhaps the same will happen with my current domestic mission.

Until tomorrow, just start and see where it leads.

Grace xx

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Spot the Difference

Another mammoth day spring cleaning and I am completely exhausted.

My brain is too tired to come up with words and my eyes are too weary to notice spelling mistakes so I'm taking the easy way out...

I'm playing a game!

It's a time-honoured favourite called 'Spot the Difference'.

At first sight, you might be inclined to think that today's photo is the same as yesterday's, only there's something about it that you can't quite put your finger on it.

(It's a good thing you have 10 digits as that's how many you'll need to put on each of the differences)

I thought this bit of playful fun is quite apt after my bout of frenzied cleaning mania (which is still going I might add - at this rate I'll be cleaning till Christmas). To my eyes our kitchen looks completely different, however to someone who is not so intimate with the space, it just looks a little more sparkly.

Then I realised that this phenomenon doesn't stop at my freshly spruced up kitchen - it happens all the time. What about when you see someone for the first time after they've shaved off their moustache? changed their hairstyle? had cosmetic surgery? or acquired prescription eye wear? You just KNOW that there's something different about them, but you just can't pick it.

Equally, you don't notice when your cupboards start to bulge full of unwanted crap. You just know that you can no longer close your drawers, nor find your favourite serving spoons (which you later discover to be buried under 50kg (110 pounds) of useless utensils that you've never used in your entire adult life).

It's funny how our ability to spot differences is diminished when they're not side by side.

As much as I'd love to continue this conversation, my brain has just said "No more, we did a deal called Spot the Difference and you're about to breach it".

So with that, I bid you good night once more. Enjoy the game (answers in comments below) and I'm sure all this spring cleaning will amount to some incredible epiphany, which I'll be sure to share with you.

Until tomorrow, be observant and learn to spot differences - especially in cupboards, moods, behaviours and breasts.

Grace xx

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Spring Cleaning

I spent the day elbow deep in boxes, cupboards and containers as I cleaned, sorted, moved, dumped and organised my living space.

My clothes are dirty, nails are soft, fingers look like prunes and kitchen looks like a tornado went through it - and I feel great.

I am right in the midst of spring cleaning and am totally loving it.

I always thought 'spring cleaning' was as passé as chicken à la king and cherry advocaat. I imagined it was something a 1950's housewife would do between baking cookies and waiting for her hair in rollers to dry. I never envisaged myself doing it, much less loving it (sure I clean, but not SPRING clean).

It all happened organically.

After Mission Defrostible I developed a burning desire to reconfigure my cupboards and cull a few items that haven't seen the light of day in five years. However I came down with a cold the following day, and have consequently spent the last week nursing my miserable self.

This uncharacteristic urge to be domestic began to feel like an itch that I couldn't scratch. With each passing day, the metaphorical itch turned into a virtual body rash and I was completely consumed by a yearning to rework my kitchen.

When I roused this morning, I let out a little yelp of delight. I could once again breathe out of both nostrils (woohoo). Within minutes of Patrick departing for work, I got straight into my cupboards and did not stop till he returned ten hours later.

It's now very late. I'm extremely tired and am struggling to string sentences together. There's a very young John Wayne on the TV, which would indicate that we are now in the wee hours of the morning. So goodnight for now, it's off to bed I go.

How does the story end?

Tomorrow I'll let you know.

Until then, allow things to evolve organically and it feels like you're living orgasmically.

Grace xx

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Housekeeping

Sometimes, no matter where you are in the world, one needs to do some basic housekeeping.

While I acknowledge that housekeeping (AKA maintenance) is necessary, I find it utterly tedious - ESPECIALLY when travelling.

Keeping the laundry up to date, trimming toenails and eliminating unwanted bodily hair is such a bore - not to mention paying bills and sorting through the gazillion emails sitting in your inbox.

Sooooo not fun.

I reluctantly started 'housekeeping' when I arrived in Switzerland after having spent a day without undies (luckily I was wearing trousers, though I was certain they would split at any time).

The washing is now up to date and I am no longer concerned that there is a real possibility of snagging my trousers on a rogue vine in this Swiss village, thus revealing the absence of underwear. Phew.

Today is earmarked for total body deforestation and clipping my talons before I cause grievous bodily harm to the next person I shake hands with. I have to say, I am totally uninspired by this when I have hot thermal springs beckoning me.

Why is it that we put off the necessary, when we know we'll feel so much better after it's done?

You know when I was a little girl I would put off the urge to relieve my bladder to the point of tragedy. It was traumatic. Yet I could never drag myself away from an entertaining moment to do the business. It seems I am much the same today, only I've traded the loose bladder for Brooke Shields eyebrows and legs that resemble a wooly mammoth.

So without further ado, I bid you adieu - for there are many housekeeping chores that ensue.

Until tomorrow, do the business and avoid tragic moments.

Grace xx

PS. Today's other post, All My Paris Videos, was part of my digital housekeeping - and also brings my number of posts equal to the number of days of Project Grace 2010 (remember how I took the first weekend off?). Ah, I feel so complete. Now for these legs...

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