Dear Reader:

I decided quite awhile back…that my constant daily housekeeping opponent, dust, and I must reach some type of peace agreement. I compromised by telling “Mr. Dust” that I could live with a smattering, as seen on the coffee table, but I would have to draw the line when I could write my name in it. “Pieces” of dust accepted…in exchange for mental peace at home.

Sarah Breathnach (Simple Abundance) shares one daily message with her readers about this very subject. It really does all come down to two things: sanitary and sanity.

We all want our homes to be a reflection of ourselves and keeping (at least) a sanitary house is a must for most of us. But after that we have to decide where to stop the mental anguish over housekeeping tasks. Let’s face the truth…most of us are never going to win the prize for good housekeeping or get our home featured in  Southern Living or some other magazine. (And if we do it is because we brought in a professional cleaning crew before the photographers showed up!)

Sarah suggests that we close our eyes and imagine ourselves walking through the front door to our home. What is necessary in the entrance room to set the tone for our home as seen through the eyes of others? In other words, what standard of housekeeping can we live with (at a minimum) and still feel content and good about our home?

With demands on our time in life and not wanting to become hostage to our home I, personally, want everything reasonably straight but not magazine ready. Tidy rooms take precedence over white-glove dust tests. We need to take time to determine our personal “livability quotient.”

After all is said and done…if we return to these four old-fashioned rules…we can achieve a tidy, straight home minus mental meltdowns that send the spouse, children, and pets running for cover.

If you take it out, put it back

If you open it, close it.

If you throw it down, pick it up

If you take it off, hang it up

So until tomorrow….Brevity goes right to the point…longevity takes lots of detours to arrive at the same place. (besides I need to pick up my jacket I just threw on the bed and then hang it up). I will end with a popular anecdote on brevity and its humorous virtue.

Nicknamed “Silent Cal,” President Calvin Coolidge was once challenged by a reporter, saying, “I bet someone that I could get more than two words out of you.” Coolidge responded, “You lose.”

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

*Several of you have asked me about an update on Nancy’s (Anne’s sister) bout with breast cancer. You might remember she was scheduled for surgery several weeks back and at the last moment another health issue popped up that prevented it from happening.

It has taken some time but the surgery is back on for today….please keep Nancy, Anne, and the rest of the family in your prayers as she crosses another hurdle today in her quest for healing and good health.