Saturday, August 30, 2008

It's a Sickness Really

I have spent the better portion of my Saturday scrubbing sinks, washing clothes and dusting every nook and cranny in my house. What sparked the sudden industry? Why, there's a hurricane brewing in the Gulf, of course!

When bad weather looms on the horizon, I have an almost manic need to clean and organize my house. I make sure that every stitch of clothing we own is clean and neatly folded or hung in the closet. I steam clean the deck furniture cushions. I go through all of the clothes that have been laying on my closet floor for the last nine three months, and hang them neatly. I clean my window sills and baseboards.

I obsess over the yard, wanting to be sure it gets mowed and trimmed before the storm comes. I even water the plants, knowing all the while that we are going to get more rain than we can use in just a few days.

I take photos of all the rooms to document our stuff for insurance purposes, and make sure that everything is in it's place. I update the portable, red file box with current immunization records, insurance and account information in case we need to leave quickly.

I will do this up until the moment that I am sure that the hurricane will not be close enough to cause any damage. But if it were, you can be sure that no matter the possible damage inflicted on my home, it was clean to begin with. I'm not sure why this is so important to me. Maybe it's just another symptom of my control freakishness. I guess I figure that if everything is clean ahead of time, then there will be less mess to clean up later.

Yeah. I know.

Sigh.

As it stands now, it doesn't look as though Hurricane Gustav is going to cause more trouble than some fallen branches and some heavy rain, but experience has taught me that you can never truly predict where a hurricane is going to make landfall. We have a pretty good idea, but sometimes they make crazy turns and and jumps so we're keeping an eye on the NOAA website.

I wonder if I can convince Trevor to go cut some branches out of the pecan trees in the backyard before Tuesday?

11 comments:

Mocha with Linda said...

You crack me up! You obviously have waaay too much time on your hands - can you come clean my house and do my laundry?! LOL

Carol said...

I am such a clean freak and just listening to you makes me want to clean. I pray that the hurricane misses you!

Karen said...

Well, this is unusual. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone cleaning before a storm. But, I'll bet you feel great when it passes and your house is all spiffy!

Kate said...

We've got the same storm coming but instead of doing anything useful like you, I'm painting the kitchen and refinishing cabinets. Hope a tree doesn't fall through the roof on my handiwork.

Kate

Buffi Young said...

OH MY....how close to the coast are you guys? I can imagine I would be feeling the same way....wanting to get everything in order!!! It's a great feeling when you get it done anyway, isn't it? I can't imagine having to do this everytime there is a hurricane warning. MAN...it looks like it's going to be a big one!!! We're praying!!! Have a good weekend!
Buffi

Andrea said...

I think I would do the same thing...but probably it would be to distract myself from the thought of an approaching hurricane.

YIKES!!

I sure hope you guys don't get any real damage. Scary stuff!!

lori said...

As soon as I saw that Gus (thats what a hurruicane going to texas should be called) I thought of my tewas girls. I will be praying for you guys. Wanna come to florida, we are still knee deep in flood waters.

Lisa said...

Xandra, we were cut from the same mold. I have been glued to CNN all day. I live in the middle of Alabama so we only get the rain and tornados.

I do what I call the "death cleaning" before I leave for a trip. Every piece if clothing clean and every room spotless. I guess so that if anything happens to me everyone will see I kept a clean house. Is that a sickness too???

I'm also glad you figured out that it was me with the newly named blog!

Lisa

Rachel said...

I'm praying for all of you near the coast!

Kellye said...

Ha! I have checked the NOAA website for every update unless I was sleeping practically and then compared it to NBC's version!! :o) To prepare for the storm, I went shopping for stuff to decorate Kate's room. I guess I wanted her room finished before a tree took it out?! I also picked up some wheat thins at Wal-Mart, oh, and peanut butter and bread on suggestion from my mother. Good thing the storm didn't hit us!

Jill said...

Xandra you are amazing...I have never heard of the cleaning craze. Yes to the organizing and pic taking, but Oh I loved the descrip of the pile on the closet floor. I had Most of mine cleaned up and my girls went in and had a fashion show...then...huge pile again. Sigh, I was obsessing about my carpet and its need to be cleaned, today. Why oh why?