Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Being Civilized Is Exhausting

I don't know how you people do it.

We were anticipating a visit from a Somewhat Important Person yesterday, a person we had never met and who was therefore unaware of our true woodchuck lifestyle. Because this Somewhat Important Person was visiting in a professional capacity, we felt it behooved us to not frighten him off with a shotgun in the parlor and four lunging dogs. So, we had to pick up the house a little. And shut the dogs away.

Our house is pretty impressive when it's all cleaned up. Thank God for inherited antique splendor. So we did the whirlwind clean-up that always occurs when you hear someone is coming in ten minutes (don't pretend you don't do this--I know you do). But in our case, our whirlwind clean-up required the removal of a couple of tackle boxes and fishing poles from the front porch; the remains of a vole on the patio; the aforementioned shotgun from the parlor (what? it's hunting season!); about three dozen books from a table in the dining room (literacy is nothing to be ashamed of, but it is awfully cluttery); and a bright orange jacket (hunting season again). THEN, just when I was about to get a cup of coffee and escape upstairs, I spied the cat vomit on the rug in the dining room.

Nice, cats. Thanks so much for your assistance.

I did manage to get that cleaned up before Mr. Somewhat Important Person arrived. He exclaimed appropriately about our elegant home. I suspect the elegant impression would have been somewhat compromised had he stepped in cat vomit.

I won't tell if you won't.

P.S. Well. I appear to be featured on a tiny, obscure little site called I Am Bossy today. This is roughly equivalent to a band with a YouTube video being featured on MTV. And OF COURSE today's post involves cat vomit. Welcome to my life, Bossy readers! Bossy posted a photo that went along with this post back in March. Interestingly enough, I have been wearing that exact same sweater for the past three days. Perhaps I could use some new clothes . . .

8 comments:

Marcy said...

Ten minutes? At the moment I couldn't even put a dent in it in ten minutes. Maybe I'd put my arm in a sling...

Phoo-D said...

Congratulations on the feature! You deserve it! I had to laugh about shotguns in the parlor...I've had one in my car for the past week. It is definitely that time of year.

Anonymous said...

YAY! Kristin and puppy!

(And I am way impressed that you are still wearing a non-maternity sweater.)

jean said...

Congrats! Now it's time to update the photo to include the baby bump.

me again said...

You're an internet superstar! Congrats on the exposure!
(I can get up to decent-looking-home in just 10 minutes ONLY if hubby helps and guests don't venture beyond the living room :-) and heaven help them if they need to use the loo.)
==lennie==

Anonymous said...

Wow!!!!! I found you BEFORE Bossy made you famous.

Now, who is the semi-important person?

gramps

Daisy said...

Oh, the cat vomit!! My mom always hated our patterned carpet, but she said it was the only design that hid cat vomit.
Now I have bunnies; they don't vomit. Really. Their litter boxes are a bit smelly, though.

Naomi said...

we do the ten minute dash too - and it is amazing what shutting the door on the bedrooms can do for an instant "lift" ;)

(plus it gives you exprea space to hide some of the junk lol!)