This OLD House

I don't know if this house will every be clean and organized. I started with my room. It's clean, newly painted, and lovely (just missing curtains - luckily for me my window faces a wall). So far, the room is still clean, just a little messy on my desk because I don't have anywhere, yet, to hang my necklaces and earrings. Next was bathroom #1 and the living room. The living room was pretty easy because, although there's a lot of stuff in the room, it's all stuff that more or less belong there. The hard part about cleaning the living room is dusting and getting all the cobwebs in the corners and on the ceiling. I did the best I could, and then left the hardest to reach cobwebs for another day. Bathroom #1, on the otherhand, took most of the day, and still isn't completely done. The problem was that there was just so much stuff hidden away under the sink, in the drawers, etc. My mom and I went through everything and threw out a lot of stuff (old make-up, lotion, perfume, etc. etc.). Now, all the little storage areas are all organized and clean, but there's still all my mom's hair accessories that she needs to sort through and toss out (or keep or something). The plumber finally came yesterday (or rather, my dad finally called the plumber to come yesterday), and he fixed the clogged drain in the shower/tub. My mom installed a new shower head (YAY!). I still need to bleach the tub (which I am not looking forward to) and then it should be set.

Today, I decided to attach the formal dining room and the linen closet. The linen closet took most of the day. I pulled everything out of the linen closet and had to sort through all of the bed sheets and towels and pillow cases and table clothes and everything. For now, it's very clean and organized, but knowing my family, I'll be lucky if that lasts a week. I am now a pro at folding fitted bed sheets, though. Those are always the hardest to fold because of the elastic and that stuff, but I think I've gotten pretty good at it. As to the dining room... that's still a bit of a mess. However, I'm not really sure where to put everything that's in there. I think what needs to be cleaned first is my mom's little office area in the kitchen/dining room. Then I'll know where to put her scout stuff that's sitting in the formal dining room. Oh.. that and I also need to clean out the garage (oh dear.. the garage! I just want it to disappear.) and the patio (which also just needs to disappear). I almost want to rent a storage unit temporarily just so I can throw all the stuff going off to charity into it, and then once it's all full (and out of the house), I can call Goodwill or Salvation Army or whatever other charity organization does pickups, and tell them to just take everything from the garage. ::le sigh:: I hate this part about being home.

I still haven't touched a cooking utensil or pot or pan since I've been home. Perhaps I should get around to that. I talked to my mom yesterday (briefly) about how I want to cook, but I'm not yet comfortable cooking at home (especially with my grandmother there - harassing me). She said she'd be more comfortable with me cooking than my grandma, since my grandma always makes a huge mess when she cooks and often forgets the stove on. My mom is also tired of eating the same sort of Vietnamese food every night. She'd welcome a change, as would my dad, and my sister. So.. perhaps not this week, but next, I will start cooking again.

Ah.. and Tran is still miserably sad. You know.. This is the longest I've been home in California for a while. It's strange, knowing that I'm here for an indefinite period of time, having to call this place home "where I live" home, and not just home "where I grew up" home. And, of course, I love being home, but I just really want to go back to Virginia. I suppose it will just take time to adjust back to this place. And the whole "I need a job" thing will all fall into place, and everything will be fine. I hope. My life seems so boring at home. I've got nothing going for me here. I hate waiting and not knowing and .. just.. everything.

Ugh. I think I need to end this here, before it gets any more depressing (and before it depresses me anymore). Ok.. I'm out.

Love,
Tran