Tramp, tramp, tramp...

I guess I didn't have time to post yesterday.  I don't know where the day went.  I can't even, with any accuracy, tell you how I spent the 24 hours. 

Oh wait, I remember...I cleaned my house because I had Bible study yesterday afternoon.  Yesterday was the first day I used my electric vacuum on my new living room carpet.  I've got to tell you I was apprehensive about that.  I was hoping I had it securely anchored to the floor with duct tape, so the vacuum would not suck up the edges and ruin it before one of my creatures had the time to throw up on it.

I'm pleased to say the carpet held, the vacuum did no damage whatsoever, and I was pretty proud of it and myself. 

There has always been that conflict of whether, when cleaning, you dust first and then vacuum, or visa-versa.  I've learned with my 'famous name' vacuum, it doesn't matter, I HAVE to vacuum first, because, my vacuum has such a stream of exhaust air it has been known to blow magnet held papers off the side of my refrigerator, and towels right off the kitchen and bathroom racks.  I'm not kidding.

My dog, Zorro, hates the vacuum, he gets himself into such a state.  He dashes around the house, breathing hard, not knowing where to go to get away from the monster he perceives the vacuum to be.  I'm not sure why he behaves the way he does.  I've never, ever....not once...chased him with it, yet the minute I open the closet door to extract it his reaction is swift, and consistent.  "Le' me outta' here!"

I try to get the job done as quickly as I can.

Then, I've had an ant problem of late...again...this time it was pretty bad, because I had cooked myself some rhubarb sauce the other day, and forgot to turn the burner down on 'simmer'.  And, since I got (I always do) distracted and came back to the kitchen later, the broth from the sauce had boiled over the edge of the pot, down into the drip pan, over the edge of that, and down onto the floor.  Bummer...and what a mess.  I cleaned up the best I could and even pulled out the drawer beneath the oven to make sure I had wiped up all the spill-over.  It looked good. 

Next morning, I came out to feed the dog and there are ants on the counter, the stove top, and especially where the puddle of rhubarb broth had been on the floor.  I was appalled, I cleaned up again.  Next morning, more ants, although not as many.  Then, night before last, I went out to get myself an evening snack and there...marching across my dining area floor is an army of tiny black creatures, tramp, tramp, tramping over to the baseboard of my stove island and disappearing under the baseboard.  DAMN IT.

Grrrrrrrr.  I would have grabbed my ant spray to kill them, except for the fact I had already closed up the house, and I didn't want to breath toxic air all night.  So I grabbed my household cleaner, a combination of water and ammonia, and squirted it at the trail of ants.  To my delight, it did kill them...I scrubbed the floor....again. 

As I toddled off to bed, I thought perhaps I would have to cancel Bible study if I discovered in the morning ants had once more overtaken my kitchen, and I had to fumigate the place with deadly ant spray.

Fortunately, yesterday morning there were just few straggler ants lingering about.  They seem befuddled, not knowing where to go.  I was delighted, they were easy to squash beneath my forefinger.  I'm thinking they must have been hiding out of harms way when I went through my cleaning rampage, and when they emerged, there was no trace of their compradas, the scent of them obliterated.  Suckers!!!!!!!

So, it's no wonder why I couldn't remember what I did yesterday, it was all so...so...foreign.  I'd not cleaned house like that for months, and I was left a little befuddled myself. 

This morning, I'm delighted to report, there was not one single ant to be seen, anywhere.  Oh, I'm sure they are re-gathering in some dark, secluded place, and will be back.  But, next time I'll be ready, cause, I'll be clean.