Saturday, May 7, 2011

Oh, my aching...

Somehow, I managed to give birth to The Odd Couple.


The Practical One is Felix. She can’t deal with clutter or filth. To deal with stress, she likes to clean. She generally requests that bins be sent her way the week before finals and de-stresses her way to a perfectly organized farewell.

 Meet Oscar

Musta been da debil…

That was then...


This is now.

I was assured that those were not the same flowers, and I believe her. I had some doubt, however, when I discovered remnants of a piñata whacked in October abiding under the bed.  

Obviously, we had to clean as well as pack.

We bagged and boxed in bins and baskets. Dad deconstructed shelves in the hallway while Whimsy cleaned surfaces and I pushed dirt across the room and fluffed up dust bunnies with a Dirt Devil which lived up to its name.  I had considered giving those little gadgets as graduation gifts this year.

I’ve reconsidered.

We finally borrowed a Bissel 3-in-1 which did the job sufficiently and returned the room to its original glory.  Just consider that a product endorsement.


All the while, we loaded.

Up and down the hall
Up and down the steps

                                         
I felt the need to photograph each set because I woke up that morning determined to be annoying. That’s what the husband said, anyway, when he asked if I had come to load or to blog. Since marriage is all about compromise, I told him that he could load, and I would blog. I’m cooperative like that.

He took away the camera.

We loaded in silence since fellow dorm dwellers were still in the midst of finals and a gag order was in place in the hallways.  This made the work all the more tedious. Personally, I find a little yakkity yak makes any job go faster. Don't you?

Instead, I entertained my brain by counting footsteps.  I counted 178 steps between the door of the room and the door of the car, 44 of which were stair steps. Times twenty.


And I figured that any 49er who lugged a freshman year 3, 560 steps and 880 stairs deserved some pralines and cream ice cream.

And that’s exactly what he got.


Then the mover, the blogger, and the sophomore headed home again, Super Dad in one car, and mother/daughter in the other.  Just in case you’re wondering, it is entirely possible to rehash a royal wedding for two and a half hours and still have more to say.

We pulled the cars across the front lawn and unloaded them into the living room because that was my plan.  Plus, her bedroom is on the second floor.  

I’m calling that pile Bad Bart.


Come Monday morning, I'm giving that varmint 24 hours to get out of town.
Or there will be a showdown. 

Until then, we'll just rest our legs and enjoy.

So...
What about you?
Are you more of a Felix or an Oscar?



36 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am a Felix and I've been surrounded by Oscars all my life. Pack rats and clutter bugs are amazing critters and I sometimes think they are winning the war! :-)

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Laughing too loud...and no, you would not have survived my five boys and my only girl would have drove you completely crazy...she was the messiest of all. I don't even enter their apartments!!! Now I will say, I tried and tired and tired and I am not messy...but here is another parent in the picture also...so I have to let them have grace.

Well you sure got in all your exercise, both physical with all those stairs and your jaw on the ride home.

Enjoy, enjoy....oh, Happy Mother's Day!!!

Barbara F. said...

I thought I commented but it didn't show up! This is so funny. I am definitely alot like Miss Whimsy, wish I could be more like Miss Practical. Sometimes I go in "Felix" mode but it doesn't last long! xo,

Sharon said...

So much fun! First of all, yes, I agree - yakkity yak makes just about anything go by faster. Even dental work - which presents a challenge, but I always manage to find a way to have my say - "Yah, da keeds ah doin guh..."

I am Oscar, through and through. But I'm married to a Felix who helped me mend my ways (mostly). Does that make me a Fecar or Oslix - or just a recovering Felix???

I think Mr. 49er deserved that pralines and cream ice cream - of course, he's also the one who escorts old ladies into church. So, in my humble opinion, he can have that ice cream every day!

Have a wonderful Mother's Day! You deserve every single accolade given to you - even the ones you give yourself!!

xoxo to you!!

Christine said...

What a great mom and dad to haul all that stuff!
You deserve ice cream every day for at least a week! Or until the pain goes away.
(very funny post!)

southerninspiration said...

Well. I am somewhere in between but youngest is much like what you described. She hasn't asked me to help her move out, though....so (whispering quietly) I might be free of that stress...and I am with you. You blogged when she moved in, it is only right that you blog when she moves out. Glad he got his ice cream!! ;D
Suzanne

Terra said...

The way you tell this story makes it sound very humorous. All that hard work and going up and down stairs! Glad you got an ice cream treat at the end.

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

The whole thing just made me smile... you have a way of doing that every time!

Happy Mother's Day to a great mom!

xo

Ms.Daisy said...

Debbie,
You are the best...I needed the smiles today and you provided all of them. So funny - "He took away the camera." - made me laugh out loud! Happy Mother's Day and enjoy with your girl!


~Jean

Grace on the Narrow Path said...

I remember those days of picking up my daughter from college ... packing up all her things and then unpacking all her things. Best memories ever.
Happy Mother's Day my friend.
Blessings and hugs,
Bren

Tanna said...

LOL! Debbie, I so enjoyed this post! I'm a Felix/Oscar combo. There are most areas where I am very organized... then, there are those few spots that are frightenly disorganized and cluttered!! I have to say those flowers look suspisciously similar. LOL! So glad y'all are all home safely. Happy, Happy Mother's Day! blessings ~ tanna

bj said...

O, what a fun post...bless your little step-counting heart.
Ya'll have fun, now...ya hear!!
xoxo bj

Angel said...

Sounds like a fair comprimise to me...he loads and you blog! :) Love it!

I'm like Tanna I guess - a little mix of Oscar and Felix (but I lean more to the Felix side.) I like order but it doesn't always have to be perfect.

Have a great Mother's Day!

Mevely317 said...

I TOTALLY "get" that 2-1/2 hours isn't enough time to rehash the Royal Wedding. How lucky, you've a comrade-in-arms!

Now that you mention it, I've always considered myself a "Felix" ... but since our marriage a few years ago, I'm being pulled over to the dark side. Wonder if there's an app for that?

Happy Mother's Day!!!!!!!!!

Renée said...

I was a Felix till I moved and now I'm an Oscar! I just can't get on top of that garage...actually it is coming with storage shelves that I will blog about upcoming. My guy even constructed a "cooking area" for summer and holidays when I have huge roasters going and big groups over. So we have been crazy busy and Felix is trying hard to make a come back!

Glad the coeds are home for Mom's Day. Have a great one and wishing the Duchess and all the gang a happy day. Please write about it. I know it will be memorable.

Chatty Crone said...

I am a Felix and live with three Oscars!!

Okay when my kids went to school - this brings back painful memories - they always lived on the 3rd or 4th floor and it was up and down and up and down. Like to have killed us.

And two kids times 4 years = 8 moves and of course we didn't have a truck.

And when we told the son to be ready - he had nothing packed and money all over his floor.

I picked the money up and kept it! Lots of nice change.

Glad you got that over with.

Happy Mother's Day.
sandie

Joan Hall said...

I love your compromise...he loaded, I blogged. That's what I wanted to do today, instead of helping my husband with mowing the yard. But since he helps me with the housework...

Speaking of which, I'm a bit of Oscar and Felix. When I've had enough of Oscar, I go into my Felix mode and vow never to be an Oscar again. Until a couple of days later.....

Tami said...

This one made me laugh-I ended up reading it out loud to the Other Nut. He of course started laughing, especially at the part "did you come to load, or blog". Too funny!

I would put myself as more of a Felix. My house doesn't always get to that point (like right now), but I will get it back to organized. Disorganization makes my brain feel disorganized-unless it's my car.

Red Couch Recipes said...

I so enjoyed your yakking today! I would prefer blogging over moving too. You can send your daughter my way :).

FrouFrouBritches said...

Oh, Debbie, you make me laugh. I really should learn not to read your blog when everyone in my house is trying to sleep. I'm sure they are wondering why mom is up and laughing out loud. HA! Y'all remind me so much of Hubby and I. He gets so annoyed with me taking pictures of every. little. thing. for the blog. I feel your pain.

I, by the way, am an Oscar FOR SURE! I'm a "stacker". I organize in piles. The clean and organized gene missed me somehow. I swear I have adult ADD. I'll start folding the laundry (which is of course on the couch) and fold a disrag, which ten reminds me I didn't finish the dishes so I stop and do that, until I load the spatula, which reminds me I need to check what's in the oven....and on and on and on. Yep, definitely an Oscar, and a longwinded one at that.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day!!!

Ms.Daisy said...

Debbie,
You are a dear, sweet and thoughtful woman, your prayers are very much welcomed and yes, I've been a little in the dumps this weekend. My girls and their families were not able to come see me either but your note helped a lot. Thank you. My email is Lampjeenie(at)Yahoo(dot)com.

no spring chicken said...

Laughing, laughing, laughing... My daughter just rushed in with a big smile asking, oh, is that the funny one? And yes, you are the funny one! Enjoy your Mother's Day and tell Oscar/Felix I love her style!

Blessings, Debbie

Connie said...

I, too, LOL when I read the part about packing vs. blogging. It is definitely more difficult to blog creatively than to just pack up, so I say you had the harder job! I am pretty organized, but I do make messes. When people come to our house, I always tell them that all the messes are mine because my husband cleans up after me all the time--but I'm the creative one!

A Cultivated nest said...

LOL! My knees ache just reading about all those stairs!!

Manuela

Denise said...

Whew! I saw that after picture and was afraid those were the same flowers. I KNOW how an Oscar can be. I am much more inclined toward Felix but one of my daughters, not so much. Chatting definitely makes the time go faster. So glad my more Felix inclined daughter didn't have as tight of restrictions when I helped her move some stuff out on Thursday. Can't wait to see Miss Whimsy today.

Happy Mother's Day!

Ann said...

Are you SURE those are not the same flowers, Debbie? LOL!

I wish I could say we were Felix's, but alas, both DH and I are Oscars, and we raised three Oscars. Fortunately, DD#! is now a Felix (Thank YOU U.S. Army!) : D

I want to be a Felix, perhaps in my next life?

Cheers and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Maryann said...

I have to tell you this made me laugh so hard. On our first "pack out" we were greeted with eight loads of laundrry in the prcess of being washed, nothing packed or cleaned, and so much trash that it took several large bags to contain it. (he lived in a quad with three other guys, none of them had packed either). Loved this post!

Sue said...

Soooooo funny, Debbie, I was a Felix but the older i get I am becoming an Oscar. lol, and loving every moment of it.
Wishing you a very happy and blessed Mother's Day.
Hugs,
Sue

Anonymous said...

Debbie,
I am so a Felix! I heard myself telling someone at work the other day that "cleaning my house is one of my hobbies"! I was a bit taken aback by that statement, but it is true.
Happy Mother's Day!

Unknown said...

I am more of a Felix and my daughter is definitely more of an Oscar..all though, the older I get, the more Oscar-like I become.
WHAT is with a gag order while hauling stuff out? Now, that is true sacrifice on your part.
Our whirlwind come home in ten days! I should take before and after pictures of her room!!!
xo
lynn

CAL said...

Oh gosh the pics brought back vivid memories of when my son was living in a college dorm. I too counted the steps thinking they surely added a staircase when we weren't looking.

I'm married to a paper pile(r), he loves to make stacks of paper and heaven help you if you move anything. I've learned to lift and clean and when all else fails, look the other way.

I like order and at my age have discovered how great it feels to declutter. Somehow 'stuff' took over and now it is time to set it free and clear my house and soul.
Thanks for your blog today Debbie, it truly made me smile.

xinex said...

LOL! This brings back happy, maybe sorrowful memories since all 3 of my kids were Oscars. I had to do major cleaning everytime I visited their apartments or dorms. But we all survive and they all grow up...Christine

Mary Bergfeld said...

Debbie, you started my day with a smile. This is my first visit to your blog and today's post was a wonderful way to get to know you. I'll definitely be back. Have a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

saltbox
treasures
said...

Hi Debbie, Oh, I remember the college days! So fun and a lot of work :). It is amazing how little cleaning girls can do in a year of school.
I used to be on a cleaning schedule when the daughters were younger and at school, but now that we're empty nesters, I just clean it when it's dirty and cook when we're hungry :).
~ Julie

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

You are just so entertaining. It doesn't matter what drudgery is going on in your life, you can make me laugh. Thank you for sharing your wit and your writing talents. I love coming to visit your blog. laurie

Mrs. Kelley Dibble said...

THANKS (n.o.t.) FOR THE (aching) MEMORIES...

Wouldn't change 'em for the world!

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