Friday, January 20, 2012

Giving Procrastination the Flush

Angel over at Finding the Inspiring has invited folks to follow her on Fridays and share something that inspired us in Blog Land. Now, I'm pretty sure what inspired me wasn't exactly what she had in mind, but I'm sharing it anyway.  


I was inspired by an unclogged toilet.  

OK, technically, I was inspired by a post at Janette's Sage where she rolled up her sleeves and tackled a really dirty project, that of unclogging a toilet in her boys’ bathroom. I think she’s pretty brave. I don’t even like to venture into a boy bathroom, let alone reach into a toilet when I get there.   


Janette is Super Woman, though, and when I say she tackled it, I’m not talking Liquid Plumber. I’m talking tackled like a linebacker.

  
In her classic Janette style, she wrapped it all up with a life lesson, though, and even ended with a pep talk. 

"Lesson learned....don't make a mountain out of a mole hill...stare it straight in the face and pull that hill down fast."


Janette's post not only inspired me spiritually, it inspired me domestically.  I figured if Janette could stare down Toilet Mountain, I could certainly claim dominion over a mole hill of my own. Mine wasn’t a toilet, but it was an appliance clog of a different sort.  It was the clogged arteries in the Big Black Thunk.

Musta been da debil…

I have no idea how the Big Black Thunk got so disgusting. I’m blaming hormones. A vintage woman gets to blame hormones for everything, and I’m pretty sure it was hormones that made me adopt the schmoosing method of refrigerator management.

So yesterday morning, I pulled everything out to divide and conquer. Then, I pulled out all the shelves. 

I was pretty excited about that part. We only recently purchased this model, you see. Our old one, Lazarus, was born way back in the last century when shelves were less removable.  I removed them all. Then, I removed the glass from each one, and then I lugged them outside to introduce them to Mr. Power Nozzle.


It’s been in the 70s this week…

Without the shelves, it wiped down really easily.


Then,  I emptied chunks of Whatzit into the trash bag and piled the sink with fuzzy containers.  I sorted through the rest of it and made a shopping list, all while dreaming up this post in my head.  


That's when it all went south...

This post was supposed to end with the big Ta Da picture. You know...where I show all my nifty keen ideas for organizing the fridge and facing down the Shmoosh Monster.

However...  when I got ready to replace said shelves, I could not for the life of me get them back in place. It seemed so simple, shelf… notch...notch… shelf, but try as I might, it just wouldn't click. 
Literally.


I finally threw up my hands and called uncle.
    
And so... at the time of this posting, I have no Ta Da picture. All I have are a piles of perishables shmoosed into the outside refrigerator and two bags of stinky whatzit waiting by the kitchen door. 


So there that’s where we sit, folks. No big  finish, just a welcome home honey do for the traveling man.


He'll have to fix the shelves before he reassembles
 the mirror  I took apart to paint earlier in the week. 


That's what he gets for marrying a left- handed blonde...


 Regardless, I still think Janette's lesson from the toilet was pretty inspiring. I'm just grateful she didn't inspire me to take apart my toilet as well. 'Cause, well... you know... 

How about you? 
What inspired you this week? 


Sharing this with Angel at Finding the Inspiring 
findingtheinspiring.blogspot.com/2012/01/youre-invited-to-follow-me-fridays.html



42 comments:

Christine said...

Janette is just, all around inspritional!

Angel @ Finding The Inspiring said...

Thanks for linking up Debbie! This is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for...inspiration can hit you when you least expect it sometimes. I laughed so hard at your post and then went over to read Janette's and I think you are BOTH extremely brave! Thanks again. You've inspired me today. Blessings!

Barbara F. said...

I am paranoid when it comes to taking apart anything. I usually just remove one shelf at a time in the fridge. I admire the way you paint all the things that you do. I am still waiting to paint a small $2 shelf I bought at a church sale back in the late spring! xo

Unknown said...

Debbie -- LOVING this post! First off, I'd rather tackle EVERY toilet this side of the Mississippi than ever clean out the refrigerator, lol. Not my favorite by far BUT now that I am an empty nester, there is lots less in there to get fuzzy :)

Very inspiring post -- oh, and more than one occasion I have taken something appart to not be able to get it back together :)

Happy weekend wishes!
Blessings!
Gail

Ann said...

LOL! And I thought I was doing well by removing ONE drawer in my fridge and cleaning it up and putting it back.

I do need to do the compete removal thing too ... but I'm afraid my fridge would end up like yours!

Hope it all goes back together soon!

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Oh No! But just think how beautiful it will all be when the Honey Do list is completed!
I did something like that with the smoke detectors once. Ended up with them going off EVERY 5 MINUTES. They are wired into the electric, so they can really go haywire. And Mister was away......try sleeping the night through with that in your bedroom!

Chatty Crone said...

I think that woman is a real hero - taking the toilet off - wow!

And I am with you - I can take anything a part, but putting them - a whole other story!

Why is that?

Love, sandie

At The Picket Fence said...

Oh Debbie! LOL! I love that this doesn't just happen to me and the point is that at least it WILL end up done in the end...after the traveling man helps you out, right? :-)
Vanessa

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

Now those are two scary subjects!!! I am not mechanically inclined whatsoever! Yikes!! I married a mechanical engineer and he loves all that kind of stuff! Yep, he has had the toilet totally off before! I really admire a woman who would tackle such a thing though! I also admire you for your big job! I would have been in the same predicament as you with putting it back together!

Good luck!!

Katherine

Debbie said...

Oh how I love Janette! haha...I too was totally impressed with her toilet skills. I would have NEVER attempted such a thing...And as for your refrigerator, that was just TOTALLY me, haha...In fact I did that once, only I was soo anxious to have my "ta da" moment that I pretended that the shelves were firmly attached when they really weren't, and by the time hubby got home I had spilled milk and orange juice everywhere and I was sitting in a chair exhausted, haha. Have a wonderful week-end Debbie!

Susan Nowell @ My Place to Yours said...

Oh, the things our sweet travelin' men sometimes find waiting for them at home... Good luck - just be sure not to blame Janette for over-inspiring you! LOL I hope you have a great weekend full of Sonshine!

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

well I think BOTH of you are inspiring! I love Janette's tenacity with the toilet job, and her words of wisdom every day. I'm also pretty proud of your refrig tackling... maybe honey-do will be proud that you tried. :)

We don't bat 1000, but we keep plugging! :)

Good job!

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Oh this is just what the doctored ordered...a good laugh to bring down my blood pressure!!!

You tell my tale better than I did...and I am laughing.

You inspire me so I am patting you on the back and for the refrig..well I have more at home than you, so you can imagine.

Welcome home Hubby! Glad yours can help out...ask mine, he is Tim Allen and it will cost me one way of the other if I give him a "to-do" list...but he runs circles around me with his singing voice and piano playing.

Thanks for the good chuckle today...have an awesome weekend.

no spring chicken said...

Oh dear. This is the first time I've ever been glad that I am NOT a blonde! ;)

You did, by the way, have a ta da picture. It's very much like mine often look. I stand above my unfinished project that resembles nothing like what I had envisioned at the onset, smile at my husband with a begging, pleading kinda look and say, "ta da.?"

~~Debbie

Kathleen said...

I just wasn't expecting you to say the fridge got the better of you! You might like to know you are not alone in this - I have the same problem with my oven shelves, I can never get them back in without a fight!

CAL said...

I have never been as brave as you removing all the shelves and glass. So that's what a naked refrigerator looks lie. Hmmm, I bet I never live to see another one!

Crickit said...

Hope your honey doesn't mind his weekend to-do list. I love the feeling of a clean fridge too even though it doesn't get done too much at my house. I really tip my hat to Janette for that toilet project. I also love the lesson that came out of it. Have a great weekend! :)

xinex said...

I hope you got the drawers back in place, Debbie.I don't thi k I have to tackle mine when I get home. I think John did that and threw a bunch of stuff away....Christine

Denise said...

You are one brave soul. I absolutely HATE to clean out my refrigerator. I have never taken everything out of every shelf all at once. Somehow I think all that stuff will spoil before I can get it all back inside. So I do one shelf at a time. Open. Clean out one shelf. Close. Sort. Wash. Open again. Replace first shelf. Repeat until finished. That's probably why I don't do it very often. I do believe your way is more efficient. I shall have to try this some time. Keeping the refrigerator clean is right under mail pile mess at my house. Can't seem to control either one.

As usual, I laughed my way through your post. Thanks for the giggles.

Kelli said...

YOU inspire me!! Hate cleaning out the fridge but LOVE the finished product. I certainly don't do it enough but when nothing else can be crammed in or the door won't shut, it is time. Have a great weekend and enjoy that clean fridge. ((HUGS))

The Polka Dot Closet said...

So...The lesson, should we label where we took each drawer from, or should we pay attention when we pull them out how to put them back. you had me, I was thinking ...I need to do that and now you have me scared, guess the fuzzy stuff will stay put!!!

Carol

Denise said...

Very inspiring indeed! I tackled my refrigerator after the holidays, but know my limits! I'll leave the "unclogging" on the honey do list, and stick to what I do best. :)

Thanks for stopping by for a visit! :)

Blessings and hugs for a joyful weekend,
Denise

Denise said...

Congrats, job well done. Thanks for visiting my blog.

Nikki (Sarah) said...

cracking up here. You post totally made my day. I too was inspired by Janette's post and her amazing words and I'm so inspired by your post to laugh and take life easy. You are the funniest.....thanks Debby for making me laugh again. Btw....your husband must be the best!!!!

bj said...

OMYGOODNESS...been there so many times, I can't even count them. Everything comes out so easily....what's up with not even wanting to go back in??
Sure does look clean, tho. :))

FrouFrouBritches said...

You sound just like me! Last time I took apart the fridge for cleaning, I broke one of the glass shelves. Now, I don't do it without Hubby. I'm too klutzy! At least you didn't break anything.

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

You are such a hoot! I keep meaning to get over here more often. Time is just not on my side most days. Angel left me a comment about joining the Friday party. Will have to put my thinking cap on. My words don't have wheels like yours do. HA! Hope you got the fridge back together. I swear, every time I clean mine out, I feel a sense of accomplishment, but it sure doesn't take long for it to become filled up again with who knows what. :/ Hope your day is a good one. Tammy

Anonymous said...

Debness!!! Laughing out Loud here at your fridge faux-pah! (Did I spell that right?) Actually - when I saw inside I wondered if Paula Dean had been spending time at your house and that was what was adding to the inspiration for the clean-out - especially after her momentous announcement this week and less than inspiring career cooking changes.

Best to you as you find a way to make that fridge work for you again!

Joy!
Kathy

Sue said...

Like one of your readers Debbie, I would rather tackle a toilet than the refrigerator. Janetee is such a great inspiration here in blogland, as you are too! I love the way you can take a not so happy situation , and turn it around into a piece of cake.
I have some good news for you, when you finish blaming everything on hormones, you will then begin to blame all of those mishaps on old age. Works every time and you get more sympathy.~smiling~
Hugs,
Sue

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

LOL! Well one time when I had cleaned the fridge I broke one of the glass shelves that sits on top of the crisper bins!

Hope you get everything back into the fridge before it spills and can't wait to see the the mirror.

elizabeth said...

Oh how FRUSTRATING things like that are. I couldn't believe your comment at my place, saying you try to copy some of the things I do around my house. I was blown away, since I think your blog and what you show of your home is so very, very lovely. Thanks so, so much.

Tanna said...

Janette is always inspiring!! I'm sorry those shelves didn't fit back in there as easily as they came out!! You were making such good progress! Grrr... on the roadblocks. I'm sure you have it all back together by now!! blessings ~ tanna

Sharon said...

Yes, Janette's post was rather...ahem...inspiring. That woman is made of stern stuff - loved how she channeled her inner "Rosie"!

As far as your *project* here - I had to laugh. That is a messy refrigerator?! It looked so organized to me! However, I CAN totally relate to the random containers of multi-colored fuzz that you encountered. UGH.

And, as to your last question - hmm. I was singularly uninspired this week, I'm afraid. I managed to get up most mornings - does that count??

(Didn't know you were a leftie - so is my hubby and brother. Are you nutty, yet wildly creative, like they are? Never mind...I know the answer!)

Decor To Adore said...

Whew! I am so glad someone else has an unfinished project because I have like....5 or 6. :)

Always Nesting said...

Hilarious post and yes, I'm thinking my fridge needs a bit of TLC also. You did good, girlfriend, you did good.

Mevely317 said...

Hee-hee! Lawdy, Debbie, but you've made my day .... again!
I'm still searching for inspiration in the new year. Now, I'm thinking our frig would be a good place to start -- clad in hazmat attire. DH is known to ask, "Do you really want to save that, or wait 6 months to try and figure what it USED to be?"

I'm soooo far behind blog visits, but was tickled to pieces re. your daughter's new adventure! Gosh, if any place in the world needs a good dose of PRACTICAL ....

Hope she -- and you -- are adjusting happily!

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Oh Debbie, you are a riot! Yes, I think it's a good thing you didn't tackle a toilet. I'm with you - I wouldn't even attempt to fix a toilet. I'm so helpless. Your refrigerator does look clean - without the shelves, and I bet it look great with the shelves and some food back in it. I love visiting your blog. laurie

Savannah Granny said...

You are too funny. I love the fridge story. I have taken mine apart before but not down to assembly line condition. I hope HE gets it back together.
Blessings, Ginger

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

'Left handed blonde'...and all these years I thought that was my line!!!

I was thinkin' as I was readin' this and shootin' soy shake out my nose, that's gonna be quite the puzzle to put back together.

God bless ya sweetie and put that man of your to work!!!

Have a great day!!! :o)

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

Ok -- I'm laughing! You'll have to post your "ta da" picture when it all gets back in place. Now I know why I haven't done that....actually, the last time I did something like that I think I broke a part and it never went back right again...had to remove a whole shelf over that one! oops!

Kim@stuffcould.... said...

Wow the refridge looks so nice and clean...I need to do the same with my fridge too

Kathleen said...

LOL!!!!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails