Putting Things in Order

I guess I am trying to put my life in order by putting my house in order. Finally cleaned the carpets. The hard surfaces get scrubbed tonight. It feels good to work on putting things in order. It's helping me see where I've been letting things go. For instance, I gave up years ago with keeping the boys on track with chores. That was one of those things that was sabotaged every time I set up a system. I finally gave up. Well guess what? My boys are threatening to move out now because I'm making them do what they've been supposed to do for years. It's an interesting process. I've told them that if they are going to live here, they have to live by my rules. I think they know in their guts that they don't want to live with their father and that he doesn't really want them. It's a painful process. I've given in so many times before, they will test me every day. I hope I can keep it up. It's easier to do the chores myself than to make them. I'm a real believer in making kids take responsibility for their home, so... that battle has begun. I am reclaiming some more sanity around here!

Now for some other projects. I wish one project would just go smoothly. Have you noticed that you can spend a whole day doing the simplest thing? I spent half of last Saturday putting a new dryer vent in. It should have taken 15 minutes! But, of course the hole in the wall was so low that the molding on the floor caught the new vent and wouldn't allow it to install properly. Had to get out my saw and cut wood away. Wish I had that power tool! Then there were problems outside because the ground has accumulated too close to the hole. Had to clear part of the yard for proper ventilation and hopefully to keep the critters from coming in. This was the point of the whole project. Have another dead critter in the wall! The second since December! AAAAaaaahhh! Everyone's telling me horror stories about having to spend $4,000 and more to have an exterminator come tear the wall apart! I'm just waiting for the smell to go away. I also drove 60 miles round trip to buy a particular kind of rodent poison. I'm caulking the heck out of this place! Here's hoping this ends the problem! I can't take it!!! I am relieved that it seems to be a mouse this time. It's only smelled bad for a week and is almost better. It's just one thing after another. Why is that?