Friday: Cleaning Day

(It feels like I've been away from the blog forever-- I missed the interaction, y'all . . .)

Ah. Cleaning Day. According to the poem, Cleaning Day is best done on Friday. It makes a lot of sense, actually. It prepares the home for the weekend and it doesn't interfere with the tasks that need to be accomplished earlier in the week. Since everyone used to have their largest meal on Sunday (see HERE for our discussion on Sunday Dinner), having the house clean and in order made the Sunday dinner experience even nicer.

Cleaning Day for us looks a whole lot different than in the old days. We don't have the same level of continuous dirt coming into our homes, thought it's still a challenge to keep up with it. It's easier, mainly, because we have better conveniences.

Vacuum cleaners, for example.

This is my vacuum. It's a Bissell Momentum Cyclonic. It was a love-match.

I've owned three other vacuum cleaners in my life. (Four if you count the Kirby my dad bought in his bachelor days that is STILL working. That puppy sounded like a jet engine and it sucked up dirt like nobody's business.)

After marriage, the first vacuum I owned was bought for us by the congregation when my husband and I moved into our first parsonage. It had bags. Back then, they all did. The suction was mediocre at best.

The second vacuum came from my FIL's "estate." It was loud, had bags, and had a large stick lodged in the suction tube. (He was a bachelor living on 10 acres. I have NO idea how that stick got there. The repairman found it when I couldn't get the vacuum to work properly.)

About two years ago, that vacuum died. Hallelujah! I was FINALLY going to get to choose my own vacuum cleaner! We high-tailed it to Home Depot.

We stood in the (large) aisle and perused the selection. There was no way I was going to pay more than $100, so that narrowed our choices down to about 4. A Home Depot guy came along to help. He and my husband were talking amps and suction and other things that caused my eyes to glaze over. After about 20 minutes, he was aggressively promoting one that embodied all that they had discussed. I think he noticed my bland expression.

A bit deflated, he said the magic words: "Well, this one over here is the one my wife chose."

I came to life and asked, "WHY did she choose that one?" He said, "It's quiet, lightweight, and has a large dirt cup that is easy to remove and put back." I eagerly pulled it out to the concrete. He quietly put back the beast he and my husband had been discussing. There was a smile on my face when we checked out.

I put it together when I got home (I love assembly.) It has worked perfectly since that day. Not only is it easier-than-easy to empty the dirt cup, the vacuum has a little "turbo brush" that is great for stairs and cleaning out the car.

Mrs. Home Depot lady, bless you!

(This has been an unpaid testimonial. Bissell Co.--if you see this, you can send a check.)