windows

.

I believe that my feelings about cleaning are well established.

Here's a sort of cleaning that is even more annoying than most.

Once upon a time, when I lived at the top of Ann Arbor (only two buildings in town over about 10 stories, and I lived on the 19th floor of one of them), I washed my windows (well, the parts I could get at).

The first time it rained, they were exactly as dirty as they had been before.

Hmmm. Ok, I can learn. Washing windows is a total waste of time!

However. The first year I started blogging, and was actively looking for things to take pics of during the long and monochromatic winter, I realized that dirty windows were a problem. I can 'shop out dots and some splotches, but the streaks and general haze.........................

So for the last two storm-window-putting-up sessions, I have resigned myself to washing the storms on both sides, and the interior windows on the outside.

Feh.




Feh, I say.

Window-washing is much more annoying than, say, wiping down the stove, because the whole point is that the window be clear. Clear. Without streaks, lint, drips, etc.

You can see, as you work, whether the stove is "good enough." The windows..........

Alas, NOT.

I am working to train myself to be glad they are much better than they were. I can generally find a clear spot big enough to take my pic.............





I spent a lengthy period of time washing storms, and washing the outsides of the downstairs windows, and putting up the downstairs storms, and then it was time for the manly part of the activity, which involves muscling the extension ladder, and hauling the storm windows up the ladder to the second floor.

I was the one who climbed up, washed the outsides of the second floor windows, and then ran upstairs to help get the storms installed and latched.

This next image is a look at the end of the process, as the ladder returns to its berth in the garage.





For those of you who do not need to put up storm windows, here is the proper garb (complete with protective equipment for knees).





Aside from all that, I looooooooove having the storm windows up. The house is SO much quieter. And warmer. Looooooooove it. And I know that, like last year, I will be glad when I want those pristine images of snow.....................


I was, for me, pretty successful at not hating the washing. I tried to ... ignore it and just DO it.

I think I sort of envy people who can get into a zen state about cleaning, and finish feeling not only satisfied that they have made something cleaner, but calm and energized.

I probably just need to hire someone like that to do it, and then we can both feel calm and energized....... That is a much more likely scenario than me being ok with cleaning.............

.