The Storm Before the Calm

Hubby is out of the house today working partially because he has a lot of writing and maybe because he's afraid I'll put him to work helping me clean the house. I don't just make a nice "to-do" list like my mother did when I was growing up. I've pondered just e-mailing and texting little reminders or for the girls -- leaving notes in their rooms since they're not yet into texting. (Thank the Technology Gods -- for the moment -- that they're semi-reachable by voice and not hooked to a wired network.)

I yell out instructions, at least the fourth or fifth time I'm having to repeat myself. (Husband may disagree here.) And the girls are learning how to operate the sweeper though they're acting like it's a monster they cannot control. So while they're at school I'm cleaning the oven...

My oven that needs some self-cleaning time.

... so my baking project for the day is getting delayed. I've found Boston's Parker House hotel's recipe for Parker House rolls that I'll be attempting later today. And I'm calling a friend to get her easy Boston Cream Pie (really it's a cake!) recipe, so check back for more cooking excitement.

In the meantime, I'm hitting corners of the house that need my attention:

Just soap scum in the guest bathroom

and heaven knows what on my table! Ugh!