Spring marks a time of change. Well, this year brought big change as spring approached with the shutdown of most of the nation job- and schoolwise due to COVID-19.
Some find spring a time to do some cleaning, decluttering and reorganization. Maybe these quests linger throughout the year but somehow never get accomplished.
When the idea that school was to be closed for two weeks, I thought it would be a good time to get things started. Fast forward, cleaning is a tedious process. When the littlest thing gets done, it seems like not much has gotten done. I try and look at it as a work in progress.
I have a little partner in crime in this effort. My son jumps in to help 90% of the time and basks in our accomplishments. That first weekend of quarantine, we spent most of that nice weekend out in the garage. We swept, moved things and threw things away. Our one-car garage door closes, but doesn’t want to stay closed. We checked the sensors and other parts, but still have yet to resolve the problem. My son sat there with the owner’s manual, checking the troubleshooting section and making adjustments as needed. He remains determined to fix it.
On Easter weekend, we worked on assembling oversized rocking chairs for our front porch. There he was, his little toolbox in hand, screwdrivers and hammer in use. He’s good with tools.
This past weekend came time to work in the kitchen. We cleaned off a section of countertop and reorganized one section of cupboards. We stashed them full of breakfast foods, beverage mixes and snacks. I recently bought a Keurig, and we finally set it up on the one end of the counter and enjoyed coffee the following morning (French vanilla with French vanilla cream). 🙂
Jacob revels in our efforts. The past two days found him climbing the step stool and opening the cupboards to survey the snack stash. Last evening (April 27, 2020), he straightened out a shelf in the one cupboard where I keep some kitchen staples — cooking sprays and oils, flour, sugar and seasonings — while I finished dinner. Again, I had a happy, energetic helper on my hands.
The work continues in our house, and I hope the momentum to help also continues!
The mom of a dancing teen and a tween who enjoys scouting and hockey, Katie Campomizzi-Clews is a copy editor at The Republican-Herald. She began her career at The RH as a staff writer following graduation from Lycoming College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with a minor in psychology. She shares her experiences of balancing work and parenting and takes a look at issues, events and trends concerning parents and children.
