PREP FOR THE HOUSEWARMING

November 15, 2022

PREP FOR THE HOUSEWARMING

FINALLY! The fine-tuning work of cleaning every nook and cranny has begun (the last of our renovation work got over on Sunday) .

The cement work and painting has left endless areas of grit and splatters that have to be cleaned off painstakingly. I am sighing as I pen this. This is so overwhelming but I am determined to do it Five Minutes at a time. Alexa, clock me.

FLYLADY method has indeed a lot of merit. I listen to FLYLADY music as I go about my rubadub chores these days. Puts me in 'A Rockin' Routine' mood every single time. Here's the link to the playlist if you are interested

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxa-Ow3rgyyuuQaHyKOps8qVFIGt6Y6Y3

We now have exactly TEN days to the big event - the housewarming prayer service cum party. Our guest list is very tiny like our home - just a priest, our prayer group leaders and MFC servant leaders, and a few new neighbours. Reagan caterers will supply our temporal needs while the MBBS priests our spiritual ones.

With most of the furniture in place and looking spiffy in a new coat of polish and paint, we have only the altar to beautify and our garden bed to bloomify.

We are dedicating this home to the mother of Don Bosco, whose feast day is on 25 Nov. Her picture will adorn the threshold of the porch, which is now our main entrance. I have also hung a smaller picture of her son below on the door.

I am also interested in buying a real Christmas tree, either new or secondhand. In the old flat, it wasn't possible to have a real tree but here I can keep one in the compound. I look forward to decorating it with lights and cotton. Hope the stray dogs don't create havoc! HELP!

We have five stray dogs that adorn the landscape of our building, patiently sitting outside the gates until its time for feeding. Then they venture into the compound and wait for their treats. Dominick, our journalist neighbour, feeds them biscuits or pao during the day and Manuela gives them rice and curry at night. I also started feeding them our leftovers.

Every Tuesday, the panchayat sends a garbage collector to take our dry waste for recycling purposes. Most of the neighbours throw their wet waste in a bin erected within the compound. I'm surprised there is no smell. I, of course, will continue to compost.

This Sunday, the debris was finally cleared off the premises into some landfill somewhere. We had a major hiccup as the contractor miscalculated the extent of damage in the sewage tank area and the wheels of the tempo got stuck in soft mud. Then the tempo broke two of the chamber covers as it drove over them with all that weight inside. A job that could have got over in two hours took six hours. And we had to repair the chamber covers in the bargain!

Chamber cover bought to replace broken one.

Second broken chamber cover.

Yesterday, I saw a snake, a small one, about a metre in length. It had come into the main entrance of the wing we live in. I think these snakes are around in search of frogs. Also rats, because of the wet garbage, are bound to breed.

The carpenters did a good job on the kitchen drawers and doors. We also had to polish the old furniture and put new cushions and upholstery on the sofa set and two chairs. But now, everything is coming together and the rooms are looking pretty.