Monday, September 18, 2006

The Pigpen Award

My
nickname, in the third grade, was “Pigpen.” My friend, Heather, will verify this. Our teacher gave away the “Pigpen Award” each week and, invariably, I
was the lucky recipient. My desk was a
mess. The floor around my desk was a
mess and organization was not a term that I was familiar with. Midway into my third-grade year a new kid
moved to town. He was in my class and,
by some miracle, he was messier than I was. The week that he started school was when my consistent reign as the
class dump came to an end. What a
tragic day in my young life.








Given
my history, it should be no surprise that my home is not a well-oiled
machine. It is a slightly dilapidated
older-model that smells like Febreeze. I struggle with keeping my house clean because I am someone who values
cleanliness but I am also inherently lazy. I would rather watch TV than vacuum my floor but I cannot stand to see
it dirty. Looking at a dingy sink
repulses me but I would rather read a good book than whip out my trusty Comet
and get to work. I’m surprised that
this inner battle has not morphed into some type of mental disorder.








I probably shouldn’t be so hard on myself. My
Mother is consistently amazed by “how far I’ve come.” I’ve enlisted some help
along the way in the form of Marla Cilley, commonly known as “The Flylady.” She has developed a house cleaning system specifically for former
Pigpens like myself.  Her system works extremely well and I have managed
to stick to it on some level with a reasonable amount of consistency. I still have days when I pick up my daughter
and her knees are black from crawling on my kitchen floor but those days are
few and far between. On the occasions
that I do fall off of the cleaning wagon, I think of my third grade teacher and
how proud she would be that my legacy still lives on. The Pigpen inside of me is alive and well.



 





8 comments:

  1. Now We have a nick name for you! Samona and pigpen! My nickname is lucy.
    I "knew" a woman who had a colomn (sp) in the bradley news weekly and she also did magazines so that may be your next step! Congrats!

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  2. Jules,
    This is my favorite article so far. Great!! What was that kid's name that stole the "Pigpen" award away from you? Love, Mom

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  3. Wow. I really hope "Pigpen" doesn't stick. It is much less cuter than Samona!

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  4. Mom-
    Thanks. Somehow I knew you'd enjoy this one :)
    The new Pigpen was Rogan Hamby. I'll never forget him.

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  5. Hehehe, sounds like me!
    When my Mom comes over she just shakes her head and says "I hope your friends know that I did not raise you this way". And of course I always reply "Don't worry Mom, I tell everyone that you taught me all I know about housework"....gotta love that eyeroll she gives me :)

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  6. Angie-
    I know what you mean. My Mom is one of those people whose house is ALWAYS clean and company-ready. I was always resistant to any type of learning about domestic skills as a child. She had her work cut out for her. I'm still learning :)

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  7. Wow, I feel like we must have been separated at birth reading this particular entry! I too am well intentioned and sit in disgust looking at this filthy mess that we call home, but alas, it's home and we love it. Flylady is wonderful!! I was just telling someone else about her "Stress Free Holiday" planner. It's a must have for people like us! I'll be thinking of you now when I see that pile of dishes that desperately needs attention that I can't get to because my rear is stuck to the couch from the sucker that I should've cleaned up yesterday. Ha ha!

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  8. Angie N.-
    I have officially fallen off of my Flylady wagon this week. I can't seem to even get it in gear to make my bed in the mornings :( Once I get home at night, I am so tired that I don't get my evening routine done. This throws everything else off. Ugghhh.... I've got to get back in gear. Maybe we can start a Pigpen support group.

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