Fall is here

I've been in denial for weeks now. It can't be true, but it is. The leaves are turning. It's fall. How could that be? We just got those beautiful leaves back on the trees, and now we're going to lose them again?!

I remember, while we were living in California, how transplants from other states, particularly back east, would complain about how there are no seasons in California. It's true. The weather is so wonderful -- only a few cold weeks in winter and a few hot weeks in summer -- no real need for heating or air because the temperatures are so mild. In fact, the weather man's job is just a glory job, a chance to make small talk with the newscasters and then point to the weather map to explain that temperatures will be exactly like yesterday's numbers. (Yawn.)

Meanwhile, here in Georgia, where we experience real weather, and where the weather cannot make up its mind, I feel time marching on. Summer giving way to fall and winter just around the corner. And me with still no job. But I'll not whine about THAT today.

I organized a chore chart for the kids and, as in most organizational endeavors, they're quite excited about it -- or rather, I should say, the little kids are quite excited about their new responsibilities. I divided up the chores equally among each of the six kids that can do the work. (Keva continues to live a life of leisure!) With the chores divided among six, they each only have one, sometimes two, chores to do each day, aside from the usual maintenance of the their bedroom and bathroom. The chores are: clean/vacuum living room, clean/vacuum family room, sweep (foyer, kitchen, breakfast room, hallway), feed Kody, make dinner, do dinner dishes, take out the trash. Only Keri Lynn, Kristofer and Kathleen have to make a meal, but otherwise everyone does at least one of those things on the list each day. And I have to say that by late morning today, the house was looking pretty good!

Now, we'll see if it lasts. I'm going to have to really stay on top of it to make this work, but once they've made it a habit, then we should be able to keep the house relatively clean with very little effort because each of us is doing our part. That's the theory anyway!

Meanwhile, I had thought I had gotten such a great handle on the laundry two days ago. I was inordinately proud of myself, and then Kathleen and Kylie decided to organize their closet from whence came a whole mountain of forgotten and dirty clothing. This answered a big question regarding Kylie's clothes. I KNEW she had a lot more clothes than she actually had. She'd been saying that she didn't have anything to wear, and I had just washed all of the clothes -- what in the world did she mean?! Well, she just had not bothered to take it to the laundry at all. It is one BIG scary pile, and I have no idea how we're going to fit her clothes in her dresser when they're washed. It can't be done. We'll have to tame the monster that is her wardrobe. Should we all have such trouble!