Almost Christmas

Late last night, Cody texted me a cry for help.  Oh, nothing's wrong.  They just have to be out of their house by Monday, and he needed help cleaning.   Early this morning, but not too early, I got up and drove down to Jackson and spent the day doing what I've wanted to do ever since they moved in to that house.  I thoroughly cleaned up that nasty kitchen of theirs. 

They aren't either of them very good house keepers.  

Anyway, I got there and instead of constantly asking "Do you want to keep this?  Do you want to keep that?", I told Cody I'd clean up the kitchen, but I needed some cleaning supplies.  He brought me a container of those Clorox wipes -- only the Great Value brand-- and half a roll of paper towels.  

I tried.  I really did, but I said, "I can't clean like this.  I need some proper cleaning supplies" and made him go to Walmart and get some.  Actually, I went with them, and after we'd dropped Brennan off at work, we went to Raisin' Cane's for lunch.  Then we went to their new apartment to drop some things off there and eat.  Their apartment is really nice.  Tiny, but nice and in a much nicer neighborhood than their old house.    

After we ate, we went back to their house and many garbage bags and much sweat later, the kitchen was finally clean except for the floors.  Cody said, "I ought to pay you for saving me the fees they would have hit me with."  Instead, they let me take my pick of everything they were going to get rid of.  What you are about to see is my loot.  

Four rolls of Christmas paper.  They were going to toss it, but I said, "I'll have that!"  

Plus, this advent calendar I'd given them last year.  They mostly finished it, and I said I'd like to play it, so Cody told me to take it. 

Then there were these two craft kits I'd bought Bren for Christmas one year, that hadn't even been opened.  "Oooh, I'll have those!"  I said. 

And a cat bed that their cat had suddenly developed a phobia of for some reason. 

And this whole pile of loot:  A clipboard case; some body butter (that I'd given Bren for Christmas one year.  I told Cody, "I thought she'd like that,"  and he said "Oh, she does, but with Brennan it's a bit 'out of sight, out of mind'");  a little sandwich maker, which I also gave them and I've already used; some pillow spray (which I also gave her); a lunch box; some coco bedding stuff that I thought I might be able to mix with potting soil to make a seed starting mix next year; and a couple more wax stamps. 

I managed to snag these four drinking vessels from the donation box.  I gave them all of this stuff.  

Cody said these were things he hated to get rid of, but they simply had no room in their new apartment.  They had two of those You Are Mine mugs, but I guess one made it into the donation box before I got there.  

Brennan said she wanted me to have these diamond dot kits.  I told Cody I'd put about five diamonds in the last one and said I understood why she quit.  

I don't know if I'll do these, but maybe I will.  I don't know.  We'll see.  

Look at this!  One of those 6 foot long folding tables.  That will come in handy at Christmas time.  

Another something that I'd given them.  

I'm not sure what you'd do with it.  I think it came with a cookie mix or something, because I can't see actually cooking anything in it.  Pancakes, maybe, but how would you flip them?  I guess into a regular flat pan or something.  Maybe I'll try that. 

"What on Earth did you do to your cast iron???"  I exclaimed when I saw this in their sink.   It looks like I have a project of my own now.  I'll have to look up how to de-rust cast iron on Youtube.   I'm sure there's a video somewhere. 

Once I get all of that rust off, I can re-season it and it'll be as good as new.   

So, I got the kitchen and guest bathroom all nice and clean, and just as I was about to leave, Cody's friend Dejuan arrived to take the second shift.  By that time, it was raining and I had to drive all the way home in it.  It wasn't heavy rain, though, until I got about five miles from home, then the bottom dropped out.  It didn't take long until I drove out from under it, and just as I'd gotten all my stuff into the house, it hit here.  

I came home with so much stuff, it almost felt like Christmas.  For the cat, too.  She found this bed and claimed it right away, but I still plan on giving it a good washing tomorrow. 

 That was how my Saturday went.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to look up how to de-rust cast iron. 

Laters