Hurricane I Clean

There is nothing like throwing a party...or expecting a hurricane...to get me to clean. As witnessed in this recent bluster it wasn't a question IF we were going to loose power but WHEN. All cylinders where activated into tub cleaning/filling, round the clock laundry, preparing the basement as a hurricane shelter and refrigerator purge/consolidation. Hurricane Irene was my Hurricane I clean.

The day before the storm we experienced "a happening". As my husband was cleaning the gutters and securing all the downspouts, barricading the front door for the purported 115 mph winds I was consolidating and cleaning one of the refrigerators. If this doesn't sound like a big deal to you let me just explain. (For all those who have eaten anything other than Take-Out at my house within the last seven years don't read this next sentence.) In the eight years of our ownership a sponge has never paid it a visit.

I know.

I'm lazy. Not that this task is difficult. Apparently, I need hurricanes for motivation. The job took less than an hour. Seven years of resistance. What's that all about? It was a fridge colonic.

Amidst all the uber-hype of hurricane preparedness we did, in fact, loose power for six days. We were totally prepared. It was nice. The kids even remarked at how much better my cooking was on an open flame while re-living my past life as a Pioneer. Some of the highlights would be Cowgirl coffee strong enough to bolster the faint at heart, warm outdoor solar showers, kids in bed relatively early once the darkness sent them into fits of petrification and, of course, the hypnotic glaze of candlelight. The power was allowed to remain dormant until the laundry baskets breached max capacity. I wasn't going to beat my clothes stream side against no rock. However, it does need to be noted that I am left feeling insanely gypped that the roof didn't blow off the house.

Don't tell my insurance company.

What I have to report for the aftermath of this Hurricane is a set of more resilient children, gratitude for how the community pulled together particularly the weary CL&P technicians who work tirelessly into the night to restore power, appreciation for the conveniences of modern day life, a cleaner than usual house, a roof that still needs to be replaced and... a sparkling refrigerator. The entire experience, with emphasis on the fridge thing, has left me feeling lighter and joyous with an ever so slight twinge of kookie irrelevance.

So, in this spirit I ask you in my Hurricane Haiku:

Hurricane I Clean
What long overdue project
Needs a  colonic?