Christmas cleaning

Yeah...it's that time again and I can't postpone it any longer. I can definitely not skip it, because we smoke...advice: never smoke indoor, even if it's a drag to go outside and be cold, believe me, scrubbing walls and ceilings are worse. Much worse! 

I wish I could say I'll do it gracefully and and look sexy and happy while doing it, like this ^^
but I'll probably look more like this vv

I asked my sister to help me, who agreed, but hubby has decided to do better as a husband and be more helpful around the house - no, I haven't figured out what the catch is yet - thus decided he would do the washing of walls and ceiling.

I should be silly-happy about this, I know...but whenever he decides to help me, it usually means double up work for me. I need to clear everything off the walls and clean it and all surfaces not a wall or a ceiling before he starts, then while he's washing I'm his extra hands and then afterwards, I need to clean all surfaces again from the mess after his ...manly ways of washing. And I have to be visibly thankful and brag about his work constantly while I discretely recline his insane offers of much improved and easier ways of house keeping. (it usually involves installing a hose and/or an open fireplace in the living room for cooking)

Did I mention that he agreed on getting new curtains and blinds for the living room? That is the other strong reason I'm agreeing to his help. I NEED new curtains, the old ones are 15 years old and almost dissolved last time I washed them, they won't handle another round in the washing machine. I had to sew up and fix half of them this summer when I washed them - there is not enough fabric to do that again...

I haven't really thought that much about what curtains to get,

I just know I want these in solid oak. The sun is so low in the sky during wintertime up here that it shines directly into the windows and makes it impossible to watch TV or sit and talk in the sofa without sunglasses. It's difficult to look smart with the sun glaring in your face, tears streaming down your cheeks and you blink and sniff while conversing with visitors. So you see, I NEED them badly and I can't risk da helpful hubby getting grumpy, deciding there is not enough money for anything but the things he wants there and then. I need him happy and by golly, I'll keep him happy until those blinds are in da house and up!

Thank the gods for Spotify - I've got my list of cleaning music ready, the puter hooked up to the speakers. I'll blast all house imps out together with the dust bunnies and get the house ready for Christmas if it is the last thing I do!

/: -end cleaning-pep-talk for self