getting behind and underneath

So this evening, for the first time since I moved into my house, I pulled the fridge away from the wall and cleaned behind and underneath it. I have just one word for this: ohmigoshohmygoshohmygoshohmigoshohmygoshohmygosh.

I'll tell you why I haven't done it before now, even knowing the dust could make the machine work harder. Over the years, there has been the occasional mouse in the house. And how do they come in? Through the kitchen. Where do they run when you see them? Behind the fridge. Well, I'll tell you something, I've had this vision of there being a little mouse hole in the corner of the cabinet behind the fridge. Something like in the Tom and Jerry cartoons. And I didn't want to know. The thought actually made me nervous to think about. So I never pulled the fridge away.

Tonight I did, two nights before I'm about to drive across the country. Why? Because the man who's putting tile down in my kitchen is from my church, and I didn't want him to see behind the fridge and tell people.

I'm serious. I know it's irrational, and I'm still serious. I also cleaned my bathroom, because I'm expecting him to look in my bathroom cabinets during the four days he'll be here. I'm not sure what's worse - putting something off because I completely dread it, or jumping in head first to handle it because of social shame. I guess it doesn't matter to the fridge.

This evening I should have been at Lowe's using my $25 off coupon a friend clipped for me from the Sunday paper to get the backer board and the threshold for the door, and an extra key because I've given all my keys away and can't get them back. But I was at work until 7pm, and just didn't feel like it. I'm a little behind on my To Do Before Vacation list, at work most of all, but right now I don't care much about that. My kitchen smells like orange blast, and I feel a sense of accomplishment.

Getting this house ready to rent or sell has been a Getting Behind and Underneath kind of process. This afternoon, I dropped off five bags of clothes and shoes at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. When I get back from vacation, I'll be getting the yard in better shape. I will be planting shrubs. I will be trying to kill the honeysuckle vines. I will be filling the holes Petey has dug. And since I have a reel mower, I will be raking. A lot. I expect to have gorgeous arms by October. Sometimes you have to overcome lethargy when you want to change patterns. Sometimes developing a sense of confidence and accomplishment means tackling things you dread.

There was no mouse hole behind the fridge, by the way. I think I need to remember that.

--Laura