Welcome to my eclectic journey of my life and delights. This year my theme is surrendering my writing pen to the true author, Jesus Christ, while looking forward to the future, reflecting on the past and dancing through my journey.




Monday, September 30, 2013

Blast from the Past

Do you remember these????

Well, as much as I would love to stay in the "pinch me-is-it-real" movie setting, I had to return to reality and work!  Now work can be fun, but much of what I am doing right now is exactly that... WORK!

God in His mercy knows how to extend grace in the midst of my labor.  My calendar was full upon arriving back home.  My hours would extend my physical and emotional body, but then there would be light at the end of the road, also.


By the second week of daily and night time work, I found myself starting to need a good vitamin B-12 shot, which I didn't get in the natural, but I got it when I walked into this house.


My oldest son is not only a custom home builder, he is also acquiring rental property. His voice just bounced on the phone awhile back, as he gleamed in excitement over his "killer deal" of a rental property.  So as the time came for the repairs and some updating to be finished, he called for me to "Simply Clean" his rental.  My body was dragging as I arrived at the house, which needed some TLC for the new occupants.  This clean had come at the end of an already long week.
Yes I can use Power Tools when cleaning!!


I walked in thinking my son had lost it when he expected me to make this place shine in one day, but then God just reached down with a giggle.


It was the most retro home I have been in in years.  Oh my!... the memories of my teen days just came flooding back as I walked from room to room.  The lights, the knobs, the colors....I felt I had been blasted back into the 70's.  I needed the "Oldies but Goodies" music station blaring through the intercom system.  Can't you just hear the Bee Gees?


Believe it or not, just laughing at all signs of the past while doing a deep cleaning, made my job much easier.


The laughter was the topping of the day when my son showed me a picture he had taken before they started to clean up.  It was a Burt Reynolds poster in the closet! This isn't it..the one he had was Burt baring his hairy chest, something that isn't desired with this generation of females...hair!   Girls...yes, girls had lived in this house.  The evidence was everywhere.  They had left behind their mark...and I am sure a few tears, as they had cleared out what had been their Dad's house.

I kept thinking how life moves on.  This house occupied by a family, the kids grew up and left, the Dad then left this earth, now it is owned by my son.......................life goes on,  as does my own.

After 11 hours of cleaning, the house was ready for the new family.  What tales will the walls tell as this young family comes to occupy it?  What will be left behind when they leave?  Will they enjoy the "blast from the past"?  To them it will be new, because "what was old is now new again."

15 Joining in with more words:

Sharon said...

Love it. Do you know that my parents' home has almost that same oven?? Yes, their house is really stuck in the '70's too. But, there is something charming about it.

No Burt Reynolds, though.

Keep up the great work, Janette!

xo

Debbie said...

What a great expression for this (Vitamin b-12). I can hardly believe that a house has been left so untouched to the point that the Burt poster was still there. (Had it been our old house, it would have been Mark Spitz with those 7 gold medals hanging over his speedo. Thinking back, no wonder my mom banished it to the closet.)

Great post and an even greater attitude!

Farm Girl said...

Well it is easier to clean a house when no one is there. I just can't believe the poster in the closet.
It is like a blast from the past, our sinks looked just like that one in the picture with the same kinds of handles.
Well at least you got it done.

Christine said...

I admire you!
You have such a great spirit and attitude. God is pleased!

Yes, that house is full of memories, all untouched. You cleaned it like it was a prized possession. Which is WAS, IS and WILL BE!
Your son knew who to call for such an important job.

Nancy said...

You are such an inspiration as you always see the good in situations.......Your photographs brought back lots of memories of the 70's era....

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

I work really hard when I have jet lag ... but only in the wee hours of the morning. No 11 hour days.

Fondly,
Glenda

Vee said...

oh that really was something of a time warp...bet you make a place shine! (I just remembered how awful it was to come home after leaving a clean house to find that my own needed help. Sometimes those long days became even longer as a result.)

Tanna said...

Oh, there are definitely some blasts from the past in this one. Your son is so very blessed to have you to "make it new again", Janette. Burt Reynolds, huh? ;) blessings ~ tanna

Lisa said...

I remember those ovens! WOW! I love the kitchen cabinets. They would be adorable painted.
PS I'M busy catching up on your wedding news. I'm sooooo behind.:)

Maryann said...

Attitude is everything, hard to believe that house went through so many decades without a change. Glad you were able to find some joy in all of it. God continues to sustain and gives lots of grace doesn't he?

Debbie Petras said...

I remember when Burt was a heart throb! Yes a blast from the past for sure. The before photos look like our condo before I started cleaning and painting.

Blessings and love,
Debbie

Rebecca said...

Oh, my! I think I've caught up! I'm in awe of the wedding and all the activities surrounding it! Your son & daughter-in-law must have been saving up for this forEVER! What wonderful pictures you have to review & remember with....

Now about this house, since I'm all about "retro", I'm kind of jealous :)

I'm also thinking I wish you were closer so I could hire you. My house is in a great state of neglect since we went into emergency mode caring for my parents almost a month ago...



http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

You are whipping your body into shape! I think all of that physical labor must be also helping you lose pounds, tiring as it is. It's making the rest of us say, if Janette can do it, so can I!! I need to exert some of that house cleaning energy into my own house right about now.

Keep up the good work! :)

podso said...

Love this post! I would be thinking the same as I cleaned this house! What a smile from God to give you joy as you worked, and lots of memories to remember!

Cecilia Marie Pulliam said...

Of all the people to see this home, how special it be you, who could appreciate it's decor. So many others would simply think it was old and outdated. The poster, a divine nudge, "See I'm here in all things, even in the drudgery of cleaning someone else's home. I'm here to lift you and sustain you." Bless you Janette for seeing God in all things, even in a long hard work week.

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