Simply Sarah B.: Daffodils and spring cleaning

I so love this time of year and it is enhanced by how much I love daffodils. I have millions of pictures of these beautiful flowers but will only make you look at a few.

I've been doing major spring cleaning. It all began with a dinner party I had a couple of weeks ago and has since continued. I started by painting the enclosure for the washer/dryer that was put up two years ago. And then on to the railing on the front steps.

I've since moved outside. I sprayed a wrought iron side table that is 50 years old and it looks brand new. Yesterday I tackled the wooden planters that I think I bought four years ago and they were beginning to look neglected. Well, little did I know that they are practically rotted through. I put extra thick layers of paint in the tricky areas and I know they'll make it through this season. But I plan to keep my eyes open to see how much fiberglass containers would cost. Probably a lot but they wouldn't require much upkeep. I have bought a couple of fiberglass pots in the past and think this is what I will stick with. They truly don't seem to age.

Ah, you say, she must be close to finished with spring cleaning. But, no, you know how it goes. Once you start you keep finding more and more to do. I think I'll spray paint the umbrella stands flat black.

Through all of this I have gotten quite handy with a palm sander. I think that's what it's called. I borrowed it from my brother. I sanded my basement steps (boy was that noisy) so that when it is cooler outside I will have an indoor project. I forgot to tell you that I had found a wicker table on the street for bulk garbage pick-up day. I sanded the top of that and put on a coat of white spray paint. One more coat and it will be ready for a new life as a bedside table in the guest room.

I have many more things to do. If I show you the list maybe I'll get to them: paint the basement stairs and the stairwell. It has looked awful for 15 years. Maybe paint the safety railings outside my four upstairs windows. Wash the screens. This is best done with a damp washcloth and it's amazing how great the screens look when you're finished.

In the meantime I found a stash of shells that were hoping for a project and I've been doing some votives with shells. I'll show pictures when they're done. It's kind of hard to describe them.

So for the past two days I have collapsed at about 4 and gone to bed very early. Today I have to pace myself as my cousins are coming out for dinner at the club. If you know me, you know pacing myself takes extraordinary effort.

Oh, and I have been walking for an hour a day. I have had a bum knee for a long time and couldn't exercise vigorously but now seem to be able to start back with some walking. I am totally inspired by a friend I had dinner with who has lost weight and looks fabulous.

That's it for now. As you can see I have a lot to do!