Monday Clean Up and the Power Washer

Who’s with me that Monday can be the most challenging (and sometimes dreaded) day of the week? 

On the other hand, it can be a day of productivity, promise and possibilities.

This is quite crazy to admit, but one reason I like Monday is because it’s trash day!  I like to spend a little time going around the house and the yard and doing a little trimming and pulling to try to fill up the trash can. It just feels good to get all the trash out of the house and around the yard. Hence the “Day of Productivity.”

There are a couple messy problems around trash day, however. 

#1 Javelinas

For our uninitiated neighbors, putting trash cans out the night before pick up can spell big problems.  In fact, I came upon this mess a few blocks away.  The residents put their trash cans out on Sunday afternoon for a Monday pick up and the javelinas came through, knocked down these large cans with their muscly strength and took what they wanted.  Now someone has to go out into the street and pick up that stinky, nasty mess.

#2 Dirty Cans

Did I mention cat poo?  We store our cans outside because we have cats and they have poo.  It would be nice to keep them in the garage.  But nuh uh.  Way too stinky. 

Even after our trash has been collected, the cans don’t smell much better than they did pre-pick up.  Not every bit of detritus gets emptied and over time (along with the cat poo, of course) I just can no longer stand how filthy the cans are.

There are companies who specialize in power washing and cleaning other people’s trash cans, but ta da!  We have our own power washer, a smidge of Tide and a little Oxy so I did the job myself. With a little help from the hub, of course. Well, maybe more than a little help.

Power Washer

We have a Ryobi power washer from Home Depot.  We don’t use it a ton, but it’s handy to have. As with most power instruments in our house, it really needs a man’s touch to get it right, so John finished it up.

I can show you what it looks like, but I can’t relate the smell very well. Here’s the before and after. They don’t look brand new, but there is no stink left.

• 

• 

• 

What I’m Reading

I read the new Dean Koontz, Devoted.  Do not ask me what that title has to do with the story, but oh well.  It was very boilerplate Dean Koontz with a hot woman and macho man and a golden retriever.  Did I mention a happy ending with everyone getting their due?  I might have wasted a couple of days, but I’m not complaining.

On audio I listened to the first of the Dave Robicheaux mysteries by James Lee Burke called The Neon Rain.  It is set in New Orleans and I really liked it.  I’m listening to another Ivan Doig this week, but Burke is on my regular rotation now.

In other exciting book related news, I ordered a new Kindle and after I get it set up I’m going to share the details of why it’s exciting me.  Other than the obvious.  Who wouldn’t want a new Kindle?

What I’m Eating

Does anyone feel interested in a recipe after the disgusting trash can subject? 

I made what I call Greek Chicken this week alongside Grandma’s Potato Salad, fresh tomatoes and watermelon.  A real summer treat.

Greek Chicken

• 3 chicken breasts or combination or thighs and breasts
• ¼ c avocado or olive oil
• ¼ c fresh lemon juice
• Oregano to taste
• Three cloves garlic (or more to taste)
• Chopped green onion
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup Greek yogurt

Marinade the chicken in all ingredients for around three hours, turning the chicken and coating it every hour.  Grill until done.  The yogurt will brown the chicken more than you might be used to seeing.

I’ve shared the recipe for potato salad here.

Other than just cleaning up the trash bins, we had a little dust devil over the weekend that made a big fat mess on the patio, so I had to take my trusty blower out and clean that up.  Then I had to clean up that dark furniture that shows every dust mote in Arizona. 

It’s all spic and span now to start the week.

I hope this post wasn’t too gross for anyone, but it felt like such a productive Monday getting all these extra credit cleaning chores done. Ahhhh, it’s done.

I hope your week is full of promise and possibilities. XO