In the bleak mid-winter, Frosty wind made moan

The wind whipped and howled all day. 
The temperature barely made it out of the thirties, which was a shock after Saturday and Sunday. 
It was a stay inside kind of day. 
The only time we went out was to take the dogs to potty. 
After Heron left for his girlfriend’s, we went down to his RV, turned on the heat, and brought his cats inside to keep them out of the cold and wind. 
That was the full extent of our outdoor time.

Since we weren’t brave enough to face the outdoors, we spent our indoor time the way we usually do. 
Everything stays on hold until Cowboy goes to work. 
That’s the worst part of a second‑shift worker, they want to sleep, so you learn to keep quiet.
Chores and movies wait until he leaves.

Once Cowboy headed out, Badger got caught up on our laundry. 
She even did mine. 
She usually doesn’t, because she has to use a special detergent. 
Regular detergent makes her eczema flare. 
I cleaned the house. 
Peacock was very hyper Saturday. 
He swept my living room, and then Badger vacuumed Sunday to get all the candy up that could kill a dog.
 Peacock also loaded the dishwasher Saturday, but I still had Sunday’s dishes sitting in the sink. 
Yes, I’m long‑winded.
I cleaned, okay.

There was a reason for going back and redoing what Peacock and Badger had done.
The exterminator called and said he’s coming tomorrow. 
I don’t go all out for his visits anymore, but I still don’t want him walking into a mess. 
I’m like Cowboy, I’m starting to wonder if he gets a commission for every house he does. 
He’s been pretty persistent about chasing me down. 

We ended the evening with our TV series. 
Badger keeps saying it’s written badly and acted even worse, but you still can’t turn it off. 
It pulls you in every time.

Tomorrow is going to be a waiting day, with everything on hold until the exterminator shows up. 
I’ll probably just sit at the computer until he gets here. 
We don’t make a big deal out of his visits anymore, but the kitchen counters still have to be cleared, and everything on the bathroom floor gets tossed into the bathtub. 
Lady gets hidden, and the cats stay in the laundry room until he arrives. 
The rest he can deal with.

I’ve never been much of a housekeeper.
With my ADHD, cobwebs and little things like that don’t bother me. 

We’re cramming more people into this house than anyone should, and that means we’re also cramming in all their belongings. 
We’re still trying to find places for everything.

The house was built in 1949. 
It’s old and a little worn.

 There are things I can’t control, and if I had my way, I wouldn’t let anyone in. 
But even if I ignore cobwebs and shove clutter aside, I won’t tolerate pests. 
So I grit my teeth, pretend this place is a spotless mansion, and let the man in. 

I sometimes wonder if employees talk about houses like ours on their lunch breaks. 

But it is what it is.