Of Husbands and Spiders

As I look out my kitchen window and see the clean laundry happily waving in the warm breeze, I can't help but feel gratitude and awe... and shame. It was not me that hung the laundry there, it was my already-over-worked husband. He has taken it upon himself to do the laundry, not just this once but several times, because he knows that I'm creeped out by the basement (where the washing machine is). Ok, that and he ran out of things to wear. (just kidding). I love it when he does laundry (not only for the obvious reasons... less work for me, clean clothes to wear, etc.) because he not only separates loads by lights, darks, icky rags... but he separates loads by color. I mean, like, navy blue... pink... green.... purple... He'll do a load of all pink things (which is a dominant color in the clothing of our family), a load of all red things... it looks so much prettier than a mish-mash of navy and black and gray and brown. Maybe I'll do a collage of pictures of the clothes line with all the different loads hanging on it sometime. ;)
He never fails to amaze me with his attitude about work. We've been married for 5 1/2 years, and I seriously don't think I've heard him complain one time about all the work he has to do. And believe you me, he is one of the hardest working people I know. Sometimes I go ahead and complain about it for him, just to sort of give a voice to the feelings I'm sure he's experiencing. I'm thoughtful like that.

 I am determined to conquer my dread of our basement. Well... determined may be too strong of a word. Umm... it would be nice to conquer my dread of our basement. There, that sounds like a little less of a commitment. I would have taken a picture of the actual basement, but I wasn't sure how to hold the camera in one hand, while doing my whole, waving the broom in large, sweeping circles through the air in front of me in case of spiderwebs thing with the other hand. The only problem with this picture is that it makes it look a little too bright and inviting down there. It's nobody's fault that it's spidery down there. It's an old house with an un-finished basement. It's gonna be spidery. Ok, in all honesty, I've probably seen a total of 3 spiders down there. But it SEEMS spidery. I have this dream of somehow fixing it up to be a cute, clean, fun little laundry area... I know that Kammy of Kammyskorner.blogspot.com would be able to do it! (check out her blog! This is one clever gal!) I've been reading her blog and getting all sorts of ideas and inspiration. The only problem is, all of my ideas would require me going to the basement and touching things and picking up things and moving them.... all activities that are totally asking for spider sightings. Maybe if I dare myself to do it, that will be just the motivation I need. Ok. I dare... no... I double-dare...myself to FACE the basement, take DOMINION over the basement (including the spiders that are living down there) and make it a place that I enjoy being. Step one... taking "before" pictures. Alright, guys.... be watching for my "before" pictures, and be ready to cheer me on!!! I need your support in this!