On the kitchen counter there was a pile of papers that required some sort of attention, such as the "get a $5 gift card for writing an Amazon review," and a photocopied page from a book I've been meaning to pick up next time I'm at the university library, except right now only enrolled students and faculty can get in there. I finally got smart and looked on Bookfinder.com, a used book store has a good clean copy for $6 that includes shipping, so it is ordered (the round trip would cost me that much in gas, under the old higher-gas prices). And with each of these items checked off the sheet is put in the circular file, recycle edition. Those examples are representative, I've tackled a half-dozen or more now, written, ordered, filed, tracked down. I can't say how long this slowly growing stack has been moved from one counter to another. I have to go through the files and cull old bills and such, but with as hot and dry as it has been, the burning barrel won't come out until after a good soaking rain.

This is a sub-set of the "clear off kitchen horizontal surfaces" project. The small kitchen table now has a fresh table cloth and I'm working on the tall table in the middle of the kitchen proper. The kitchen queen tall cabinet has quite a few things piled on that counter, and if I can clear it also the kitchen will really look good. The house is looking much better than "normal," and as I'm said many times over the last few months, it would be wonderful if friends and family could come in to enjoy the changes.