Can we call this a trend?

For two Mondays running, I've cleaned the house. I mean really cleaned it well, top to bottom (except for the basement). Today it took me until just after noon, but I got it done. I was going to make a cake for dessert after dinner but I'm just too darn pooped. Tomorrow I'll get down there and clean the basement. Some of the soot and stuff drifted into the finished area, so I really need to give it a good vacuum and wipe-down. The kids have been coming up from playing down there with black on the bottoms of their socks. Tomorrow: basement and cake! Very good combination. Do you ever have neighbors who get a big pile of mulch and then take forever to get it laid down? That would be us this year. We're doing it ourselves, and weekends have been so busy that we just haven't gotten it finished. The worst part is that it's been raining so much, and when we DO have time the mulch is soaking wet (or it's actively raining). The rain is giving me major weed problems too. We only have one section hasn't been covered with landscaping fabric underneath the mulch, and that's the biggest problem area. Next year that section is getting fabric too, otherwise I'm going to lose it. Good news: the pool is open! I was so surprised to see how clear it was underneath the new cover. Up until last year we only had a tarp over it, held down around the edges by long tubs filled with water. Inevitably, the water would evaporate and the tubs would fall it, causing the edges of the tarp to fall in and all the leaves to dump into the water. We couldn't even replenish the water in the tubs because the sprinklers and hoses had been winterized. Last year we broke down and got a Loop Lock cover, and I'm so glad we did. The only other thing on my pool wish list is one of those automatic vacuumers so I don't have to go out there and do it manually. It's one big pain. Or I'm just lazy. A bit of both. I hope we'll be able to have the family over on Memorial Day for a swim and a barbecue.