I have recently returned from the far north where I was delighted to watch the first few steps of my grand daughter, Matilda who is 11 months old. She loves to take my hand and wobble walk along very proud of herself. She entertains me with her finger pointing, funny expressions, grinning cuteness and eating skills. There’s the book reading, the thumb sucking, the pram rides and frustrating crying during the night to unsettle us all. There’s the music time, nappy changes, bath time and THE LIST for me on a sticky note.

It reads – MUM

Couches, blinds, oven, windows.

Now hard work does not phase me, domestic chores that are done to help your daughter are part of being a mother. My main role for the weekend was to look after Matilda and to complete some jobs that needed doing. Vacuuming the dirt from the couches is easy; the cleaning of the blinds and windows, methodical but the oven cleaning, well that’s another story. Oven cleaning takes a good product ( bi-carb soda and vinegar) or a stronger product from the supermarket, muscle power and determination. I was pleased with the results from the first few tasks, however, cleaning the dirty oven was harder especially when in the end I surrendered this job to the husband of the house who really wanted to put it off and do it the next day. When you have to decide on whether to watch a movie after the baby goes to sleep or scrub the oven, which would you choose willingly?

On the outside their oven looks clean and shiny. To be honest the inside wasn’t that bad, but my daughter insisted that this was a to- do- job she wanted done ( early Spring cleaning) In between reading the instructions on the box, preventing the toxic fumes from escaping, unravelling the plastic bag , washing the grimy racks in the sink , understanding the steps of what to do and some bickering from the mum and dad, I watched the scenario unfold. After an hour of watching Casino Royale with Daniel Craig, the waiting game was over and the grime inside the oven was only slightly better.

The blinds, however, came up very clean as did the windows like polished diamonds.

My time with Matilda was fun, in contrast to the cleaning jobs. I guess if you can spring clean and have fun at the same time, then that’s good. Listening to music, smelling the chocolate brownies baking, looking out at the tropical palms swaying, and exercising your body. Are you a fan of cleaning? The after effects are always appreciated. The journey can be sweet if you dance along, sing along or do it with a friend.

Fortunately for Tilly she can look out this window of the playground cubby full of delight and giggles with no glass panes to smudge or sticky fingerprints to wipe off. What a life!!

And now I’m back home in Mapleton staring at my windows and oven, wondering whether I will squeeze in time for this activity. There are other matters more pressing like reading Country Style magazine to celebrate Spring and enjoying a good coffee – Queensland Blue from up north. PS Do you have a secret formula for cleaning your oven? Do you write your to-do-list on sticky notes? Please tell me.