Winter cleaning

So here we are Thursday, my favourite day of the week, this may be because my knitting group meet today but I have a feeling it was my favourite day before that, hence why we knit on Thursday's. Anyway I digress. I had a rare Wednesday night off last night so I did quite blitz of the housework (we have no hoover at the mo so all the carpets were hand swept) and we'd run out of pledge for the rather large amount of wood our house contains. This morning I googled some natural alterantives and found the following: Furniture Polish: For varnished wood, add a few drops of lemon oil into a 1/2 cup warm water. Mix well and spray onto a soft cotton cloth. Cloth should only be slightly damp. Wipe furniture with the cloth, and finish by wiping once more using a dry soft cotton cloth.For unvarnished wood, mix two tsps each of olive oil and lemon juice and apply a small amount to a soft cotton cloth. Wring the cloth to spread the mixture further into the material and apply to the furniture using wide strokes. This helps distribute the oil evenly. Interesting thought I. I will hopefully be testing the theory when I return from Zoe's. I also found this for the number 1 enemy Moths: Mothballs: The common mothball is made of paradichlorobenzene, which is harmful to liver and kidneys. Cedar chips in a cheesecloth square, or cedar oil in an absorbant cloth will repel moths. The cedar should be 'aromatic cedar', also referred to as juniper in some areas. Cedar chips are available at many craft supply stores, or make your own using a plane and a block of cedar from the lumberyard. Homemade moth-repelling sachets can also be made with lavender, rosemary, vetiver and rose petals.Dried lemon peels are also a natural moth deterrent - simply toss into clothes chest, or tie in cheesecloth and hang in the closet. I had previously been told they weren't that bothered by cedar but I suppose its worth a try...

All around me people are gearing up for Christmas but already at work we are past that and into January. My to do list before then is very very long including finalising a chicken run design, bleeding all the radators, fixing the bench in the back garden, attacking the garden, all of it, properly (including the rather large conifer I have been trying to ignore all winter) and actually finding some Arucanas to put into said chicken run (this actually could be the hardest part). Knitting/spinning wise I would like to have spun something of quit epic propotions by January, maybe half a fleece? And at least started one of the jumpers I'm planning for me (I've noticed that as soon as people hear you knit they expect you to be dressed in your own work all the time. The reality is somewhat different in that what actually happens is these same non knitters ask you to knit things for them and you being nice, do it). Well new year and slightly new rules I must pattern bust and clear my room of stashyness, which may also help with the decorating, and so it goes on, Happy Thursday everyone :-)