A Winter's Worth of Lint

The heater was in the way.  We cleaned carpets yesterday since it was 80 degrees out, a dramatic shift from the 55-and-raining routine of the past months that was predicted again for us in few days. But we wanted to clean where the heater sat, so I picked it up to move it.  My eyes took it all in.

A winter's worth of lint and dust
A bent wire from last cleaning attempt adds to the disarray 

The heater bowl is slightly upturned and, as a result, collects stuff, mostly dust and lint, and looks hideous most of the time.  In the past I've tried cleaning it (the wire "safety cage" absolutely cannot be removed) by slipping the narrow vacuum cleaner attachment between the wires.  This returned exceptional frustration and marginal cleaning results.

Fold a damp rag so it will slide through
the fattest openings.  Use the handle of a
wooden spoon to work the rag over the
offending surface.  

So for now I know that the Things I get to do today will include coming up with a better way to chuck the crust and dust off the heater.  Just simply cannot set a dirty appliance back down on a freshly cleaned carpet.

An old toothbrush did the trick on the bottom rim
and groove, and pliers were a simple fix for the bent wire.
LOOKING GOOD

And, of course, it was easier than could be imagined.  The rest of you have probably figured it out long before this.  Well, now we all are in on the secret.  Happy Spring Cleaning to the gang!

How Many. . . Does It Take to Change a. . .

The real questions is how long does it take.  One Handy Andy can most likely manage this simple task, being tall enough to reach and moderately clever enough to find a structure to make up the difference if not.

All the light has leaked out of this bulb

A bulb over the kitchen counter has been out for weeks. Not a real problem since there are six other lights on full-blaze, and meals have continued to come through the production line.

Fresh bulb waiting to be installed.  Waiting.  Waiting.

A replacement bulb has been waiting for a lift for about that same period of time.  The bulb is willing, but its jumping muscles are weak.

Careful eyes can see the tan dribble on the wall.
All cleaned up by only one H. A.

Very ordinary Things I get to do today are pull up a chair, step on the chair, step up on the counter, unscrew the dead bulb, put in the new one. Less than two minutes.  But wait!  I'm pretty sure it's been six or eight years since I dusted off the lamps and the rail.  And while I'm up here with a soapy, wet rag, it would be smart to get the food spots off the wall (how on earth did food get on the wall nearly 10 feet up?  Don't ask, just clean.  So a simple two-minute task is extended by another two minutes.  No big deal. What took me so long, anyway?