sugarplumkitty | Sep. 5th, 2003

1. What housekeeping chore(s) do you hate doing the most?
Vaccuuming. It triggers my asthma big time. That's why we have wood floors. We sweep.

2. Are there any that you like or don't mind doing?
Aside from dusty jobs, I don't mind any of it once I get past my inertia.

3. Do you have a routine throughout the week or just clean as it's needed?
Clean as needed. Actually, clean when it becomes a hazard or people are coming.

Do you have any odd cleaning/housekeeping quirks or rules?
No pine cleaners or strongly scented anything allowed due to my extreme allergies to scents.
New sponges are used only for dishes, stove-top, counters and upper cupboard fronts.
If they touch the floor they get demoted to be used on floors and in the bathroom other than the toilet. There's a special brush for that.

5. What was the last thing you cleaned?
Ratty Watty's cage followed by the bathtub to clean his germs away.

** I wrote a long post and the stupid interface ate it. Grrr. **

We've got a new tradition before it's time to put him back in his cage when I go to bed. I start by petting his head from nose to neck with a finger. Then as he pushes into me, I pet him harder and harder then start rubbing his neck and cheeks and chin with additional fingers. Sometimes I'll be massaging his entire head while he sits motionless with his nose raised and his eyes tightly closed. When he's had enough of that he rests his chin on one of my hands while I massage his shoulders and back with the other. When I stop, he stays in that position with his eye closed for several seconds then slowly opens his eyes and starts to move. Ahhh! Blissed out rat!

He'll climb onto my forearms if they're resting on the desk but he won't climb onto my shoulder. He puts his front paws on me but can't quite get up the courage to climb up my shirt. If I pick him up he panics. I try to do it at least once per day to get him to understand he's safe. After I snuggle him against my chest and pet him a little, I let him climb back onto the desk. He doesn't pee all over me anymore, so I think I'm making progress. Ultimately, I'd like him to want to climb on me and snuggle.

But he does pay attention when I call him and if I make eye contact he'll come toward me. Yup, we're bonding more and more!

** cross posted in my journal and in