Lio Sha's father-in-law is a manic compulsive. Cannot be easy living with him.

My mother isn't manic or compulsive, but she does has a thing for a perfectly neat, clean and tidy house. Everything in it's place. In response to growing up in that environment, I have lived as a compulsive slob. And I married a woman who cannot throw anything away. My folks have not been here in, ohh, at least 10 years. Fifteen maybe?

Mom would have a fit. A cleaning fit.

There is a cobweb connecting the map on the wall by this desk to a box containing the first ten years of my wildlife observations in this place.

The web has been there for uncounted years, its occupant long gone. Doesn't bother me.

I'll remove it when I move the box. Unless I need some of the data in there to address the 3800 damn methane wells they are going to drill in part of my country to feed the energy needs of California and Colorado, that may not happen until I retire.

(Can you tell I was thinking of writing another entry, a venting entry?)

My mother begins picking up the wrappings immediately after the last Christmas present is opened, and the vacuum cleaner comes out as soon as the wrap is gone.

Many years back we had Christmas at our house, with us and my mother-in-law and brother-in-law's family. It was such a joy to have the mess scattered in the dining room around the tree for hours as everyone enjoyed and shared their gifts. And then we had pancake breakfast, with the colorful paper and ribbons still adorning the floor. Everyone shuffling through the crinkly papers with their plate of food.

It was afternoon before we cleaned up.

My mother would have been in apoplexy by then.

I do not envy Lio, not one bit.