The best part of today

The best part of today is not the glorious sunny weather and wide blue sky (because it's still muddy from the downpour Sunday and Monday and I have to bucket the dog* any time she comes in the house).

The best part of today is not that the in-laws went home (because, of course, everyone is delighted to have houseguests for five days when they and their child have strep throat).

The best part of today is that it was Cleaning Day and the guy who cleans my house twice a month came and my house is lovely and empty and CLEAN and I didn't have to help!

*Bucketing the dog is the process that occurs when you have any type of hunting or herding dog with big ole paws that harbor extra mud. You have to fill an old mop bucket with warm water (because cold water doesn't work as well and who wants to put their paws in a big bucket of cold water?) and then bodily wrangle the dog paws into the bucket for a soak and then rub them while still in the water to get all the damn dirt off the paws and out from around the nails and all because as much of a pain as it is to bucket the dog, it's more of a pain to clean the carpet and mop the floor.