Cleaning the house is a chore to some whilst to others its a mission but rarely is it a creative passion. There is the pleasure of knowing the house is clean, which is in the same league as ensuring you wear clean underwear just in case you have an accident and will pass scrutiny !!
This last image was more a 'homely' from my mothers era where privacy and presentation were so much more valued than today.
Cleaning the house was much in the same mould. It was a defence against an unexpected visit and based on the assumption that someone would see something you would rather wish they wouldn't see. The conclusion is that you care what others think and it's this characteristic of our personality which, although useful in small doses can distort us into always qualifying and taking into consideration what others would think if we did this or that. Like a weight tied around our neck it limits our movement to be who we are and express our own individuality.
Of course cleanliness is near to God for some, even to the point of being an obsession and whilst one always appreciates a freshly spruced up home, smelling of furniture polish, the sheer routine is pretty mind dumbing.
This is especially so if you live on your own and the only person likely to call is the gas man to read the meter. Of course one could make the pretence that he will notice the dust gathering on the TV but in all honesty he has no interest in your dusty TV and is focused to be off as quick as he can to the next house, living his day also in mind chilling numbness through the repetition of reading meters.
Of course if the next door neighbour or worse, a relative calls one is in the full searchlight of self torment "what will they think", but in my experience the impact of visiting someone is very much the open hospitality you project or receive and the essence of the visit is centred around the conversation you have so long as it doesn't turn to 'cleaning' !!
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