Maintenance Monday

I promise, we will not go through every day of every week using alliterations. It seemed appropriate today, because there are a handful of items on which I wanted to follow-up - maintenance-type issues.

March Centerpiece: It seems I was so busy sleeping-in and eating ice cream this weekend that I neglected to post pictures of my centerpiece, as promised in Fruit Stand Fun (2/19). I am no Martha Stewart, but the idea is to find a single focal point in your home and use it to add a touch of festivity surrounding an upcoming holiday. I use the fruit stand on our breakfast table and one of the kitchen windows. Fourteen more days until St. Patrick's Day! It's not too late.

44 Days, 112 people: To say I am no Martha Stewart is true, but to say I am no Albert Einstein is a gross understatement to anyone who knows how I feel about math. As my husband says about folding laundry, but is also true of my feelings towards math, ...I would rather poke my eyes out with a stick than work a mathematical equation. I say that to say, read this next paragraph not with a calculator in hand, but instead hoping to get the general sentiment. Two weeks ago I said I would explain the title on the day after my blog received 5,000 hits. The first guess was March 17. While I love the optimism, I don't think we'll make it. The next date offered up was April 16 - a day that is near and dear to me, because it is my son's birthday. I want to push for that date as our goal. Here's where the math comes in... At the rate we are going right now, it will take until approximately September 16 to hit 5,000 hits. That's eight months away and way too long. What I need is about 112 visitors each day, over the next 44 days. I'm guessing there are currently an average about 20 people visiting the site each day. This is where you come in. If each of you tells 5-6 more people about the blog and they also visit the site then we will be well on our way to 5000 people by April 16. Phew... that was a lot of math for Monday morning. Bottom line... Each of you helps me find 5 more loyal readers a day and we're on our way to meeting the April 16 goal. We can do it!

Helena, where are you? A couple of weeks ago, I talked about the Adventures of Flat Stanley and how much fun it could be to adapt for you and your family or you and your friends. Helena mentioned in the comments that she might like to host a Flat Stanley. That got me thinking... Couldn't we host our very own Flat Stanley - you know, roaming from reader to reader? So, Helena if you are out there and are really interested in hosting Flat Stanley say the word. I will get it going. And if anyone out there knows who Helena is... tell her I'm looking for her.

Finally... a creative maintenance tip: You'd be disappointed if there was no new idea in today's post, so in keeping with the theme I thought I would find something housekeeping related. I read this in a magazine a while ago and still think it is a great idea. If you're house is like mine, there is probably one place where things (mail, toys, homework, pens, keys, magazines) seem to accumulate. The author of the magazine article suggested on insisting the space is completely cleared each day by 5:00. That means everyone in the family tends to their portion of the clutter. If every day the space is cleared off completely then it will never get completely out of hand.

Signing off until tomorrow...