Decluttering

Seems like wherever I look online, I am exhorted to get organized, declutter, spring clean.  What a drag!  I am already a fairly clean and organized person, but that guy I live with is not.  He has been talking about buying a new computer but has been procrastinating.  He has been backing up files, but his "office" is a minefield with piles of books and papers everywhere.  I can't vacuum in there at all!  Even dusting is out of the question, and you should see his keyboard.  The other day Paul finally admitted that he will need to clear up the floor if he has someone come to the house to install the new computer.  Hallelujah!  Isn't recognizing the problem halfway toward fixing it?  I hope so.

My sewing room isn't all that organized either, right now, because the parts of the Exploding Heart have been laid out on the bed.  Everything else that might be on the bed is on the floor right now, mostly tucked behind the bed so no one can see it from the doorway.  But I know it's there, and the cleaning people will be here tomorrow.  So I'll have to do a little decluttering today myself.  If I can get all the parts of the quilt together before Thursday, I can take it to Marie for quilting.  The remaining three rows should be fairly easy to put together, and then I have to put all the sections I've made together and add a couple of thin borders.  

First, however, I'm going to make some shu mai - Chinese steamed dumplings - which I will freeze until next Saturday when Bob and Pauline come for an Indonesian rijsttafel to celebrate Bob's birthday. Friday will be spent cooking most of the other dishes.   I've spent a bit of time this week planning the meal and checking with Mom who approved the menu.

Ours won't look exactly like the picture (from the Smithsonian website).  With four people, one needs only about six dishes, one of which will be a large salad (gado gado) with many vegetables and peanut sauce. Shu mai aren't really Indonesian, but they will be a nice appetizer for others to enjoy while I do some last minute cooking of fish.   I'll try to take a picture before we eat.