It's That Time of Year

You know, time to clear out all the clutter that's been collecting for months.  I started with my art area, haven't painted in months and it was very disorganized and cluttered.  It looks pretty good now and I even have a couple of ideas for paintings.
Yesterday interrupted the cleaning, how sad, instead we had a load of errands to run: to the bank to get a paper notarized, next to get the oil in my car changed and the tires rotated and while that was being done we went for a walk in the park---beautiful day, then off to post--had to mail some papers certified mail, next I needed a new military I.D. card and finally grocery shopping.  Made for a long day, but nice to have it all done.
So today it was back to cleaning and we tackled the computer room.  Mac cleaned his side and I did mine.  Feels good to have a desk I can actually see the top of again.  We sorted out stuff to be thrown out, stuff to be burned, stuff for Goodwill and stuff I need to take upstairs.
Tomorrow I have to tackle my craft room and closet upstairs.  I've warned Mac that if I don't come back down he'd better come looking for me.

I'm taking part in two reading challenges this year and the first one is from Modern Mrs. Darcy and is : 2015 Reading Challenge and includes:

•     a book you've been meaning to read

•     a book published this year

•     a book in a genre you don't typically read

•     a book from your childhood

•     a book your mom loves

•     a book that was originally written in a different language

•     a book " everyone" has read but you

•     a book you chose because of the cover

•     a book by a favorite author

•     a book recommended by someone with great taste

•     a book you should have read in high school

•     a book that's currently on the bestseller list

I've started on the first one and I'm reading The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters and so far I like it very much.  I've read one of her other books, Affinity, and I enjoyed it too, really like the way she draws you into the story, her heroines are always a bit flawed and I like that.  I've been meaning to read this one for a while and finally my library let me know that I'd reached the top of the e-book list for it.
Haven't completely decided what the other books will be, I told Mrs. Darcy that I'd have trouble with books your Mom loves because my Mother has been dead for a number of years and though she loved to read I don't remember what she liked to read.  Mrs. Darcy suggested I find another Mother, fictional or real, and pick one of their favorites and I thought that was a good suggestion.

As to my other challenge, it's Deal Me In and involves reading a short story a week.  I'm not a big short story reader so I thought this might be a good way to make myself read a few more.
My first was "The Wrong Problem" by John Dickson Carr and is from The Black Lizard Big Book of Locked-Room Mysteries.
I like mysteries, I love locked-room mysteries and I usually like John Dickson Carr who is considered the master of the locked-room mystery, but for some reason this one left me a bit flat.  Oh, well hopefully I'll like my next short better.