First: Toss the Pumpkin!

My usual M.O., when I decide I GOTTA do something about my mess, is to do some dishes.  This task is mindless and finite.  Not to say that I finish all the dishes every time!  Distraction is one of my blessings.  (Well, I'm not about to call it a curse and being easily distracted does have some benefits.  I'll think of them -- some other time.) 

Last evening I really looked at a part of the mess in the kitchen. 

Do you see what I see?  (Now to try to get that song out of my head!)  Why is there a pumpkin in my house...in June?
Well, I bought it in the Fall, planning to cut it up, cook it, mash it up and try to devise a pumpkin bread recipe that my Dad, who is on a very restricted diet, can eat. 

Each time I really looked at the pumpkin I thought of tossing it.  It was still solid and heavy, so... I'll try to get to it.  Obviously I didn't get to it.  The weather turned warm and still there was a sweet little Autumnal touch in my kitchen...

...if you can even see it!  Doesn't it tone nicely with the onions?! 

Now, if you look a little more closely at the little darling...

...you can see that "maturing" is a gently descriptive term for it's present state. 

In order to stave off my sometime nemesis, distraction, I went pumpkin bowling while still in my nightgown.  Sir Pumpkin now reposes in our compost bin.  Small triumph, but the rest of this mess should go a little easier... I hope.

The package of light bulbs go in the basket.

Recycle the lids!

Found a spot in the cupboard for my DH's water thingy.

But the rest have no home.

Well, it's a start.

(sigh)