To Clean or Not To Clean

There are dust bunnies under my kitchen table. They've been there for a week. I should do something about it, I suppose. But I just can't get too worked up about cleaning. I've been told that my grandmother-in-law was known to say, "I clean my house once a month whether it needs it or not." I find myself of two minds here. Sometimes I want to say, "Bless you, Madeline! I do so like the idea of carrying on a family tradition." Other times I want to ask why she kept such a rigorous schedule. My other favorite philosophy about housework came from Joan Rivers. Many years ago I heard her say, "I just don't understand housework. You cook, wash dishes, vacuum, dust . . . six months later you have to start all over again." Now in case you're planning on dropping by any time soon, I want to reassure you that my home is in no way a health risk. The bathroom is disinfected regularly and the kitchen is swabbed after each use. If someone has a cold, or worse, I disinfect door handles, remotes and the landline. If it's been really bad, I might set off a Raid bomb. I figure a bug is a bug, right? It's the appearance-only things that get neglected. Dusting seems like the biggest waste of time, but it's not that noticeable because I keep the lights turned low. I think I read that in a decorating magazine. Now and then a bright ray of sunshine will penetrate to the deepest corner of the living room and I'll see that the piano is looking fuzzy. I avert my eyes and keep moving. To clean or not to clean? Is that really a question?