Monday, April 7, 2008

MLH and Foo Were Right!!

Okay. Here’s the update. I found the housecleaner. And...MLH was right – she just decided it was too crazy for her to clean.

Another blogger that was right is Foo. He said, and I quote, “Okay, maybe it's little funny. I can just see your housekeeper showing up, walking in the front door with feather duster and Electrolux in hand, and stopping dead in her tracks. She takes one look at the challenge ahead, mutters under her breath, "Aw, hell no...", and walks herself back down the driveway.”

Yeah, well, Foo, I’ve not yet made that donation to MS150 on your behalf (readers, Foo’s riding from Frisco to Fort Worth, and you can sponsor him here - and please do!), so that was a brave freakin’ thing to say to your friend and (potential*) donor…even if it was true!

Anyway, back to the housecleaner extraordinaire…she told me, “Well, I couldn’t tell where I had cleaned – you’re supposed to pick up before I come!” I told her I did, but sometimes 4 days passed inbetween my pre-cleaning and the actual housecleaning day – and I would be out of town that entire time.

I said, “Girlfriend, a call would have been the right thing to do, it was wrong to leave me hanging. If we can talk, we can work through anything.” I explained that Younger Son had moved in, and between his schedule, my new job travel, and MLH being stuck out in the field, we’d not really had time to settle him in. I told her we were well pleased with what she was doing, even though I knew it was hard work to clean around the stuff.

She caved, and she’s coming back. (What a salesman I am!)

I went and bought the coolest dresser and table – here’s pix – and we got Younger Son’s room way more organized. The design is called “Black Bear”, and it’s all wood – not the laminate crap the furniture stores are selling these days. The table is probably a sofa table, but the bottom holds the records well and upright, and the stereo and turntable on top, with room for Younger Son’s loop box and cord basket on the bottom shelf, as well. Cherie was a godsend, helping me get all this done before Younger Son got off work at midnight.

(Note that Younger Son already has stuff resting on the surfaces. How is she going to dust around that?)


I know this is yeehah, but Younger Son even picked out the antler handles to put on the furniture. (Zack thought those were cool, too – he went crazy sniffing and licking them, so they must be real.) Before you PETA people get all up in the air, deer shed their antlers annually, so these are castoffs, as it were. As to storage, we were able to stack all the guitars into one corner, and 2 of the 4 amps into another. We’ve ordered guitar hangars, so the guitars will actually be part of the wall display in the music room (not Younger Son's bedroom); on another note entirely, MLH is going to design amp racks, getting them off the floor, as well. All of the instruments will eventually be in the music room. Things are shaping up nicely. Here are the guitars stacked in the corner - albeit temporarily! (I know, y'all are probably saying, "If this is straight, how did it look before?" Well, imagine suitcases, clothes racks, etc., and clothes strewn everywhere. But again, I wasn't really worried about it - it's his room!)

See the little writing desk? Younger Son absolutely, positively, would not give that up. That's where he writes his songs. He likes it. I like that he writes, period. Good enough for me.


Okay, remember, this is a musical family - thus the posters. Some instruments are in cases, under the bed - like another violin, a mandolin...and I can't remember what else.
Zack is guarding the antler handles. He likes them! Nah, he's just being a snooze muffin.

Cherie came over today, and helped me pick up more, and will get the floors washed tomorrow (Thank God for the Hoover Floormate, and Cherie!), so everything will be in better order for my company tomorrow night, and Thursday when the housecleaners come.
I had to show you the Bob Marley poster. I bought this (and all his posters) on e-Bay, when Younger Son was 11. Imagine my surprise, when I unrolled it the first time and ol' Bob was rolling a doobie. Yup, MLH and I decided to hide it until such time as Younger Son wasn't quite so impressionable. We finally hung it last night. It will probably offend many, but after a short family conference, we decided to put it up, just for the shock factor. Well, actually, I thought the chaise lounge was tall enough to cover certain parts. (Disclaimer - We by no means condone the use of illegal drugs.)

As to the housecleaners, I am definitely conflicted about their return – what if they leave me in the lurch again? If they don’t perform, well, then Snooty has offered an alternative solution - to introduce me to her cleaning people. Thanks, Snooty, I might just take you up on it.

*Donation has been made on behalf of Foo. Ride 'em, cowboy, in your girlie-girl shorts!!

20 comments:

Chris McClure aka Panhandle Poet said...

Nice looking chest and table. It's hard to find quality stuff anymore.

That Janie Girl said...

Thanks, Chris. It's really cool, the pictures don't do it justice. (In fact, one of them is hugely out of focus...it was too late when I was taking the pix last night!) Have a great day!

Lone Chatelaine said...

I LOVE that drawer chest! And a very nice picture of Zack. He looks gorgeous.

I'm Lmao at the idea of your cleaner walking out saying, "Oh, hell naw!" :)

That Janie Girl said...

Chatelaine - I know, girl, and you totally know that's what happened. Of course, I'll never get the real truth, but, yeah.

I'm so there.

Jackie said...

Girl, you can't please these house cleaners!! I had one quit me when I was teaching because there wasn't ENOUGH to do!! Maybe I picked up and put away too much before she got there...

But I can tell...you DO have a gift of persuasion...

spookyrach said...

laughin' hard about the Marley poster. It's cool!

That Janie Girl said...

In_spired - are you sure I have the gift of persuasion? Because I have some oceanfront property in Stanton I'd like to sell you!

That Janie Girl said...

Spooky - I bet one of your "clients" would get in trouble for having that poster...

Foo said...

Look at it this way: lightning never strikes twice, so you can feel secure in the knowledge that if I'm ever right again, you probably won't have to bear witness.

With that out of the way, two things:

1) Youngest Son's new chest of drawers is awesome!
2) Thanks so much for your generous support. Between you and The Mister and my overachieving sister, I no longer have to worry that I'll have to write a check just to make my minimum fundraising commitment. As a result, when I got an e-mail today from a co-worker in Atlanta who's raising funds for the Tour de Cure (diabetes), I was able to pay off a bit of my kharmic debt by sponsoring him.

Snooty Primadona said...

Oh, girl... ya done good! Let me know if you ever want to get rid of it. Oh wait! You just bought it. Right. Never mind.

So my great maid that I offered to share called in and won't be here this week. Waaahh!

That Janie Girl said...

Foo- Dude, we're here to serve - and, anyway, you so rock. Do well in your ride!

Snooty - I won't know if mine shows up until Thursday...keep prayin' for me, chica!

Sandy Kessler said...

loving the chest I am sitting here laughing - as people run screaming from my place- my idea of Spring cleaning - throw all out hahahaha

Sandy Kessler said...

loving the chest I am sitting here laughing - as people run screaming from my place- my idea of Spring cleaning - throw all out hahahaha

catd264 said...

You are just to busy girl. You need a permanent live in house keeper. Hope your doing good I miss ya.

Anonymous said...

as a perfesionelllleeeeee house cleaner me self, when I can't go in and leave without a big difference, I don't really want to do it. are you going to hate me now?

That Janie Girl said...

Sandy - I know, girl, I know.

Cat - you're right, I do need a full-time live in housecleaner!

Doozie - no, girl, I'm not a hater. Matter of fact, y'all can just come down here. I'll have a clean house, you can get away from farsher, and Walter can entertain everyone in my town!

Rae said...

Nice furniture choices! :)

That Janie Girl said...

Thanks, Rach!!

Gwynne said...

Glad you got your housecleaner straighted out. ;-) I can also imagine her reaction to what you described, including the guns on the dining table! That furniture is AWESOME!

Headed over to Foo's now! :-)

That Janie Girl said...

Gwynne - oh yeah, I'm sure the guns on the table would freak anybody out. Guess I'm kind of immune!!