Tales of Helpers

Our cleaning lady D. is here today - she wears earbuds and chats on the phone while she works.  She is the third cleaning 'person(s)' we've had and she's wonderful.  

We let the first cleaning crew go when the constant scheduling issues became something I just couldn't keep saying 'ok' to.  It is not OK to say your team will arrive at 10AM and when I message you to say it's 10:30 and they aren't here yet, you text back 'sorry, they went to the wrong house'.  No.  Just no.  Planning our day around an arrival time and then having it be moved/cancelled/messed up over and over - I just couldn't keep saying OK.  

Our second cleaner was a one woman team who brought a helper now and then. The helper pretty much ruined our stainless steel stove top - scratched it to bits - which breaks my heart over and over every time I use the stove.  We could have filed an insurance claim with our insurance but that would most likely result in our policy being cancelled.  We could have also filed a claim against the cleaning company - but we didn't.  Now we're looking for solutions - maybe replacing the stainless steel top at some point.  We'll see.  

D. is also a one woman show - she does a really great job and we do whatever we can to make her job easier.  We change our own beds - because we can - takes us a few minutes and saves her time.  When our old vacuum became hard (almost impossible) to use, we bought a new one for her and she was so excited! J. took apart the old one piece by piece and got to a place where he didn't have the tool he needed to do the one last thing all the You Tube videos suggested.  He phoned a vacuum repair shop here in town and the guy said 'sure, I can help with that - it will be $150 to look at the vac and then parts.  Yikes.  Hence we just bought a new one.  

This morning, I showed her we have dozens of microfiber cleaning towels in the drawer underneath our clothes washer - so she doesn't need to bring her own.  I told her 'just use them and leave them on the counter when you are done and we will clean them and put them back in the drawer for your next visit'.  She said 'thank you so much - makes it easier for me'.  I told her we are on board with doing anything that makes her job easier.  

We also do a Starbucks run for her when she's here.  Our treat.  It's a fun every two week treat for us, too. 

Muf has started tent camping - something she's never done before.  Her recent haircut has her seeking out more warmth and while I feel a little bad they are cold, they will thank me in the summer.  I didn't even see her come into my room but I turned to turn off the light and noticed the quilt on my bed was moving.  

Muf.....making a tent.  

Loved a live and 'in person' Messenger chat with my cousin S. .   We need to do that more often!

Cooked

Actually cooked something for dinner this evening - trying to do a better job of using what we have and planning meals.  It's a small thing but I'm trying.  I watch a lot of You Tube videos for ideas - sometimes things turn out perfectly and sometimes not.  I tried making something like 'smashed potatoes' that were supposed to be super crispy - mine weren't but they were edible.  I also chopped up a de-seeded cucumber and added some rice vinegar and soy sauce.  My taste test almost killed me because the vinegar glitched in my throat and I was choking a bit.  It's a 'common' thing lately - damn allergies - I am fine.

We took the cats to the groomer on Sunday morning - they spent the night in the 'spa'.  We decided paying for a night of boarding was a good idea - we went to Atlantis for our usual Sunday free play day after we dropped them off.  It was a not great day on the slots - I actually did OK early on - and I should have left the machines I was on and tried something else - but a really fun friend and her mom arrived so I stayed to have some time to play with them.  It ended up being a trouncing kind of day - those happen.  

The owner of the kitty spa told me she'd do her best to get them done early - their appointment on Monday was 1-3 - but she phoned just before 9:30AM and they were ready to come home.  I drove to Reno solo 'cuz J. was playing golf - another reason we decided to get them there on Sunday.  I don't mind driving with two crying cats - but I really struggle to get them in their carriers and I appreciate J. being available to help me with that.  

It's been a quiet week so far - beautiful blue skies which are welcome.  They mowed the golf course today for the first time this season so it's feeling more like Spring.  Considering we've had some unexpected snow in the past couple weeks, any less cold weather feels great.  

B. attended an air show in Lakeland, FL last week - he had a wonderful time.  Great week off work.  He was invited to fly with a United pilot who owns his own plane.  B. told J. he learned a ton from the guy.  Sounds like a super fun trip.

H. has been filling in for some workers on vacation or out sick for a landscape company.  It's hard work but he's enjoying it.  Grateful to be out and about vs. home alone all week.  He's living with amazing people but they both work.  

Days just blend together and time goes by so quickly.  It's really a wonderful time in life - slower pace, plenty of sleep.  We hang out or go where we want when we want.  It's lovely.