Archive through June 11, 2001

The ClubHouse: Archive: Grouching Place: Archive through June 11, 2001

Gail

Saturday, June 09, 2001 - 05:31 am Click here to edit this post
Max, I feel your pain!! I had a housekeeper off and on for about 5 years. REally nice lady - same age as me. Did a spectabular job. She would usually work for about 5 - 6 hours every other week. It was kind of the minumum because of the distance from town that I live. On the nights before she would come over (she usually came in the morning, I would bust my buns getting the house cleaned up for her. (I know that sounds weird) I did my own laundry, I also did the dishes and made sure they were all put a way. I made sure everything was picked up, etc. I wanted her to clean, not pick up after me.

Anyways, just prior to me meeting her, Vicki had been in a car accident - it screwed up her back a bit. She had also made a series of bad things happen that had put her life in the toilet (10 years ago, her husband died of cancer at a very young age, she still had their house in NH she was paying on (couldn't sell it), her current boyfriend was an alcoholic and a gambler and totally trashed her credit). I honestly think I have never seen a single person have so much bad luck then she did. She was a super nice person, honest, hard working, good morals, etc. Last spring, I let her move in with me for about a month - it was supposed to be long term to help her out but she made me crazy after 2 days. She was on 17 different medications.

The first couple of years that she worked for me, she worked every week, then every other week on Mondays. That worked great - especially when my brother was living with me for a year. Kind of eliminated the bickering of who did what.

Then as different things happened to her, she would be unable to show up. I wouldn't know until I got home that evening. I would pull up, put the key in the door and be waiting to go "ahhh, vicki was here". The difference between the way she cleans and the way I clean are a bit different. But, alas, increasingly, there became many times more and more where I would open the door and not say "ahhh". Vicki would either be sick or have a doctor's appointment.

There is no way I would have ever let her go. No way, no how. Vicki was down from about 20 clients to just 4 - physically, that was all she could handle. She was in so much pain I felt so bad for her. She was trying and trying for some kind of disability, etc. But, last summer, she finally met a really nice man. In March, she told me that she would be finally giving up the housecleaning business for a while so her body could heal.

I am glad she was able to do this . . I miss having her clean my house - nobody could make tracks on the carpet like Vicki did with a vacuum cleaner - she went to Denver for a year a few years back and then returned. The past 2 years I had her working for me - that was my present to myself for quitting smoking. The cost was close to the same.

But, there was so many times that I had the house ready for her and she didn't show up. Like in the batchroom, I put away my brush, toothpaste, brush, soap, drinking glass, everything in site just to make it easier and then I would have to repeat the process the next day.

I am thinking that next year, I should hopefully be just about debt free (except for house and car) and then I might just look for someone else to hire. Vicki worked pretty cheap - for me, it was $9 an hour (later $10) - that way, she could get away with charging less for senior citizens.

Anyways, this is too long - I better stop before someone grouches at me. I think Vicki is much happier now. She needed a nice person to take care of her so she could heal.

Anyways, Max, that sucks that you have to do your house today - Vicki kind of left me in that lurch a few times so I know what it feels like. But, I will say, there are sometimes circumstances that arise and possibly in your case, that is what happened. In any case, if you have the money, get yourself a housecleaner!! It is a great way to say "I Love you" to yourself!! It leaves your weekends and evenings free to do fun things instead of cleaning the house.

Max

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 02:07 pm Click here to edit this post
I hear ya, Gail. :) Since this would have been the first time I used this gal, we haven't met. SHe was really nice on the phone, though, and came highly recommended from a co-worker. I hope nothing bad happened. I've tried calling her multiple times but only gotten the machine.

I decided to just clean up a little and not worry about the rest. Mom can just deal. The place is pretty clean by my standards now! :)

Off to the airport to pick up mom.

Rogue

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 03:44 pm Click here to edit this post
My grouch: I clean TOO much!

Ahh, I feel better now, thanks for letting me air it, no pun intended, hehehe!

Moondance

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 03:46 pm Click here to edit this post
I have bee doing that all weekend, Rogue...I'm with you!

Jetticat

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 03:53 pm Click here to edit this post
I wish ya'll would come clean my house. I haven't felt good, and it shows.

Rogue

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 03:56 pm Click here to edit this post
LOL, Moon, and the thing is, my wife only works a couple hours aday (I'm not saying it's her job, I'm not a male chauvinist) but you would think that I wouldn't find cheese wrappers on the counter, empty juice bottles on the table, etc, etc, when I get home. And then I get yelled out about not finishing up the job...sigh, and the funny thing is, I love her to death, maybe because I bend WAY over backwards for her, hehehe!

Rogue

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 03:57 pm Click here to edit this post
Give me a call, J-cat, I'll be there for ya, I'll pencil ya into my planner, hehehe!

Moondance

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 04:03 pm Click here to edit this post
Hey, while you at work mister (posting like a mad man) she is busy being a MOM... Granted I am not one but I do know it's hardest job out there!... ok now I defended your wife you can't win, can you LOL

Ok, now go rest up before you pencil me in too... I would love to see a man clean my house (whoohoo that does sound good!)

Merlin

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 04:35 pm Click here to edit this post
Hmmmm, a house cleaning service staffed by men. That could be the start of a business with a lot of potential.

Wink

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 04:37 pm Click here to edit this post
Moon you might be able to convince Merlin to do a turn with the feather duster once he's finished cleaning up his place.

Moondance

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 04:39 pm Click here to edit this post
Yes, I think I might want to hire the Wandmaster!

Gail

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 04:58 pm Click here to edit this post
Merlin, I think a housecleaning service has a lot more potential then the other business you were thinking of.

Twiggyish

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 07:44 pm Click here to edit this post
How about "Men in Thongs Cleaning Service".. Has a nice ring to it!

Gail

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 07:47 pm Click here to edit this post
Twiggy - I think you are on to something. :) I like that idea a lot.

Rogue

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 07:55 pm Click here to edit this post
LOL, Moon, actually I can answer it. Her mom watches the kids and she goes SHOPPING. How many calls do you think I get each day asking if she can buy this or that?

Where are the kids? W/grandma, of course., LOL!

Max

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 08:35 pm Click here to edit this post
Actually, here in Portland, OR, there IS a cleaning service run and staffed by men. I have a friend who knows some of the guys. They don't wear shirts while cleaning. OF course, their clients like to be HOME when they are cleaning as watching is part of what they are paying for! I told my friend that if he was REALLY a good friend, he'd hire them to clean for me! :)

Moondance

Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 09:05 pm Click here to edit this post
Ok The Rogue!... Complain away!:)

Rogue

Monday, June 11, 2001 - 05:27 am Click here to edit this post
LOL, Moon!
I think that about says it all.

Jetticat

Monday, June 11, 2001 - 01:09 pm Click here to edit this post
I'm grouchy! Just when I thought it was all coming back together, my voice is running out. I am really tired of my stinking sinuses!

Lancecrossfire

Monday, June 11, 2001 - 06:43 pm Click here to edit this post
Ok, in the big scheme of things this grouch doesn't amount to a hill of beans. Call it pride and fairness on my part.

We moved to number 9 on the tope 100 list--and all 3 of Amber's sites are 3, 5 and 6. In all 3 cases, they moved up by 9 or more percentage points (that is to say what percent of hits does the site get compare to the number that the 1st place site gets). We stayed close to unchanged.

In order to move this magnitude, a significant number of hits had to be received for all 3 sites. Ok, so Amber must be popular, especially this long after S2 is over???? I'm going to go out on a limb and say that is a crock of shit.

One of the Amber sites is right on the heels of the Aussie BB site! (which is number 2)

IMHO, someone is really padding the stats for the 3 Amber sites. Bush league if true, and not representative of the truth at all. Ok, sorry, I'm off the soap box now. Exit, stage right.

Moondance

Monday, June 11, 2001 - 06:54 pm Click here to edit this post
Go Rabbit!

Grooch

Monday, June 11, 2001 - 06:58 pm Click here to edit this post
Who is Amber?

Grooch

Monday, June 11, 2001 - 06:59 pm Click here to edit this post
If Amber was so popular, I'm sure I would have heard of her.

Lancecrossfire

Monday, June 11, 2001 - 06:59 pm Click here to edit this post
Amber from Survivor 2. The one that was Jerri's shadow.

Grooch

Monday, June 11, 2001 - 07:01 pm Click here to edit this post
Lance, maybe you need to get in a furry thong like Amber (oops, I mean like Adven) and then TVCH would move up in numbers too?