Monday, October 6, 2008

Grrrrr

On Saturday after I returned the rented table cloths and table skirting I made some decisions.

1. It's time to sell my truck. I don't need a 7 passenger vehicle. It's 10 years old. And it's a gas hog. Either I spend a goodly amount of time cleaning out the interior of spilled pop, sprayed wine, dead french fries and years of accumulated dirt, or I take it to a place that specializes in detailing and get it done by a professional.

I decided to get it done by someone other than me. So I drove over the the detailing place to make an appointment for Tuesday. But the business was gone.

So frustrating to finally make a decision and then realize you're back at the drawing board, needing to research options.

2. When I got home, I faced the reality that no one is going to help me clean this house. Seriously. I can't even get them to take their shoes off at the door and leave them on the mat. They may, after many reminders, bring their plates to the kitchen, but have a mental block about putting things in the dishwasher. I can't keep the place tidy, never mind keeping it clean.

So I decided to phone the gal that cleaned for me once, two years ago. I called her number and was connected to someone that was not her.

Now that I've made the big decision to hire some help, I have to find someone. Grrrr.

3. They refuse to cut the lawn. "I did it last time." "You always make me do everything." "The lawn mower is a piece of crap, I won't do the lawns again til you get a new mower." "No."

If I can't even get help with the easy stuff (mowing the lawn is easy, right?) there's no way they'll give me a hand getting the yard ready for winter. And I know I can't do it myself.

So I decided to phone the guy that did some yard work for me two years ago. His number was no longer in service. AGAIN with the dead end. Grrrr.

4. I tried to print off the Passion tickets this afternoon but the black ink cartridge in my printer was all used up. I had just replaced that catridge a few weeks ago. So I decided to visit my mom and print the tickets off at her place. On the way I stopped at Home Depot to pick up some Round UP, because the weeds? At my place? Need to be stopped.

But the young guy in the gardening department advised me (after talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone) that they aren't allowed to sell that product anymore.
"Is there another spray weed killer available?"
"I don't know."

So those weeds I walk past everyday are not going to shrivel up and die. I'm going to have to bend over and pull them out. Arrgh.

Then I got to my dad and mom's and tried to print off the tickets but she was out of color ink.

5. And so now, in addition to wanting to hire someone to detail my truck, get my yard ready for winter, and clean my house, I realize that I need to hire someone to replace all the broken doors in my home:

- the garage door opener doesn't work.
- the back sliding door doesn't close
- the laundry closet door is leaning against the wall across from the laundry room
- the kitchen cupboard door underneath the sink is hanging by one hinge
- the glass fireplace door in the family room has shattered
- the boys' toilet leaks
- the living room fireplace doesn't work (even thought there is a strong pilot flame)
- and don't get me started about all the holes in the walls ...

I wish my dad was my dad. I miss the good ol days when I could give him a list and he'd pull up in his rusty toolbox-on-wheels and tackle all the guy jobs in my house. I think underneath he worries about my to do list... and that's why he asks me if I'm ever going to get married again. Part of him wants his little (hah) girl looked after. I get that. I totally get that longing a parent has to see their children loved and cared for by someone else.

Anyway. At least now I've made the decision. I am going to get help. Of course it would have been nice to have made the decision AND moved forward by hiring the someones who would do the work, but that would have been too effiecient.

So if you know of a good detailing place, a good place to buy a used car, a good housecleaner, a good yard maintenance fellow, and a carpenter who likes to hang doors - let me know.

1 comment:

ramblin'andie said...

When Andrew and I sold our last townhouse, Molly Maid cleaned for us. Every other week, two hours and my house was clean. I'd use them again.

My mum has used Jim's Mowing in the past. Our experience was that they did an acceptable job of mowing, but weren't too reliable if you wanted anything else done.