I was nearly killed today...by a house.
Every other Friday, as a part of my nanny job, I also take on the role of house cleaner. Mrs. A is off on Fridays, so she handles all of my normal daily responsibilities with the kids while I clean.
The house is absolutely beautiful. It has a basement, a ground level floor, and an upstairs. The upstairs level has 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a laundry room, and a bonus room. All of these rooms are separated by a hallway that has a wood floor that is as wide as my bedroom in my apartment. The first floor contains a formal living room, formal dining room, family room, kitchen, breakfast nook, bathroom, and enclosed sun room, all complete with wood floors (except for the sun room). The basement is fully finished, has a mini bar, bathroom, family room, game room, and office.
In short...the house is HUGE.
Of course, since I'm there everyday, I knew how big it was...but the word HUGE took on a whole new meaning as I cleaned my way around the house.
I started at 9 this morning and didn't finish until 2:15. And I didn't even clean the basement.
When I finally got into my car to leave, I glanced at myself in the rear view mirror and then chuckled...my face was glistening with sweat and my hair was going in very odd directions....lol...I reached into the back seat to grab my purse when I discovered OOoow! I apparently used some muscles that I haven't used in a while.
I may be half dead and unable to move but hey...the house looks great and I made some pretty decent money...c'est la vie!
"...Thus grew the tale of Wonderland: Thus slowly one by one, it's quaint events were hammered out- and now the tale is done...the dream child moving through a land of wonders wild and new, In friendly chat with bird
or beast-and half believe it true..." -Lewis Carroll
Showing posts with label Housekeeping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Housekeeping. Show all posts
Friday, March 16, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Head Bangin'
Have I mentioned that I'm clumsy?
With age, my tendency towards gracelessness has, thankfully, lessened. However, every couple of months I seem to got through a phase of heightened clumsiness. It usually starts with one event, and after that the clumsiness just snowballs.
The last time this happened was back in June. My friends and I were throwing a Bridal Shower for one of our friends, and in an effort to be helpful, I decided to take the overflowing trash bag from the kitchen to the trash cans out in the garage. I made my way to the garage and was walking down the steps when all of a sudden I found myself on the ground, and in a pile of random stuff on the garage floor. My first thought was, "How in the world did I get here?" Haha. I sat there for probably a good minute and a half cracking up at myself. I was laughing so hard I was crying. When I finally got myself up and walked back into the house, I realized that my elbow was bleeding and it hurt like the dickens. But I couldn't stop laughing. I probably could've played it off without any ever knowing what happened, but my friend J caught me as I was coming in the house and, said, "What happened to you?!". Teehee.
After that episode followed a string of clumsy incidents. Most of which included me falling on or hitting that same elbow. It took forever to heal.
So, the other day at work, I was going through my end of the night routine. This is the same routine that I go through every night, the same one I've been doing for 3 months. So, la-la-la, I'm cleaning the women's restroom, humming a little tune to myself, when I bend over to pull some trash out of one the trash cans. As I come up, BANG! I hit my head on the feminine product dispenser that's right above the trash. I promise I saw stars. Ha. I quickly looked around to make sure no one had come in to see my graceless act. " Are you serious?!" I said to myself. Then I chuckled. That dispenser has been there the entire three months. It hasn't moved...the trash can hasn't moved....Wow!
I continued on with my routine and moved to the next bathroom. In this next one, I once again bent down to retrieve trash from the bottom of one of the cans, and as I come up, BANG! I hit my head on the paper towel dispenser that is above the can. Yes, ladies and gentlemen...I did it again. I will once more say that the dispenser has been there the entire 3 months. It hasn't moved...the can hasn't moved....Double WoW!
Fast forward to the next day. I had only been at work for about 15 minutes and into my first round of cleaning bathrooms. I hadn't even thought about the head banging events of the day before. As I exited the restrooms, I bent over to get the trash....Yes...you guessed it...BANG! I hit my head on the feminine product dispenser...AGAIN.
Unbelievable.
Maybe I should start wearing a helmet to work???
With age, my tendency towards gracelessness has, thankfully, lessened. However, every couple of months I seem to got through a phase of heightened clumsiness. It usually starts with one event, and after that the clumsiness just snowballs.
The last time this happened was back in June. My friends and I were throwing a Bridal Shower for one of our friends, and in an effort to be helpful, I decided to take the overflowing trash bag from the kitchen to the trash cans out in the garage. I made my way to the garage and was walking down the steps when all of a sudden I found myself on the ground, and in a pile of random stuff on the garage floor. My first thought was, "How in the world did I get here?" Haha. I sat there for probably a good minute and a half cracking up at myself. I was laughing so hard I was crying. When I finally got myself up and walked back into the house, I realized that my elbow was bleeding and it hurt like the dickens. But I couldn't stop laughing. I probably could've played it off without any ever knowing what happened, but my friend J caught me as I was coming in the house and, said, "What happened to you?!". Teehee.
After that episode followed a string of clumsy incidents. Most of which included me falling on or hitting that same elbow. It took forever to heal.
So, the other day at work, I was going through my end of the night routine. This is the same routine that I go through every night, the same one I've been doing for 3 months. So, la-la-la, I'm cleaning the women's restroom, humming a little tune to myself, when I bend over to pull some trash out of one the trash cans. As I come up, BANG! I hit my head on the feminine product dispenser that's right above the trash. I promise I saw stars. Ha. I quickly looked around to make sure no one had come in to see my graceless act. " Are you serious?!" I said to myself. Then I chuckled. That dispenser has been there the entire three months. It hasn't moved...the trash can hasn't moved....Wow!
I continued on with my routine and moved to the next bathroom. In this next one, I once again bent down to retrieve trash from the bottom of one of the cans, and as I come up, BANG! I hit my head on the paper towel dispenser that is above the can. Yes, ladies and gentlemen...I did it again. I will once more say that the dispenser has been there the entire 3 months. It hasn't moved...the can hasn't moved....Double WoW!
Fast forward to the next day. I had only been at work for about 15 minutes and into my first round of cleaning bathrooms. I hadn't even thought about the head banging events of the day before. As I exited the restrooms, I bent over to get the trash....Yes...you guessed it...BANG! I hit my head on the feminine product dispenser...AGAIN.
Unbelievable.
Maybe I should start wearing a helmet to work???
Thursday, January 26, 2012
People and their Quirks
Oh the things we see....
I think I've mentioned before that my job affords me the ability to see some pretty interesting things... I thought I would share a few with you.
1. The lady that talks to inanimate objects and herself---I have never seen it take someone 5 minutes to make a selection from a vending machine, another 5 minutes to figure out how to get the money into the machine, and then another 3 minutes trying to figure out which slot to get her change from. All the while muttering to herself, the vending machine, and her money. The first time I saw it, I thought it was fluke...until I noticed that this lady does this on a daily basis, along with walking straight into people's desks and cubicle walls. After some inquiries, I found out that this lady does Xanax bars on a daily basis....LoL...that explains a lot.
2. The girl that had a hood coming from the top of her mini skirt---As I walked into the bathroom the other day, I did a double take of this girl's butt as she stood at the sink washing her hands...LOL...I wasn't being weird...although she probably thought I was lol...I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something strange about her skirt. As I proceeded to clean the bathroom, another girl walked in and said to her, "Hey girl! I didn't realize you had a skirt on today." The skirt girl said, " Girl, this ain't a skirt. I had on a sweater dress and it kept riding up and you could see my underwear through my leggings. So, I took the dress off and put my jacket on as a skirt." I started smiling to myself. Ah...that explained the hood. LoL. The way this girl told the story was so matter of fact, it was hilarious. She was laughing as she told it, and I couldn't help but join in...really people...she had no shame to her game...wearing a jacket as skirt....WOW.
3. The guy that always goes into the men's restroom while I'm cleaning it---If you saw a door stopper propping up the bathroom door, along with a chain across the door, wouldn't you automatically deduce that it was closed and you probably should go inside? Apparently this guy doesn't realize that the chain across the door means the bathroom is closed, or he just doesn't care. Anyway...in the midst of my cleaning, he removes the chain from the door, sets his coffee mug on the counter, and the proceeds to go into the stall and do his business. I'm so shocked that I'm frozen to the spot I'm in for at least 10 seconds. Then I hurriedly removed myself and my cleaning supplies from the bathroom. I can understand if it was a male janitor....but hello?! I'm obviously a female! Why would you come into the bathroom, while I'm in there alone to use it? Especially when there are 3 other bathrooms he could've used! Weirdo. I reported him to management. Teehee.
Oh the things I see...
I think I've mentioned before that my job affords me the ability to see some pretty interesting things... I thought I would share a few with you.
1. The lady that talks to inanimate objects and herself---I have never seen it take someone 5 minutes to make a selection from a vending machine, another 5 minutes to figure out how to get the money into the machine, and then another 3 minutes trying to figure out which slot to get her change from. All the while muttering to herself, the vending machine, and her money. The first time I saw it, I thought it was fluke...until I noticed that this lady does this on a daily basis, along with walking straight into people's desks and cubicle walls. After some inquiries, I found out that this lady does Xanax bars on a daily basis....LoL...that explains a lot.
2. The girl that had a hood coming from the top of her mini skirt---As I walked into the bathroom the other day, I did a double take of this girl's butt as she stood at the sink washing her hands...LOL...I wasn't being weird...although she probably thought I was lol...I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something strange about her skirt. As I proceeded to clean the bathroom, another girl walked in and said to her, "Hey girl! I didn't realize you had a skirt on today." The skirt girl said, " Girl, this ain't a skirt. I had on a sweater dress and it kept riding up and you could see my underwear through my leggings. So, I took the dress off and put my jacket on as a skirt." I started smiling to myself. Ah...that explained the hood. LoL. The way this girl told the story was so matter of fact, it was hilarious. She was laughing as she told it, and I couldn't help but join in...really people...she had no shame to her game...wearing a jacket as skirt....WOW.
3. The guy that always goes into the men's restroom while I'm cleaning it---If you saw a door stopper propping up the bathroom door, along with a chain across the door, wouldn't you automatically deduce that it was closed and you probably should go inside? Apparently this guy doesn't realize that the chain across the door means the bathroom is closed, or he just doesn't care. Anyway...in the midst of my cleaning, he removes the chain from the door, sets his coffee mug on the counter, and the proceeds to go into the stall and do his business. I'm so shocked that I'm frozen to the spot I'm in for at least 10 seconds. Then I hurriedly removed myself and my cleaning supplies from the bathroom. I can understand if it was a male janitor....but hello?! I'm obviously a female! Why would you come into the bathroom, while I'm in there alone to use it? Especially when there are 3 other bathrooms he could've used! Weirdo. I reported him to management. Teehee.
Oh the things I see...
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
A Day in the Life of a Housekeeper
People are nasty.
I mean, just plain gross.
Working as a housekeeper in a building that houses almost 1,000 people on a daily basis, I get to see my share of interesting, funny, and absolutely disgusting things.
Let's use this past Monday as an example. When I walked into the building, I could see my boss in deep conversation with the lady who provides cafeteria services in the break area. As I made my way into the office, she turned to me and said, "I found where that nasty smell was coming from". The previous Friday we had both gone on a man hunt trying to track down an oddly poopy smell coming from the area around the refrigerators. We couldn't find it.
It found us.
Apparently, a lady had left her tupperware on top of the refrigerator for God only knows how long. Well, on Monday she decided to take it home. As she pulled the bag down from the fridge, the tupperware fell to the floor and splattered open.
Oh dear Lord.
It was so bad that the cafeteria lady threw up in the sink twice. She cleaned the nastiness off of the floor, but the smell lingered. The part of the story that I came in on was her describing to my boss, the facilities manager, that we would need to do something else about it.
Fortunately for me, I had just walked in the door, so that was on his shoulders. As I sat down in the office to clock in, I secretly rejoiced that I wouldn't have to mop the floor.
When I finally went out into the break area I almost died. As soon as I stepped out into the area my gag reflex kicked in and I had to work hard to keep my lunch down.
I looked at the people milling about in the area. They all had the same look on their faces. Eyes half closed, noses scrunched up, and hands over their mouths. Every person I came in contact with asked me the same question, "What the %!@$ is that smell?"
It was terrible. Probably the worse thing I've ever smelled in my whole life.
We found out that it was Spinach and Cream.
Why in the world would you leave spinach in tupperware for weeks?
Even after my boss mopped the area twice and put a fan in the kitchen area, and stationed someone there to spray lysol every few minutes, the smell still lingered for about 3 hours. So...I was sick to my stomach for 3 hours.
I just do not understand some people. Didn't their parents ever teach them that when you make a mess to clean it up? If you miss the trash can then go over and pick up your trash and put it in? To not wipe your boogers on the bathroom stalls? If you spill a drink on tile floor to at least report it to someone who has access to a mop and bucket? To wipe the area around the sink after you wash your hands? To flush the toilet when you're done using it?
I guess not. Or if their parents did teach them these things, they just don't care enough to follow through on their home training.
*Sigh*
Just another day in the life of a housekeeper.
I mean, just plain gross.
Working as a housekeeper in a building that houses almost 1,000 people on a daily basis, I get to see my share of interesting, funny, and absolutely disgusting things.
Let's use this past Monday as an example. When I walked into the building, I could see my boss in deep conversation with the lady who provides cafeteria services in the break area. As I made my way into the office, she turned to me and said, "I found where that nasty smell was coming from". The previous Friday we had both gone on a man hunt trying to track down an oddly poopy smell coming from the area around the refrigerators. We couldn't find it.
It found us.
Apparently, a lady had left her tupperware on top of the refrigerator for God only knows how long. Well, on Monday she decided to take it home. As she pulled the bag down from the fridge, the tupperware fell to the floor and splattered open.
Oh dear Lord.
It was so bad that the cafeteria lady threw up in the sink twice. She cleaned the nastiness off of the floor, but the smell lingered. The part of the story that I came in on was her describing to my boss, the facilities manager, that we would need to do something else about it.
Fortunately for me, I had just walked in the door, so that was on his shoulders. As I sat down in the office to clock in, I secretly rejoiced that I wouldn't have to mop the floor.
When I finally went out into the break area I almost died. As soon as I stepped out into the area my gag reflex kicked in and I had to work hard to keep my lunch down.
I looked at the people milling about in the area. They all had the same look on their faces. Eyes half closed, noses scrunched up, and hands over their mouths. Every person I came in contact with asked me the same question, "What the %!@$ is that smell?"
It was terrible. Probably the worse thing I've ever smelled in my whole life.
We found out that it was Spinach and Cream.
Why in the world would you leave spinach in tupperware for weeks?
Even after my boss mopped the area twice and put a fan in the kitchen area, and stationed someone there to spray lysol every few minutes, the smell still lingered for about 3 hours. So...I was sick to my stomach for 3 hours.
I just do not understand some people. Didn't their parents ever teach them that when you make a mess to clean it up? If you miss the trash can then go over and pick up your trash and put it in? To not wipe your boogers on the bathroom stalls? If you spill a drink on tile floor to at least report it to someone who has access to a mop and bucket? To wipe the area around the sink after you wash your hands? To flush the toilet when you're done using it?
I guess not. Or if their parents did teach them these things, they just don't care enough to follow through on their home training.
*Sigh*
Just another day in the life of a housekeeper.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Another Day, Into the Fray
Today will be my "long" day. I call it this because after getting home from work a little past midnight, and not actually getting into bed until around 1:30...I had to get up at 5:30. Blah.
It is now almost 7 and I figured I'd blog a bit before heading into the fray. This is the day of the week where I do a private house cleaning. It pays very well and takes about 5 hours to complete. The lady I clean for is nice and super laid back. The only issue I have with the job is that it's all the way out in Louisville. A normal drive to the location would be about 20 to 25 minutes, but with the closure of one of the major bridges going from Indiana to Kentucky, it takes me about 20 minutes just to get across the bridge...so that 25 minute long trip is elongated to about 45 minutes to an hour. Double Blah.
After I finish cleaning this particular lady's home, I must zip back across the bridge( it's easier going back into Indiana) and dash home to shower and get ready to go to my full time job. By the time midnight arrives and I'm leaving work I'll be walking wounded. I'll be limping as the fascia muscles in my left foot stubbornly draw themselves tight, and make every step torture. I'll also probably be sleep walking to my car, and sleep driving once I get into it. Ha. Scary, eh? Just stay off the road between 12 and 12:30 a.m. and you should be safe. Haha.
Anyway.
Despite my numerous "murmurings and complainings" in the previous paragraph, I am actually very grateful for both of the jobs I have, when there are so many people out there without jobs at all.
I'm blessed.
Have a wonderful day world!
It is now almost 7 and I figured I'd blog a bit before heading into the fray. This is the day of the week where I do a private house cleaning. It pays very well and takes about 5 hours to complete. The lady I clean for is nice and super laid back. The only issue I have with the job is that it's all the way out in Louisville. A normal drive to the location would be about 20 to 25 minutes, but with the closure of one of the major bridges going from Indiana to Kentucky, it takes me about 20 minutes just to get across the bridge...so that 25 minute long trip is elongated to about 45 minutes to an hour. Double Blah.
After I finish cleaning this particular lady's home, I must zip back across the bridge( it's easier going back into Indiana) and dash home to shower and get ready to go to my full time job. By the time midnight arrives and I'm leaving work I'll be walking wounded. I'll be limping as the fascia muscles in my left foot stubbornly draw themselves tight, and make every step torture. I'll also probably be sleep walking to my car, and sleep driving once I get into it. Ha. Scary, eh? Just stay off the road between 12 and 12:30 a.m. and you should be safe. Haha.
Anyway.
Despite my numerous "murmurings and complainings" in the previous paragraph, I am actually very grateful for both of the jobs I have, when there are so many people out there without jobs at all.
I'm blessed.
Have a wonderful day world!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
I'm Just Saying...
I am a housekeeper...janitor...whatever you want to call it. Frankly, it's a job I never thought I would have. But...life happens, and sometimes we go tumbling down rabbit holes, and we're forced to take jobs we otherwise wouldn't, so we can pay the rent...keep the lights on...buy food. So, for the past year or so, I've been forced to put my higher education on hold so I can take care of these things.
It's so easy to get caught up in our own lives, and never think about the folks behind the scenes...please...allow me to enlighten you with a short list of things I've learned and things YOU, world, should remember.
1. If your desk is covered in a pile of papers 12 inches deep, I cannot, will not attempt to clean your desk.
2. Unless particularly specified, our duties do not include gardening, consequently, I should not be required to go outside in frigid temperatures to hook up a garden hose to spray down a garbage can that contains more nasty, gross, who knows what, than the actual trash bag did.
3. Lawyers are the messiest people on earth. Seriously...worse than a classroom full of 3 year olds.
4. No matter their age, men will never master the art of aim.
5. People apparently think it's ok to clip their nails during a church service...and leave the clippings on the carpet *GAG*
6. It is now socially acceptable to smash wedding cake into the carpet of wedding reception venues
7. The knowledge that their company has a "cleaning lady" somehow gives people the ok to become complete slobs...I AM NOT YOUR MAMA...
8. Your office is not Texas Roadhouse, so please place the peanut shells from your afternoon snack in the garbage and NOT the floor
9. This may seem a bit elementary but please...FLUSH!
10. If the housekeeper doesn't come until Saturday, WHY in God's green earth would you put your nasty cereal bowl (milk and all) in your office trashcan on Monday? WWWWHHHYYY???
I mean...I'm just sayin'.....^_^
It's so easy to get caught up in our own lives, and never think about the folks behind the scenes...please...allow me to enlighten you with a short list of things I've learned and things YOU, world, should remember.
1. If your desk is covered in a pile of papers 12 inches deep, I cannot, will not attempt to clean your desk.
2. Unless particularly specified, our duties do not include gardening, consequently, I should not be required to go outside in frigid temperatures to hook up a garden hose to spray down a garbage can that contains more nasty, gross, who knows what, than the actual trash bag did.
3. Lawyers are the messiest people on earth. Seriously...worse than a classroom full of 3 year olds.
4. No matter their age, men will never master the art of aim.
5. People apparently think it's ok to clip their nails during a church service...and leave the clippings on the carpet *GAG*
6. It is now socially acceptable to smash wedding cake into the carpet of wedding reception venues
7. The knowledge that their company has a "cleaning lady" somehow gives people the ok to become complete slobs...I AM NOT YOUR MAMA...
8. Your office is not Texas Roadhouse, so please place the peanut shells from your afternoon snack in the garbage and NOT the floor
9. This may seem a bit elementary but please...FLUSH!
10. If the housekeeper doesn't come until Saturday, WHY in God's green earth would you put your nasty cereal bowl (milk and all) in your office trashcan on Monday? WWWWHHHYYY???
I mean...I'm just sayin'.....^_^
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