I feel like this has been a great week even though it's pretty much the same as always. Maybe it's because I got the carpets cleaned yesterday after putting it off for - years. When we moved here the carpets were stained and awful-looking. Since I always clean my carpets before I show a house and sometimes after selling it, I figured the former owners had done the same and that this was the best it could look. I sort of ignored them and planned to replace them if I stayed here long enough. But with the plans to sell the house, I decided to do what I could to spiff them up.
I called a company with a name that makes Mike flinch: Peaches 'N Clean. I have to admit I picked them because of the name (I had seen the truck a lot in the neighborhood) and from a recommendation from someone. Mike worries about the poor guys having to tell people where they work.
I decided not to bother with those circulars that clutter the mailbox offering so many rooms for $99 and just go all out - not even ask the price. Nice professional receptionist who even called again the day before to remind me of the appointment and to put up breakables and again an hour before the appointment to say they would be running about 15 minutes late. I just now got a followup call, making sure I was satisfied.
The guys walked through the house and didn't shake their heads discouragingly or develop facial twitches when they saw the stains. They said they would "do their best
While they worked, I cleaned the oven, mopped the kitchen floor, and painted a kitchen door.
Mama didn't get her pecans, but she sat in the sunroom and read every word in the newspaper about the Birmingham Mayor's comeuppance (which I don't know about but will trust her that he got what he deserved). And napped. *Spellcheck does not like the word sunroom, but it didn't say a word about comeuppance.
One of the guys even changed a light bulb for me - and it wasn't easy for him, even with a ladder and him being tall. I could just reach the bottom of the fixture but was afraid of it falling when I unscrewed it. So I asked him if he would help. When you get to a certain age, you get to play the elderly - or short - card. He had no trouble reaching it but did have trouble juggling the 3 pieces. I felt guilty. A little. But mainly grateful that I didn't have to paint in the semi-dark.
When I walked through the house after they left, I nearly cried. It was spotless! I should have done this when we moved here. I keep walking around admiring every room. There was a place in front of my dresser that I had tried every combination of cleaners made and figured it was permanent. Guess what? Gone. I would run to a remembered spot and marvel that it was gone. I especially like the little plastic furniture shoes.
This was the worst room - the guest room - and it looks great.
Hope everyone has a good weekend. I believe Mike might want to give his opinion on hotel coffee-makers soon.
Mama didn't get her pecans, but she sat in the sunroom and read every word in the newspaper about the Birmingham Mayor's comeuppance (which I don't know about but will trust her that he got what he deserved). And napped. *Spellcheck does not like the word sunroom, but it didn't say a word about comeuppance.
One of the guys even changed a light bulb for me - and it wasn't easy for him, even with a ladder and him being tall. I could just reach the bottom of the fixture but was afraid of it falling when I unscrewed it. So I asked him if he would help. When you get to a certain age, you get to play the elderly - or short - card. He had no trouble reaching it but did have trouble juggling the 3 pieces. I felt guilty. A little. But mainly grateful that I didn't have to paint in the semi-dark.
When I walked through the house after they left, I nearly cried. It was spotless! I should have done this when we moved here. I keep walking around admiring every room. There was a place in front of my dresser that I had tried every combination of cleaners made and figured it was permanent. Guess what? Gone. I would run to a remembered spot and marvel that it was gone. I especially like the little plastic furniture shoes.
This was the worst room - the guest room - and it looks great.
I had three conference calls in a row last night starting at 6:00 and lasting until 8:00. The same person led them all, and since I do all 3 accounts, I pretty much stayed on the line the whole time. Beffie and I became very close. I even got some free advice about another account and about changes in general while we waited for others to join. We learned about weather in Minnesota, Michigan, Virginia, and Colorado, heard about another's vacation in Cancun, learned which husband won't get on a plane, voiced our frustration with bad dictators (who expect perfection), and stopped short of exchanging recipes. It's good to touch base with co-workers who are usually just names in email and IM. Recently one of the coordinators posted a picture of all five of them and asked people to write in and guess which was which. None of them looked like I thought they would - and I had even seen a picture of one of them. I picked right, but it's funny how you imagine someone looks just from their voice. Now I have to go use some of that knowledge I picked up from the calls - work knowledge.
My friend Lydia has a new blog in addition to her Etsy shop. She does the most beautiful work. I've told her how amazing I think she is, having a little one and working part time and still finding time to make all kinds of things. I'm going to pretend that the way we met wasn't because she emailed me to say she had gotten a sewing machine and wanted to ask some sewing questions. I guess I can take credit for giving her good advice, huh? I'm going to order a baby gift (when I find out his name), and I'll post a picture of it. She has grownup things too - take a look.
Hope everyone has a good weekend. I believe Mike might want to give his opinion on hotel coffee-makers soon.
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