Bye Bye Cleaning Lady

We said So long, see ya, bub-bye to the cleaning lady. We had become increasingly unhappy with her performance. She only came twice a month, but it WAS nice. Lately it didn't seem like she cleaned much more than what it looked like before we left that day.

She had been with us for just over a year. And things started out good (at least I think it was good), but then there was a couple times I came home early (when she should still have been cleaning) and she was gone, but the little card she left for me said she was still there (I pay by the hour, so it's kinda annoying.) So, that got to me. Then she changed the time to when I would never be there unless I was home sick.

But then I had a baby and of the 8 times she was scheduled to be there while I was on maternity leave, she called and rescheuled 6 of them. And then there was a coupe times she was running behind schedule, so she cut our cleaning time short (which also meant she cleaned less), but we only got charged for her actual time since I was there to see her come & go. But I was annoyed that she was cleaning less for us when she had agreed to clean for so long. It would be one thing if she finished cleaning everything she is supposed to clean in a shorter amount of time (but still nice & clean), but to not clean some things and cut out some of our time. I just felt like she was taking advantage of my good nature.

I've actaully been able to find a little more time now that I am back to work to clean -- isn't is amazing that when you get busier how you get more done, but when you are relaxed you tend to put things off and not get things done as quickly. Anyways, with the baby I just found that if I have a couple minutes I better clean or do laundry or cook while I have the time otherwise that time might go away and I will have missed my opportunity and yo udon't know when it will come again. So, anyways, I am getting more cleaned myself.

But the last few times I noticed that the house doesn't look all that cleaner than how I left it. And she wasn't vacuuming giving an excuse that the vacuum wasn't working, but she knows we have more than one vacuum, because she has gone to the basement to retrieve another one before. So, it was annoying.

See, wehave hard wood floors throughout pretty much most of the house and areas rugs in every room. She was completly ignoring the floors, no sweeping (except the kitchen & bathrooms) because "the vacuum wasn't working". She didn't even dust to take up the extra time she was supposed to do. I had previously told her she can always dust if she has extra time and gave her a list of small projects she can get to if she ever has time. But what does she do? She marks down she was here less than scheduled (at least she was honest there), but I wanted a clean house. And with 2 cats & a dog I need the floors done.

So, she's gone. I talked to a couple other neighbors who have cleaning ladies. One likes their's, but she isn't taking anymore clients, and the other is kinda unsatisfied with theirs too. I don't want just anyone coming into our house, especially since it will occurwhile we are both at work. So, I want to find a cleaning lady that someone I know uses and go from there, but until then. I have to do all the cleaning myself (well, with Andy's help too!). And right now as I type I am missing an opportunity to clean some toilets or something.

Turtles Humping....

Andy sent me this link to a video of turtles doing it.

His comments were: "Words cannot express the joy I get from watching this video. I picked up a few good moves. Be sure to watch the whole thing. There are some strange... noises... towards the end. Check out dude's facial expression, too. "

5 Year Anniversary

My 5-year wedding anniversary with Andy is coming up here soon. He asked some people what they did for their 5 year and he was hearing a re-occuring theme - they took a trip some place nice. Well, needless to say, none of those people had a 4 month old at home. I told him what I wanted was a meal out (just the two of us) and maybe drinks in the evening. To me - that is as good as a spontaneous trip to Boston.

The school I work in has an early dismissal on the day of our anniversary and since my lunch is the last lunch, I will be out at lunch time. So, he's planning on working from home in the AM and then at lunch we are going to go out to our favorite place, El Tequila. The baby will still be at daycare. And depending upon what time we get done with lunch - we were thinking of coming home and getting an hour nap in before I need to go pick up the baby.

And then in the evening, I have already arranged to have a friend come babysit and then we are going out for drinks and some appetizers @ Applebee's. They have $1 taps and half-price appetizers after 9pm.

It would have been nice to fit in a movie together, but we only have so much time. Lunch, a nap, & drinks and appetizers will be it. Who knew that was going to become the luxury for my 5-year anniversary.

Maybe we'll rent a movie and watch it while Isabel nurses to sleep. We've only gone out once & rented a movie since she has been born. It doesn't even seem like we have the time to run & get a movie & return it. But thanks to Tivo, we just tape stuff we haven't seen that is on when we can't watch it and then watch movies at our own convenience.

By the way - the traditional gift for the 5 year anniversary is Wood. Does a new wood subfloor count? We took out the hottub (which wasn't working that great anyways) and installed new floor joists & a sub floor. I say we, but all I did was take care of the baby & make food while Andy & his brothers did it. But the room re-model will cost us some money, but will be well worth it. It's going to be a nice sitting room, but also a place for Isabel's toys. That way when guests come over we can just closse the doors to that room and hide her toys. And then I can watch her play while I am cooking in the kitchen.

Gotta stop blogging now. The baby is up.

Labor Day Weekend

We didn't do really anything on Friday night, just finished cleaning up the plant area in the sauna room.

Saturday we went shopping for a new dryer (& to Macy's as well).

Sunday, Andy picked it up and the other things we needed to install it inthe new location. It was $80 worth of stuff needed to put it in the new location because it needed to be wired & vented -- but it will be so worth it. No more running to the basement to put stuff in the dryer. It will be so much more convenient for us. Plus, it will be better if we ever decide to sell. People could be turned off by having the washer & dryer in 2 different rooms, let alone 2 different floors.

So, Sunday I did some grocery shopping and then stayed home w/ Isabel. Andy picked up the dryer and then installed it. He did it all with relative ease. It was great! He did such a great job. And then he installed the wireless indoor/outdoor themometer on the main level.

Today Andy got some other projects done around the house and then we went to Zollman Zoo. Andy was a machine this weekend.