Let me first preface this blog post with the following - as I value your readership:
a. No real insight will be reached by reading this post
b. It is 100% completely and utterly entitled, somewhat lacking of gratitude and very insignificant in the scheme of the world problems and my own
c. I hope you can either relate, laugh and not hate me after reading
However every week it rears its ugly head and I turn into an ungrateful, complaining, mean person - per my husband. My cleaning lady drives me crazy. Bat shit crazy.
Marlene is the sweetest, kindest person you could meet - or so it seems. And one of the most fastidious cleaning persons I have ever had.
However she drives me crazy. Bat shit crazy.
Secretly I think she knows she is annoying me - but hinds behind the language barrier. But my husband says I should be ashamed of my behavior.
Our relationship started out as BFFs with OCD. She loved to clean and I loved that she loved to clean. Our previous house helper never touched my fridge - on her first day Marlene took out my entire fridge and wiped it so clean - even the ketchup bottle was smiling.
The person who recommended her warned me. His girlfriend made him fire her. Why I asked she is amazing? "Well he says I just like my stuff to stay a certain way."
I never understood this - but now I do.
Example A - my toothbrush and my husband's. You might think this was an arts and crafts project gone awry in my bathroom - however my Sonicare was reduced to MULTIPLE stickers, due to not once, not twice but over three times Marlene cleaned them and the base and put mine to the right and Todd's to the left. This was always discovered AFTER the fact I used my husbands toothbrush not once, not twice, but over three times.
Funny how this would not have bothered me the first 20 years of living together - however let me just fill you in if you haven't gotten there yet - the first 20 years are spent attached to one another - the next 20 years are spent getting as far away from one another as you can.
No this not only bothers me - it makes me sick to my stomach. My awesome 5 year old suggested the nail polish, sticker and labeling.
Example B - the use and storage of cleaning products
As most of you know - I am the proud creator of a line of natural cleaning products. I did this in my kitchen and created them all myself - it is a subject near and dear to my heart.
Marlene knows this.
However she still asks for toxic cleaning products to clean the stainless steel - which my surface cleaner does beautifully - but doesn't leave the waxy build up - aka shiny surface - the toxic one does. She also insists on moving our sponges and soap to an ENTIRELY different area and creating this lovely sponge storage case out of my empty Trader Joe's espresso bean box.
She has run over my Miele vacuum cleaner cord so many times the cord is more silver with electrical tape patches, than it is regular black cord. She has pointed out embarrassing stains and asked me what they are and what to do.
These are petty I know and I can hear my Mother, Grandmother and atheist husband telling me I am going to hell for this - but hear me out.
Four times in less than a year - she asked me if I was pregnant. Yes as I bent over to get a water and my belly fat dangles there for all to see - or perhaps it was a day where I actually felt good about myself and wore a clingy dress - Marlene asks me if I am with child.
Marlene has been told three times in English, Spanish and Chinese to cover all bases - that I am not pregnant and have no plans to be pregnant. Oh she says it just looked like...
Whatever Marlene.
She points out our expired food, the rips in my duvet, the stains on my sons clothes and ultimately it makes me feel bad.
While I love my working life - I also never got to stay at home and be an at home Mom. I juggle it as best as I can and am there more than most - but I spend more time at Good Home, than my own good home.
So I remind myself of this - tell Marlene that I can put away my little boys clothes myself thank you and while I wish I could have another kid (sort of), I don't think I will.
We are thankful for all that Marlene brings our family and I am grateful for her amazing cleaning skills - particularly after a week of the stomach flu.
Marlene will stay, but I can't help but smile when my little boy can't find that Lego he left in a specific place and yells out (just like me) to the air -
Maaarrr leeeene - where did you put it???!!!
Simply,
Christine
a. No real insight will be reached by reading this post
b. It is 100% completely and utterly entitled, somewhat lacking of gratitude and very insignificant in the scheme of the world problems and my own
c. I hope you can either relate, laugh and not hate me after reading
However every week it rears its ugly head and I turn into an ungrateful, complaining, mean person - per my husband. My cleaning lady drives me crazy. Bat shit crazy.
Marlene is the sweetest, kindest person you could meet - or so it seems. And one of the most fastidious cleaning persons I have ever had.
However she drives me crazy. Bat shit crazy.
Secretly I think she knows she is annoying me - but hinds behind the language barrier. But my husband says I should be ashamed of my behavior.
Our relationship started out as BFFs with OCD. She loved to clean and I loved that she loved to clean. Our previous house helper never touched my fridge - on her first day Marlene took out my entire fridge and wiped it so clean - even the ketchup bottle was smiling.
The person who recommended her warned me. His girlfriend made him fire her. Why I asked she is amazing? "Well he says I just like my stuff to stay a certain way."
I never understood this - but now I do.
Example A - my toothbrush and my husband's. You might think this was an arts and crafts project gone awry in my bathroom - however my Sonicare was reduced to MULTIPLE stickers, due to not once, not twice but over three times Marlene cleaned them and the base and put mine to the right and Todd's to the left. This was always discovered AFTER the fact I used my husbands toothbrush not once, not twice, but over three times.
Funny how this would not have bothered me the first 20 years of living together - however let me just fill you in if you haven't gotten there yet - the first 20 years are spent attached to one another - the next 20 years are spent getting as far away from one another as you can.
No this not only bothers me - it makes me sick to my stomach. My awesome 5 year old suggested the nail polish, sticker and labeling.
Example B - the use and storage of cleaning products
As most of you know - I am the proud creator of a line of natural cleaning products. I did this in my kitchen and created them all myself - it is a subject near and dear to my heart.
Marlene knows this.
However she still asks for toxic cleaning products to clean the stainless steel - which my surface cleaner does beautifully - but doesn't leave the waxy build up - aka shiny surface - the toxic one does. She also insists on moving our sponges and soap to an ENTIRELY different area and creating this lovely sponge storage case out of my empty Trader Joe's espresso bean box.
She has run over my Miele vacuum cleaner cord so many times the cord is more silver with electrical tape patches, than it is regular black cord. She has pointed out embarrassing stains and asked me what they are and what to do.
These are petty I know and I can hear my Mother, Grandmother and atheist husband telling me I am going to hell for this - but hear me out.
Four times in less than a year - she asked me if I was pregnant. Yes as I bent over to get a water and my belly fat dangles there for all to see - or perhaps it was a day where I actually felt good about myself and wore a clingy dress - Marlene asks me if I am with child.
Marlene has been told three times in English, Spanish and Chinese to cover all bases - that I am not pregnant and have no plans to be pregnant. Oh she says it just looked like...
Whatever Marlene.
She points out our expired food, the rips in my duvet, the stains on my sons clothes and ultimately it makes me feel bad.
While I love my working life - I also never got to stay at home and be an at home Mom. I juggle it as best as I can and am there more than most - but I spend more time at Good Home, than my own good home.
So I remind myself of this - tell Marlene that I can put away my little boys clothes myself thank you and while I wish I could have another kid (sort of), I don't think I will.
We are thankful for all that Marlene brings our family and I am grateful for her amazing cleaning skills - particularly after a week of the stomach flu.
Marlene will stay, but I can't help but smile when my little boy can't find that Lego he left in a specific place and yells out (just like me) to the air -
Maaarrr leeeene - where did you put it???!!!
Simply,
Christine
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Relating, laughing, and loving you. xo
ReplyDeleteThank You for your support. Thought I was alone in this lol! Heart you too!
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