We had a great game night last night except that Adam stole the victory from me by 1 point, I would have won on my next turn. @#$% We talked a lot and covered some serious searing emotional pain (mostly Amy's) so it was a fun and emotionally productive night.
The kids played outside until it was dark so that was a huge bonus (we enjoy it when they are where we're not). I took this picture through the screen of the window, the girls made little books and then told each other their stories.
Today was the big cleaning party at Michelle's house to help get her ready to leave for 2 months. It would be a big job any time, but to be recovering from knee surgery is just too much (even though she's recovering very well). Jenn, Collette, Jana, Amie, Melinda and I all came to help, plus a couple of Michelle's awesome neighbors. Many hands definitely make light work.
{click to enlarge photo}
I got this cute card from Claudia. I think she may be more excited for my Paris trip than I am. One question...where do I get the pink poodles? This is a great quote from Claudia's letter "Don't fret about my b-day, just find something fabulous down there." (By the way her 40th birthday is April 30th, she's on the good mail list.)
Jana sent me this cute thank you note the day after I sent her a book in the mail, that's fast. Thanks Jana!I had a bad dream the other night that it was time for me to leave for the airport, but I hadn't driven out to Eagle Mountain to get my sister Lori's suitcases, so apparently I'm starting to panic that I won't be ready for my trip. I did a little more shopping today and got some travel-sized toiletries, a couple shirts and a theft-proof purse (there's wire in the strap so it can't be cut off of me). Can I just say that if someone tries to cut my purse off of me I'm going to crap my pants and freak out, or I'll fall to the ground and play dead! There were no instructions for what to do in case that happens.
**Have you ever helped a friend
clean before? Has anyone ever helped you?
Wasn't my good mail funny today?
Have you ever been mugged?
clean before? Has anyone ever helped you?
Wasn't my good mail funny today?
Have you ever been mugged?
20 comments:
I haven't actually helped clean before but when my friend Mary Beth was put on bedrest 5 or 6 of us pitched in and hired her a maid for the day. She loved it!
I received Good Mail from Claudia today as well, a thank you for a birthday surprise I sent her. (I try to get mine out early in the b'day month.)
Happy to say I've never been mugged, even in New Orleans!
I've seen tons of tourists get pick pocketed in Europe. I would carry my money and passport in my money belt shoved under my waist band so it never happened to me.
Anna's good mail is killing me. That is so hilarious. I would never even think of google map'ing it. Clever girl. I'm hoping you're not leaving too soon because I sent a tiny something that should get there Tuesday. I'm sure you've said, but I really have no capacity to watch for details, so...
Yes, on the cleaning help. Anytime my mom comes over I can guarantee a cleaner something or other. All of my sisters really. And I do the same for them...but somehow it's always far more pleasant to detail someone else's house than your own. Go figure.
No worries Amy, I don't leave until Thursday the 26th.
There was a lot of SEP last night directed at me. I certainly am feeling it today and trying to take your advice. Thank you for listening.
It's really great what you guys did for Michelle. She is so lucky to have you.
Love the mail, especially the map to paris.
Now you are making me feel guilty! I was just stewing over a girl in my ward who left a message on my answering machine yesterday TELLING me (not asking) that she is having a clean through of her apartment on Thursday and needed me to come help. I was bugged by the whole thing. I have actually signed up to clean people's houses in the ward before, but I was really bugged by the way this one girl went about it and was thinking of an excuse so I wouldn't have to go. I should just buck up and go and not be bothered that she told me instead of asked.
Is your Paris trip two months, or is just Michelle going to be gone that long? That is a long time!
Michelle and her family will be in Paris for 2 months, but the book club girls will only be there for 8 days.
uh, i think anna has won best good mail ever sent. so funny.
helping friends. my favorite help friends story is when my friend stacy brought her new born home, the excitement of that day will never leave my memory.
thanks for my railroad sign comment. i saw that photo in my head from across the tracks and held up the family to take it, so thanks for reminding me to do more of that.
I can remember helping you clean out your car once and you were cleaning the vents with a q-tip and I thought, I am not going to be much help here. You're the cleaning queen, you remind me of Monica on Friends in that way.
And nope, never been mugged but heard some horror stories when I was in Europe. Our professors made us wear our stuff around our necks and under our clothes at first but by the end of the trip we were sick of that and just swinging them around like la-di-da, come and get us gypsies! (apparently gypsies are big in Italy, one guide chased them away while we were in the forum, hilarious).
I have never been mugged, and I have never had a theft-proof purse. I have always felt very safe in Paris, although you do have to watch out for those Romanian gypsies on the metro!
The map to Paris is about the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. As usual, I wish I'd thought of it!
Thanks for all your help today. Good mental state restored!
Crime can happen anywhere, but I am 100% sure that you will be more than fine in Paris, theft proof purse or not. (That's crazy that they make those.) Having lived in both London and NYC, I still tend to walk around with my purse hanging open (much to my mother's chagrin). That's pretty bad, but no one ever bothers me. It must be my intimidating glare. That and my man is a BEAST. The most important thing is to look like you know where you're going, and if not, fake it. :)
First of all, I love that you say, "searing emotional pain." So fitting for our emotions at times.
I clean houses as my job right now and I love it. I just take my ipod or mix cds & pop them in and clean away. I have seen some pretty nasty stuff, but my house stays cleaner because of it. I love helping friends clean too, and find myself folding a batch of laundry or unloading their dishwashers if I even just go to visit!
Never been mugged, thank goodness, but I haven't been to too many big cities. Before my husband was active in the church, he spent two winters in Holland and he spent quite a bit of time in the bad part of Amsterdam (don't ask!) (: Anyway, he had a couple run ins, but was capable of taking care of himself. I'm with you, I'd probably wet my pants!
Loved the good mail! I have something for you too, I just need to send it because it's been sitting by our back door waiting to go for several days! Argh! (:
That is so nice that you all helped Michelle get cleaned up before Paris.
I think the only time anyone has helped me to clean, was when we were moving out of one of our apartments. I must say it was really so very nice and meant alot!
What a great laugh from Anna!
And as far as the friends and cleaning thing goes I have a great one. Last April for my birthday one of my friends and my sister-in-law chipped in together and paid for some lovely cleaning ladies to come do some deep cleaning in my house. It was AWESOME, I was 7 months pregnant and seriously I don't think there could have been a more perfect gift at that moment!
That mail from Anna is cracking me up. Who knew google would suggest that you swim?
I have never been mugged. I don't know that I've ever helped a friend clean (that sounds terrible!), but a few years ago I was in the RS presidency and on my second weekend in the calling, we had to clean the apartment of a family moving out. I have never seen such a sight. We had to sweep the carpet before we could vacuum, and I wore my fingers out Mr. Clean Magic Erasering walls that were covered in crayon and marker. It was quite the initiation into the calling. I love that you guys lightened Michelle's load that way -- wonderful!
I hope that didn't imply that I thought Michelle's house was in any way the cleaning job I was reminiscing about! Not what I meant at all!
It's kind of funny to me that you just asked about cleaning someone else's house. I just joined a play group with women from my ward where the kids play and the women work. We do whatever it is the woman hosting wants done in her house. It's pretty incredible how much 4 women can get accomplished in 2 hours. I've found cleaning house with friends is definitely the way to go. It'll be my turn to host this week, so I'm looking forward to getting some good scrubbing done. :)
I love that google has a sense of humor. Very funny.
Ah, haven't been mugged. But you should wear your purse like a sling - across your right shoulder and have it sit on your left hip! Just over your arm doesn't work. Anna is the world traveler - I will have her email you.
That map from Anna cracked me up! Wasn't it like 30 days? Oh, and swimming! HA!
SO great that you and some other wonderful people were able to help Michelle. And, it was wonderful that Michelle let you do that for her! Great friends are a great thing!!!
SO excited for your trip!!!
Gosh, you will be SO ready for a holiday after all your busyness!
My recurring nightmare, always, is about going on a trip and waking up the morning I'm due to leave and I haven't packed a single bag!
Don't stress about muggings. Can you leave REALLY precious stuff in the hotel safe? Or even just leave it at home? God will look after you, essentially!
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