With the help of my first house cleaning client in Fort Wayne, I now have three clients.  While I was very apprehensive about become a "cleaning lady," it has actually turned out to be a pretty good gig.  I am my own boss, I make my own hours, I don't have to "deal" with anyone, and I know I am good at cleaning.  (Thanks to Mrs. Goble and Shannon Lalain---the queens of cleaning 101). 

I acquired my most recent client today, thanks to my first clients' referral.  While I'm sure my plate is pretty full, I think one more would seal the deal.

Here's a cleaning tip:  Real Windex (with ammonia) is the best grease cutter.  The Works toilet cleaner is the best toilet cleaner.  They have both at the dollar store.  None of that $8 dollar stuff. 

Also, it is best to go from top to bottom---dust on furniture and fans settle to the floor when disturbed (that doesn't stick to a dust rag).  Vacuuming should be the final (or best part) of cleaning a room.  Also, I use the crevice tool constantly---tons of dirt and dust settle right between the carpet and the base trim.

Getting a gross tub or shower takes several attempts of cleaning to make it look sparkling---layers of soap scum and build up is very hard to remove when you only have 4 hours to clean a whole house.  Hot vinegar and dawn dish soap (equal parts) help, but nothing works better with that than a plastic scouring sponge and elbow grease.  And a lot of it.

Happy cleaning!

I am about two weeks into my new "working mom" lifestyle, and I must say, it sucks.  I do enjoy working, and getting a paycheck,  but there are many a' things that are suffering......laundry....home cleanliness.....meals planned for the week......Thankfully, Dave's parents have been super helpful, along with some great girlfriends, ensuring Greta is well taken care of while I'm busy cleaning OTHER people's houses and serving OTHER people food.  Good Times. 

Spring has sprung on Woodchime Court, only revealing a major lack of landscaping at our friendly abode.  NO perennial flowers, and some some landscaping shrub choices.  I've made many attempts to befriend locals gardeners (craigslist, upcycle.com, etc.) and I've come up empty handed.  I seriously may have to resort to my "go-to" flower lady:  Mrs. Goble.  Her yard is filled with a lush assortment of shrubs, trees, perennials, and annuals.  It makes for great visits to Michigan, as there is always something new happening in her yard.  Right now, I'm trying to get a handle on the lack of trees in the yard, hoping to capitalize on the "garbage pile" of greenery at Walmart and Meijer--I've found some pretty fabulous plants in this area.  I highly recommend a visit. 

We had a garage sale on Saturday and we made out like bandits-$214 big ones.  Now, if we could only sell an old heavy kitchen table, a bathroom vanity, and an armoire, we'd be in business.  I'd like to buy a tv for the basement as well as some plants for the yard.  In the meantime, craigslist postings will have to do.

Here's to a week of more hustling, slinging club sandwiches, and mopping floors.  (But in all honesty, I do enjoy my schedule.)

Quite a bit has been going on since my last blog.  Here is the bathroom version:

1.  I got a job.  I actually am, once again, a waitress.  On St. Patrick's Day, Dave, Gertie, and I were already downtown participating in all things Irish, when we stumbled upon Calhoun Street.  While eating a delicious lunch, I decided to ask the very bubbly and kind waitress if they were hiring.  Welp, I filled out an application, and a week later the owner called me.  I have been training for two weeks.  The restaurant has a simple, tasteful, and clean menu.  Great sandwiches, great soups, and great beer.  I am clearly not cool enough to work there, as I have noticed it being a Hipster hang out.  Google the term "Hipster" if you aren't familiar. 


2.  My second job entails cleaning houses.  I have walking through my second client's house tomorrow.  It is nice to have this cash in my pocket because it is easy, mindless money.  I am proud of my cleaning, although my house doesn't reflect it.  HOWEVER, my bathrooms are always clean.  They may be messy, but they are always clean.  Also, the sheets on every bed are CLEAN.  Bleachy, and delicious.

3.  It has been raining.  A lot.  I'm over it. 

4.  Biscuit is still naughty and has escaped the confines of our fence twice.  Naughty.

5.  The Boston Marathon:  Sad.  So sad.  Terrorists are cowards.  They need to find a new hobby and a new "religion" to practice.  My religion involves loving small soft animals and smelling clean laundry.

6.  I found a weekly babysitter for Gertie.  Daycare searching blows the big one and I don't recommend it.  I have come to realize day care centers are filthy and the employees are rude, and getting rich off the working woman's dime.  Not okay.  Thankfully, Ms. Alicia, Gertie's new sitter, is nice and delightful.  Her son Cristian, is so stinking cute.  AND, her husband, Brad, played sports with Kyle.  A win-win.

7.  In honor of spring's arrival, while Greta and I were in the D last weekend, we took the time to visit the school farm.  All I'm going to say is Baby. Goats.  Yep, LOTS of baby goats and baby lambs and a few peacocks.  Who needs Xanax?!  Oh my.  Lots of softies.  I'm sure I contracted some crazy strain of gona-syphill-herpe-aids, but I'm a better woman for it.

8.  I will begin preparing for our May 1-2 garage sale.  I'm hoping to make $300, selling some furniture that is no longer needed, and other home treasures.  I'm hoping to make enough money to buy a SMALLER television for the family room and a large console table for it to sit upon.  Again, a win-win.

9.  Tiger baseball is in full swing.  To mark the occassion, I hit up the Salvation Army in the D. and found a bounty of Detroit sport teeshirts for Gertie.  For me?  A hot pink J Crew teeshirt for work. 

10.  I started to tackle our landcaping, er, lack there of.  I have moved one bush.  Four more to go.  I'd like to win a $10,000 landscape makeover to solve our "no tree" problem. 

Happy Friday!

Finding childcare sucks.  I have NO idea how moms (especially working moms or prego moms) do this.  AND, the worrying about whether Greta will nap at the hand of someone else is causing MAJOR stress.  I feel like I should be paid a salary of $50,000 or more for one child.  With each additional offspring, my pay should increase at least $15K. 

Garage sale season is upon us.  I found my first sign today.  In celebration of this event, I went antiquing and found a vintage lard tin and watering can.  Score. 

Now if I can find some large wall art for cheap.....

Today, Dave and I dusted off the ol' Huffy and took Greta on her first bikeflag (bike ride) of the season.  With an extra 30 pounds in tow (Greta in her seat), we took to the mean streets of Aboite and enjoyed the glorious spring weather.  While on our journey, we saw a crayfish, one large dog, several fancy-schmancy nuevo riche homes, and several trees needing pruning.  It was pretty windy, which made the hills EXTRA fun for me (and my large fanny).  An hour and a half later, my legs are sore and Greta is napping.  We made two pit stops so Greta could enjoy a slide or two.  Thankfully, we are within bike riding distance to some great play areas at the local elementary schools.  Greta's elementary school, Deer Ridge, is less than a mile away.  It has a GREAT play area AND a recycling bin!  (You know what that means:  Coupons.)

On a side note, I started my waitressing job at Calhoun Street. I love the people that work there, I love the food, and the building is historic.  The owner, Ms. Donna, is fabulous and is NOT an alcoholic pscyho, like the last restaurant owner I worked for (at Longhorn in Bloomington).  Clearly, I'm not cool enough to work here, due to the major amount of tattoos, cool hair dos, piercings, and affinity for Hipster music.  I'm working on it.  I have decided to ONLY wear my Detroit shirts while working there.  If I can display my ties to the D., I will always represent.  And most importantly, I was trained by the owner's niece, Amy.  She happened to graduate from Dwenger with Dave's brother, Kyle, and remembers him as a nice person.  Not only is Amy super nice, but she knows the restaurant very well.  Sadly, some folks there take advantage of her outstanding work ethic and don't pull their weight.  This pisses me off, and I'm always one to say something.  Because, you are a representation of your employer.  I know how much work and sacrifice goes into running a restaurant.  If people knew the sacrifice, they'd work 100 times harder.  I like Ms. Donna, and I like what she is doing for downtown.  Therefore, I'm loyal and will work my ass off for her.  I would never want anyone to ever say I'm lazy, or have a questionable work ethic.  Doug and Pepe would be very disappointed.

I feel like the underlying theme of my move to Fort Wayne is INTEGRITY.  Since we've taken up shop here, I've notice a MAJOR lack in integrity in the people who are involved in the housing/trade industry.  NOT ALL, but many are lazy, unreliable, overpriced, arrogant about their ability/skill set, and untrustworthy.  I would categorize these things are "Characteristics that Deem One Lacking Integrity."  Something to think about.

I would say the phrase integrity runs though my head at least 10 times a day, usually after meeting some jack ass employer/person who is full of shit and sucks at their job.  I always walk away shaking my head.

Happy Sunday.

Oh yes, I'm a waitress.  Again.  I'd like to thank the handy and hard work of our insurance company for dishing out muchos bills our way, making it almost impossible to enjoy random trips to Goodwill and Friday Thai food takeout.  I'd also like to thank our student loans for giving us a "second mortgage" to take on.  Without all these concerned entities, I'm sure our lives would be filled with Ethan Allen furniture, spring trips to Florida, and random surprises for our parents.  Piss.  Off.

However, I am thankful for beautiful weather, tulips popping out of the ground, loving grandparents, baby spikes, and soft stools in Gertie's diaper. 

I was suppose to head down to Btown to "watch" my girlfriend Irene while her husband is out of town---Irene's baby girl is due in a few weeks and Irene is super prego.  I hope Irene goes into labor on Sunday night (when Eric comes home), and and her labor lasts 2 hours (long enough for an epidural), and baby Schmidbauer is a small 7 pounder.  That is my Christmas wish for Irene.  ALSO--added bonus***, Irene and Eric make adorbs babies. 

Sam, Irene's son, in the plaid.  PERFECT nose and talks like a 12 year old.  And he likes apricots.

Sorry Adrienne Keeble Petersen, I did pick up a pair of U of M gardening boots at Walmart, on clearance, for the low, low, LOW price of $13.  Also, apologize to the DON because I didn't buy them at KFarts. 

And another thing....don't think I haven't started ripping out dead/overgrown shrubs at the house.  I have also identified two of the bushes in the front...Viburnum.  The ugly kind.  Yuck. 

And to celebrate the onset of spring like weather, I enjoyed (on DVR) the newest installment of RHOOC.  Yes, trash television.  They are all trashy with their fake hair and I LERVS it. 

And finally, I am wearing my Lahser #24 Knights sweatpants, compliments of Molly Danner, to celebrate a Tiger victory on Opening Day.  Verlander, bitches.

And lastly, if you drive me erratically, attempting to run me off the road, with my child on board, I will call 911 and report you as a drunk driver.  Don't mess with me.  I've done this probably 20 times and I'm not trying to quit anytime soon.  Boom.