I Finally Did It.....

Some people have asked me whether or not I finally got my apartment unpacked since moving here last October.

They ask me this for good reason---because they know me well and knew that I hadn't done it.

They know that I am notorious for delaying my unpacking for an ungodly amount of time on any occasion that I have moved residences. In fact, I let my last apartment languish unpacked for a solid year simply because I didn't like the apartment.

But I really like this apartment. But even that fact didn't get me to unpacking after I moved in----I simply unpacked some of the stuff I needed and let everything else sit in boxes..... since last October.

I guess it was because after I moved I got all involved in my job, and then the holidays began, and then Lu-Lu got fired, and then I got appointed as the Manager, and then we started having problems with my secretary and Geena-Lou...

...and then I had to fire the secretary and Geena-Lou, and then Jane-Anne started having problems with her diabetes AND got pregnant, and then I hired Belinda (and she's pregnant, too) (and developing frequent cravings for cheesecake, if I may add) .....

...and then I finally hired another LVN (and let's pray to GOD that she works out)...and then the hosptital bought our office building and so we had to move our office....and then....and then.....

You can see what happened. So I figured I had a perfectly good excuse for not unpacking this place for nearly a year.

But I finally had to get serious and start unpacking---and "putting things together"--- in the last couple of weeks because Belinda suddenly decided to take a strong stance with my laziness. And she found me a very... er.....blunt... and aggressive cleaning lady to help....uh... "motivate" me.

And when I say "blunt and aggressive", I mean it.

Do you know that my new cleaning lady actually told me to make my bed?

She actually informed me: "I don't do beds, so you have to do it."

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that there was an old cliche about cleaning ladies "not doing windows". But this one doesn't do beds.

So I make my own dang bed even though I pay her a small fortune to come clean my apartment. (I wonder if she does windows?....)

She also tells me exactly which cleaning products to buy. And of all the nerve, she told me she "prefers Barkeepers's Friend" instead of Comet. I have 4 brand new big containers of Comet but suddenly I had to go to Walmart and find Barkeeper's Friend for this sassy cleaning lady.

She also tells me exactly what kind of toilet bowl cleaner, dusting solution, tile cleaner, and glass cleaner to buy. Which are all completely different than the brands I already have. What's with this girl? She even made me help her take out all my trash to the dumpster the other day.

And you can't argue with her at all because she'll simply dismiss the whole conversation and say something like: "Listen, I don't have time to argue---I've got to go feed my horses after this."

I did try to get on her good side and gave her my dressage horse-riding helmet for which she actually looked pleased to obtain. I also gave her my old German riding boots which were fairly new, custom cut at the calves and knees, and she looked pleased to get them, too---until I told her I'd lost my boot jacks for getting them off. (So I pulled and tugged until I got them off of her, because she had insisted on putting them on....)

(And it's not that easy to get German custom-fit dressage riding boots off without a boot jack....)

Guess what kind of horses she raises.....?

PAINT PONIES!!!!

Lord, guys, if I play my cards right she just may let me come out and see them some time.....

...and so I guess I really don't mind buying the "Barkeeper's Friend" afterall....

Anyway, about her liking "Barkeeper's Friend" instead of "Comet". What is the dang difference? I've used them both and they seem the same to me. Oh well, if Belinda hired her for me at least I know she's honest and won't steal.

So anyhoo, I've FINALLY unpacked most of my stuff and gotten much of the apartment put together, so that this cleaning lady will get off my case.

She does give my apartment weird looks, though. It is because I decorate apartments as strangely as I knit---in all kinds of colors, weird "styles" and color-combinations, all strung together. I couldn't care less about "proper decorating" techniques.

I use a lot of the stuff I've gotten from my travels overseas, the beautiful art objects my mother buys or makes for me---and I place all this stuff in and aruond the objects I own which I call my "Early Modern Walmart" decor.

I'll mix and match "nice" or "quality" stuff with Walmart stuff. This drives my family nuts, but hey, it's my apartment, ya know?

So who cares that I put my Toulouse Lautrec prints over the stove next to some Walmart collanders? I think they look fine that way---and it was my blog readers who suggested the red color scheme, which I love.

And who cares that I hung pots and pans in the dining room? There was no room for them in the pitifully small kitchen.

And who cares that I decorated my hall in "leopard motif" with a "phone nook"---even though I don't even use land-phone lines (and thus, none of my land-line phones are hooked up) and I only use a cell phone? I just like that phone table---it's oak and was quite a bargain at the Goodwill Store.

I still don't have the back bedroom or all my knitting stuff unpacked, and I still have one bathroom which is completely blank of furnishings---but most of the apartment is looking better. In fact, it's become my refuge. Especially the balcony, where I put some flowers in the hopes of attracting the pretty birdies.

It is my apartment where I can relax and re-charge.....