Dirt by any name is still Dirt

Isn't it fun to secretly gloat over someone else's dirt? I hate to admit that I enjoy seeing the cracks in someone's beautiful facade but it's a sad fact of life. We all try for that perfection whatever it is to each of us but alas no one will ever achieve it. In fact, I had a speaking coach suggest that when speaking before a group publicly to NOT look perfect ... allow an uneven hem, a turned collar or whatever so that audience members would focus on that imperfection rather than on my stumbles in speech. Crafty, but I can't say I allow that intentionally. It's the same with our homes. I like a picked up, clean house as much as the next housewife but don't get so picky that you can't truly live in your own home. Our dear Maids and night crews encounter just a few fortunately, but they do encounter those homeowners and building managers who appear to have attained masters' degrees in complaining. It's off-putting to say the least. So here in the wake of Thanksgiving ... while we still live in the grandest nation on earth, let's BE thankful we can hire someone to do what we don't have time nor inclination to do ourselves and give one another some slack. Call Clean Reflections if you're the current clean up person and are sick and tired of spending your time mopping up after all the others in your home or office. "We don't cut corners, we clean them!" Visit us online at www.cleanyoucansee.com anytime.

Aubergine, beautiful aubergine

Because I have my house cleaned every week, I can now focus on my achievements in the kitchen. I ordered a natural cookbook a few weeks ago having seen a segment on TV by the author. Because I want my husband and I to enter the 'golden years' in good health, I've been focusing more on organics and vegetables in cooking. Anyway, turns out the author is British. My roots are in Great Britain, in fact my grandparents landed here right off the boat, so I am grateful to the Brits for all they bring us. They do however, speak English a bit differently than do we. All measurements are in grams and liters ... so I Googled a conversion chart. Check, got that handled. Then flipping through the recipes I discovered some strange sounding food items. Ever hear of a "courgette"? Me neither. Back to Google. It's a zucchini; go figure. How about an "Aubergine" which I thought was a designer color. Well, it is that too, but it's an .... eggplant! That's a much prettier name than eggplant, isn't it?

More Maxine on Housework

I thought about cleaning the house. But then
I thought, "What's the house done for me lately?"
Y'know, what we do isn't rocket science ... although the janitorial industry in general is really coming of age in terms of science and technology. We now have the option of using robotic equipment, electrolized water to sanitize, fancier and fancier floor machines that will multi task with one pass over the floor; for example, put water down, scrub and suck it back into a tank all at once. It is pretty amazing if you focus on it a moment. Nonetheless, it isn't rocket science, as I said, but it does require some training and a mindset to do it consistently and correctly. I guess that's why I so love Maxine. She determined early on that she didn't like housework, wasn't going to do it and made no bones about it. And these days you shouldn't have to, especially if you are the chief cook and bottle washer, income provider and possibly Mom or Dad on top of all that. To you, the battle scarred, freeway stressed, microwave set, I bring Maxine for a moment of levity. Laugh along.








Enjoy this latest Maxine installment along with me and put your feet up.

Maxine on Dishwashing

I feel so blessed; I have a brand new dishwasher. After a good 25 year run, my faithful Kitchenaid conked out permanently. It screamed at us for a few final weeks while it did still wash but finally it coughed and died. I lived without one for awhile shopping for the perfect replacement -- which adversly affected our diet. We ate lots of sandwich dinners. It's hard to consider a full course hot meal on paper plates ... for me anyway. So when Maxine appeared with her support group idea; I totally related to her. Do you?

Call Us! We're good dusters

I attach the above photo remembering the attractive young couple who years ago called and hired us to clean their first new home on a regular basis. It's unusual for us to have newlyweds as customers so one day I was bold and asked why they had. The sweet young wife replied that during their premarital counseling at church, their wise counselor said to eliminate as many topics as possible that could be argument-starters. One of those was house cleaning! What a smart counselor and what a smart young couple. The house was never a subject over which they fought!

New Use for Windex

Did you see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" the sleeper movie hit about a Greek family and their daughter's courtship and subsequent marriage? Daddy in that movie was always touting the use of Windex and it's many uses ... even as an antiseptic for bug bites and shaving nicks. Well, here's a new one for you. I haven't checked it out on Snopes or spoken to anyone who might have tested it but it sounds plausible. Ready? Here it is:

If you are ever struck with an overwhelming desire to run around naked, sniff Windex first. It will keep you from streaking!

C4R on Channel 8 with Oprah

Big stuff! Our very own Cleaning for a Reason charity was introduced on the WFAA Channel 8 news Monday evening by Oprah Winfrey! Oprah was in Dallas for the State Fair and made an appearance on Channel 8 that evening, thus she was on hand to introduce the story on C4R. How special for us. Look back, I wrote a blog September 1 on C4R ... it's a free house cleaning service we offer to women undergoing cancer treatment as members of the Cleaning for a Reason Foundation. To have a look go to: http://www.wfaa.com/video/index.html?nvid=406464&shu=1