Obsessive Rep Point Checkers Club (Volume VI)

Good morning, Jay! I hope you get lots of good writing done today.

So, my sister and her husband are coming into town tomorrow (she lives across the country) and I'm very excited to see her--she has never been to (any of) my house(s) in the 18 years since I left my "home" state. The thing is, I'm not a slob or anything, but I have nearly-adult boys who are not as clean as I'd like them to be and I'm not going to clean up after them. I had planned to use the entire day tomorrow to clean my house (and get them to help after school) because she wasn't arriving until late. But she texted about an hour ago to say there had been a change in plans and they will be here sometime between "first thing in the morning" and "sometime before noon". Which means our regularly scheduled program is being interrupted for this emergency alert: I MUST CLEAN THE HOUSE TONIGHT!

My head hurts just thinking about it. So much for getting caught up on my sleep.

I guess I'd better take these boots off...

Lillian_Blaire said:

Oh, Bryan. You know the prefect thing to say (and do with your hands). Come here!

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Oh my god and those boots. *woof*

Take a couple of deeps breaths, Lil. Your sister is coming to see YOU, not how clean your house is. Besides, your mother was there a few months back, I'm sure she would have commented on the state of your house if it were relevant, so your sister would already know.

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Yeah, those boots would definitely make housework more challenging. *g*

Yeah, but just because my mom told her it was a disgusting mess, doesn't mean she wants to see proof of that herself, you know? haha

I don't know that she and my mom talk much...hmmm...I'll have to ask. They aren't very close and don't live in the same state. But either way, my sis has 5 kids under the age of 12. Pretty sure she knows what a messy house looks like. It's just...it's different when it's your OWN filth, you know? I can shower and look down and see my own hair in the drain and be like, "Better remember to get that", but if I'm showering at someone ELSES house and look down and see their hair, I'm gonna gag.

I'm sure it is not now nor ever has been a disgusting mess.

Lillian_Blaire said:

So, my sister and her husband are coming into town tomorrow (she lives across the country) and I'm very excited to see her--she has never been to (any of) my house(s) in the 18 years since I left my "home" state. The thing is, I'm not a slob or anything, but I have nearly-adult boys who are not as clean as I'd like them to be and I'm not going to clean up after them. I had planned to use the entire day tomorrow to clean my house (and get them to help after school) because she wasn't arriving until late. But she texted about an hour ago to say there had been a change in plans and they will be here sometime between "first thing in the morning" and "sometime before noon". Which means our regularly scheduled program is being interrupted for this emergency alert: I MUST CLEAN THE HOUSE TONIGHT!

My head hurts just thinking about it. So much for getting caught up on my sleep.

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So here’s what you do. Round up the kids and threaten them with the pain of death if they don’t help you clean and then assign them each a job to do. ONE job. And when they complete that job they are to come to you so you can check the job. If it was done satisfactorily, then they can move on to the next thing. After they complete 3 jobs, then they are free.

That should help you quite a bit. Mom always did that with my brother and me. And it got the house clean in quite a hurry.

Jaymz Connelly said:

I'm sure it is not now nor ever has been a disgusting mess.

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You may be right. Disgusting may be a slight exaggeration. Unless you go into the boys' bathroom. Do not go into the boys bathroom!!!

In other news, I wrote TWO little flash stories before everyone else in the house started moving about. (haven't posted them yet because they're sort of out of order) I'm still three behind, but hoping to get a bit closer to caught up by the end of today. PLUS I want to get the first pass done on my story so I can send it off to 'fresh eyes'.

BryanT said:

So here’s what you do. Round up the kids and threaten them with the pain of death if they don’t help you clean and then assign them each a job to do. ONE job. And when they complete that job they are to come to you so you can check the job. If it was done satisfactorily, then they can move on to the next thing. After they complete 3 jobs, then they are free.

That should help you quite a bit. Mom always did that with my brother and me. And it got the house clean in quite a hurry.

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Excellent idea. I am totally going to do this.

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Jaymz Connelly said:

In other news, I wrote TWO little flash stories before everyone else in the house started moving about. (haven't posted them yet because they're sort of out of order) I'm still three behind, but hoping to get a bit closer to caught up by the end of today. PLUS I want to get the first pass done on my story so I can send it off to 'fresh eyes'.

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Ooooo, congratulations!!

Lillian_Blaire said:

You may be right. Disgusting may be a slight exaggeration. Unless you go into the boys' bathroom. Do not go into the boys bathroom!!!

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Heh. I have two boys myself. I NEVER go in their bathroom (and Mr C is always complaining about how disgusting it is).

Yeah, there are some parts of the house that will just eventually be condemned. Aka their bathroom.

You need a hazmat suit to enter that zone.

BryanT said:

Oh my god and those boots. *woof*

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*walks the catwalk*

*poses*

*turns*

*walks back*

Okay, you can put your tongue back inside your mouth now.

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Jaymz Connelly said:

You need a hazmat suit to enter that zone.

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I told my oldest I'd but him a mask and some gloves and pay him $20 to get that place sparkling. He said he'll have to think about it.

Lillian_Blaire said:

I told my oldest I'd but him a mask and some gloves and pay him $20 to get that place sparkling. He said he'll have to think about it.

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Tell him he's had enough time to think, and any further thinking will reduce his pay. I really, really like Bryan's suggestion.

I may even print it out and post it. If Hayden wasn't having surgery the day after they come home... sigh. Well, I've been letting the dog sleep on their bed and not changing the bedding. Heh.

But, Lil: Maybe triage and make a priority list. You need to live your life as well as clean. Speaking of which, I WILL vacuum the floor tomorrow morning. I will.

I'd tell him it doesn't require thinking, and the longer he takes to get started, the less money he'll get.

I usually threaten my guys with 'do it now, or die'. *g* They don't get paid for doing chores that are normal 'keep a house clean' chores, only for extra stuff.

The real reason he needed to think is because he's studying for finals. I think he was trying to debate whether or not he could take time out of studying and still get a good grade on his test.

Another report from the trenches of my life:

I arranged for the inspector from the fire department to go to the house today to inspect the new oil tank installation and to get a smoke alarm certificate for the closing.

I had delegated the installation of new smoke alarms to my ex-husband having given him detailed directions from the fire department inspector. The required number of smoke alarms of the right type had been installed. But one of them was installed on a wall. So it needs to be moved to an appropriate place on the ceiling, and then the inspector needs to come out again.

I let my ex-husband know about the issue and gave him directions, including photographs, on where to install the smoke alarm. He knows the closing is on 12/28. He knows the holiday season is upon on. He said that he would make the change this weekend. I said that it was an urgent matter. So, he agreed to do the work tonight.

I asked him to call the inspector and arrange for him to come out again and meet him at the house. His reply: "being able to meet him will depend on when it's scheduled for."

The implication here is that I can and should interrupt my work to go meet the inspector again. This is from the same guy who was complaining about the fact that I don't make more money. Of course, it's hard to make more money when you're a freelance editor and treated as if your work can be interrupted at any old time...

I keep saying to myself: Repeat after me: This is almost over, this is almost over, this is almost over...

Gah!

This is almost over!! Hang in there!

Lillian_Blaire said:

This is almost over!! Hang in there!

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Thanks, Lil.

Especially, thanks in light of how busy you are at the moment.

FYI: There is a great article in The New Yorker about autoimmune disorders.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/08/26/whats-wrong-with-me

Wow. I did not realize it was from Aug. 2013 when I read it. How little progress has been made in 4 1/2 years!

Lillian_Blaire said:

The real reason he needed to think is because he's studying for finals. I think he was trying to debate whether or not he could take time out of studying and still get a good grade on his test.

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Well, okay, that's a valid reason for thinking about it.


Hang in there, MRF! It's almost over! You can get through this without killing your ex!

Just went across the road to deliver the last plate of cookies. I do so love sharing the love with my baking.

I cleaned bathrooms and the kids are doing dishes! Woohooo!

OK. I'm on a weird roll today.

I wrote a short, short story. It's a bit of an embroidery of real life, which is how I do any fiction that comes out.

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/sho...the-Burglar-300-words&p=10319200#post10319200

There is the link. I won't get better without some feedback. As I say at the end, I've never tried to write humor before.

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Lillian_Blaire said:

I cleaned bathrooms and the kids are doing dishes! Woohooo!

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Yay, Lil! It's awesomeness at your house.

Jaymz Connelly said:

Well, okay, that's a valid reason for thinking about it.


Hang in there, MRF! It's almost over! You can get through this without killing your ex!

Just went across the road to deliver the last plate of cookies. I do so love sharing the love with my baking.

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Thank you, Jaymz, especially for reminding me not to kill him.

You inspired me to bake cookies today!

Now, I have to try not to eat them all tonight.

---updated---

So, the ex went over to the house, didn't read the text messages carefully, and moved the wrong smoke alarm. And then he said: "I'll likely make a mess of the wall when I remove that smoke alarm. I'll have to touch up the paint as well." Well, doh! And why did you put it on the wall in the first place?

It's helpful to be able to vent. At least I don't have to remind myself why I'm getting divorced...