Friday, July 06, 2012

don't call it a comeback

This morning I cleaned two drawers, both cutlery drawers, because when I opened one drawer to retrieve a coffee spoon my attention was caught by the crumbs lingering in the corner of the fork section.  Further examination also revealed fingerprints, black ones, as though perhaps the owner of those fingerprints had first done some work repairing some sort of engine and then celebrated by clacking spoons together, prairie style.  And then eaten some toast standing over the open drawer.

I removed all the cutlery from the plastic sorters, and then washed the sorters in the sink.  They looked quite new when I was done, but it wasn't the most satisfying kind of improvement because no one can see it unless I lead him into the kitchen, open the drawer, and explain that it once was rather crumby and fingerprinty.  And no one cares except me.

While I was washing the cutlery sorters I was thinking about two things.  One of these things was about moving, because I remembered buying these cutlery sorters when we moved into this house five years ago now.  There were instructions on how to cut the sorters down to the right size so they would fit perfectly inside the drawer.  And I remembered how new and clean the cutlery sorters felt, and how perfectly they fit.  And I remember the newness of the drawers in which I placed them, because we had also had the kitchen remodelled.  It was an exciting time, a time of things being new.

And the other thing I thought about was why I have never hired a maid to clean my house once a week, or even every other week.  I have guilt around my poor housekeeping.  Part of the problem may be latent rebellion against my mother who has OCD, and kept -and still keeps- her house perfect at all times.  But JesusGod I'm not a teenager anymore, so why can't I run the vaccuum across the floor once in awhile without it meaning I have given up my identity?  If someone else was to do it for me perhaps I would feel less inclined to fix engines and eat toast over the cutlery drawer.

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10 comments:

heartinsanfrancisco said...

I see I am not alone. I would really like my living quarters to be very clean at all times, but I am not a very talented cleaner. I don't think it's rebellion or even boredom -- I just lack the ability to clean as well as Flip did. He washed the kitchen and bathroom floors w/o being asked and was more likely to vacuum than I am. He could reach cobwebs in high corners, which I cannot. Plus the fact that dust returns to book shelves as soon as I remove it is not lost on me.

mischief said...

Yes, some people seem to just be able to keep up with cleaning whereas I am always, and at best, trying to catch up with things that should have been done ages ago. It's awful. I'm really thinking about hiring a cleaning service.

Nic said...

You need me! I am housework queen. :)

mischief said...

I absolutely do need you. Only you live so far away I'm not sure I can afford to pay for you to commute here once a week. Also, it seems sort of rude to ask your friends to come over and clean your house, doesn't it? Oh well, social conventions be damned. Come on over and get started! :)

Secret Agent Woman said...

I have been known to open drawers and such and explain to the poor person I've dragged in how it is so much neater than it was. I don't mind cleaning, I'm just not much inclined to do it. I do a better job when I'm cleaning with someone.

mischief said...

Maybe I should have taken a "before" picture and an "after" picture so I could brag more convincingly. Yes, cleaning with someone is better than alone. Misery loves company, I think.

Brown said...

I grew up with a maid. One of the advantages of being raised in Central America. The funny thing is my mom would clean before the maid would show up. And they wondered why she sat around all day helping to clean out my Dad's liquor cabinet.

mischief said...

Yup, I think I'd feel compelled to clean up before a maid arrived too. At the very least, I'd have to pick my socks up off the floor so they wouldn't get vaccuumed up. Cleaning out the liquor cabinet sounds like lots of fun.

Nic said...

I have just cleaned my cutlery compartments. I blame you entirely for this. :P

mischief said...

Haha! I wish I was so suggestible where it comes to doing housework!