Chelsey’s parents were concerned she would come here and get a 2 week long vacation filled with late mornings, breakfast in bed and spa treatments.
I know! At my house?!
Excuse me while I surpress my hysterics . . .
Ahem . . .
They were assured that – aside from late mornings, ’cause that’s how we roll – she would be worked, worked and worked some more. After all, I am my mother’s daughter and have full knowledge of how to exploit slave labor when I have the chance. I was all over it.
Thankfully, Chelsey was a cheerful worker. Enthusiastic even. The above smile as she cleaned out the pantry? One hundred percent authentic.
She never flagged, not even when the pantry took over the table, threatening to tower over us. It was at this point that I hit the wall, despairing that all was lost.
She kept me going.
In that moment, I learned an important lesson. A truth, it must be noted, that my mom has said for years. It is this: it is not that I don’t like to clean or am bad at it, but that I don’t like to clean ALONE. Seriously, where’s the fun in that?
Perhaps this lesson was hard to accept because I’m not someone who does things based simply on whether or not they are “fun.” Again, I am my mother’s daughter. I have weeded, painted, roofed, cooked, sewn, etc., etc., all without any promise or guise of fun and enjoyed myself immensely. But cleaning? Not so much.
With that said and realized, Chelsey and I accomplished a great deal. Okay, okay. Chelsey got a lot done and I helped. But the burden seemed light and, aside from the moment with the pantry guts piled on the table, doable.
LIFE seemed doable.
Funny how a little organization and a friend can do that.
*Post Script – These pictures are for Chelsey’s parents. Trust us Cindy, the pantry was an undertaking! And while the pantry is still pristine, everything else fell apart approximately 1 day, 7 hours, 23 minutes and 14 seconds after Chelsey stepped on the plane. Sorry Chels. Come back!
I don’t like cleaning. I don’t like talking on the phone. But somehow cleaning WHILE talking on the phone = fun! I highly suggest this particular brand of multi-tasking. Also, I live in the same town as this Chelsey person and am RELATED to her and I never thought to make her come over and clean my pantry?! Note to self: must call Cindy. This girl sounds awesome. Does she do diapers?
I will have to try the phone+cleaning combo. I’m usually so nervous while talking on the phone that I find myself either pacing or draped over piece of furniture. CALL CHELSEY NOW. She’s skilled, does diapers, screaming babies and is particularly good with lists. As in, “Chelsey, please have the following things accomplished by the time I get back from my pilates class and morning mimosas with the girls.”
Only for others does she clean and get things accomplished with a smile. But you gotta love her…We do