We've had a busy holiday weekend with family visiting and more expected tomorrow. Currently (Monday holiday) we are alone and in the quiet eye of the lovely storm of visitor activity. On today's 'to do' list, is picking up some recently accumulated clutter and rest. Late last week (Friday to be exact) we did our 'less than frequent' family cleaning frenzy, which we call Power Hour. Everyone has their assignments, we crank up our favorite music and then 'go to town'.
Grandma had not yet experienced Power Hour. (That's not to say I haven't cleaned since she came ... but it hasn't been the family affair we are commonly known for). I mentally prepared the duties Grandma would perform and explained to her how our house would be transformed in 60 minutes. She may have had her doubts but was happy to be considered part of the team. I think some of the time she thinks she is the only one who 'cares' how things look.
Grandma's usual (self-assigned) duties involve keeping the bedsheets we use to protect our 11 month old furniture, tight and taught. We could care less... but their being "sloppy" deeply offends her, I guess. She also picks up the kitchen... creating her own 'order,' each day while we're gone to work. If there are dishes in the sink - she will wash them as opposed to putting them in the dishwasher. One of our sons informed me that he observed Grandma "washing" dishes with only water... then drying and returning to the cupboard or drawer. (Eww)
Me: Mom, if the dishwasher is full, CeCe will empty it. Don't do the dishes by hand. I want the dishwasher to sanitize them.
One day I returned home and realized she had done dishes "by hand" again. I questioned her and she said, "I used soap!" A few days later, I asked her why she kept moving my dish soap away from the sink.
G: That's not dish soap.... it says bleach.
Me: It just has bleach in it. (and it's a clear liquid)
G; I didn't know that. I use the blue soap. (I didn't realize I had any "blue" dish soap left... but I decide to look further... and there it is... by the coffee pot...)
Me: Mom! You're using Windex to wash dishes?!
G: Hmmm, no wonder I;m not getting any suds.
Me: *sigh* (hoping there's enough alcohol in glass cleaner to sanitize my dishes.)
Back to Power Hour...
DH and I had taken Friday off work. We had plans to golf and shop before Power Hour, which would be just before suppertime. As we finished breakfast (I'm still in my pajamas) I say to Grandma, "Would you like to go to Ace Hardware for me? I need some furniture polish. You will need to cross two streets but it's OK since we are home."
G: Yes, I can do that. I'll have to take my pusher (Grandma refers to her roller walker with padded seat and basket carrier as her "pusher").
Me: Of course. If you go up A Ave. you'll see Ace a block to your left. Do you want me to write out directions?
G: No - I can find it. (Obviously since she 'found' it a couple weeks ago)
Me: Do you think you can make it there and back in 15 minutes?
G: Yes, why?
Me: Because if you aren't back in 15 minutes, we're coming to look for you.
G: Oh.
There's a sparkle in her eye and spring in her crooked step, as she dresses and gets ready for "her errand". I cut the ad from the weekly flier, circle the product I want and put it in an envelope with $1.25 to cover the .99 sale price. On the outside of the envelope I write: Kathy, Russ, Keith and Andy (the employees with whom she is most familiar). I also write her name and our phone number. Sounds like overkill for a two block, quarter hour errand - but worth it to give her the satisfaction of doing something on her own and "helping," which she loves.
DH is working in the garage as I take Grandma out to get her pusher (also parked in the garage). She has her marching orders (the envelope) in her pant pocket. The three of us stand in the driveway as though we are parents sending a child to school. Grandma begins to turn right and DH stops her.
DH: You want to go up A Ave Grandma. There's no traffic that way.
G: Why can't I go this way, it's closer. (True, maybe 50 yards)
DH: But the other way is safer. (Grandma is still persistent)
Me: I guess it doesn't matter that much which way she goes...
DH: *sigh*
And she's off. She heads down the alley driveway to a business (closed today) parking lot directly behind us. She will turn right onto the sidewalk at the end of the parking lot and Ace will now be one and one half blocks away. I check the time and return to the house. DH steps back into the garage.
Inside, I go directly to the telephone book. I'm going to call Ace Hardware and inform them that Grandma is on her way. They all know her but I think it would be wise to let them know Grandma has mission instructions. As I'm looking up the phone number, I move to the area of the dining area where I should be able to see her walking by (a block away) soon. I find the number, but still no Grandma in view. I hear a voice from the back door.
DH: She's down!
DH had just stepped out from the garage to be sure she turned the right direction and saw her on the ground.
The two of us are now sprinting to the end of the parking lot where Grandma is now sitting up, the pusher toppled to the side... and northbound traffic is stopped. I recognize a co-worker of mine (who also knows Grandma) who is first on the scene and a truck driver coming to her aid as well. It appears that Grandma hit some loose sand, which caused her to lose control of her pusher. She seems to be OK, (no broken bones) so we help her up.... retrieve her pusher... thank the Good Samaritans and walk back to our house. Grandma is in tears.
G: I can't do anything. I just wanted to help you.
Me: Mom, you do help me.
G: No I don't. I'm a burden.
Me: You're not a burden and I just wanted to let you do something I thought you'd enjoy. This is my fault....
DH: She should have gone down A Ave.
Me: I know that.... (of course, had she fallen on that route, 'help' would not have possibly come so quickly.)
We go in the house, check out Grandma's bumps and put ice on her shin and lip. She also scraped her elbow. How fortunate though, to not be bleeding or have broken bones!
G: What about the furniture polish?
Me: I'll take care of it.
G: I'm sorry.
Me: No, I'm sorry...
By the time Power Hour rolled around, Grandma was ready to go to bed. We told her goodnight, as we geared up to do battle with our household dirt. CeCe used the feather duster in leiu of having furniture polish. DH cleaned the kitchen... I did the guest room... CeCe and I each took a bathroom.... she vacuumed. We handled it readily and were done in no time. The house was a solid 7 on a clean scale level of 1 to 10. Totally acceptable to my standards.
Grandma is still sore but enjoyed our guests and looks forward to their return and more coming tomorrow. The house's clean level 7 has probably digressed to a 6 but I'm hoping Grandma is getting the greater importance of the 'company' rather than the 'condition' of the house. I'll likely still do a quick 'once over' later today.... just give me a bottle of Windex, I hear it can clean anything.
So ends Episode 34
No comments:
Post a Comment