Magnificent. Everyone was gone. She had the weekend plus one day to herself. The thrill of swimming nude at night with no one around relaxed her. She practiced all her strokes. Back and forth, back, and forth. Silence except for the whoosh of water. Perfect. Family off to Arizona for a business/vaca meet. Husband had a meeting in Tucson. She was invited to accompany both but declined. “Somebody needs to stay and take care of things,” was her excuse.
Breath. Oh my. Alone in the house. Uhmmmmmm.
The French contractor who had been renovating the home, called her to make sure all was well. So sweet. They talked and talked. They talked. Hmmmm.
She walked from room to room enjoying the majesty of a four thousand square foot home. But then saw all the deferred maintenance, as only a mother could.
After the nude bathing, wine-drinking, and talking no one could judge, she made a list.
Next day multiple contractors appeared.
Windows washed.
Deferred landscape maintenance done.
Garage cleaning, done.
Hauling of debris done.
Trashcans sanitized, done.
Extra housekeeping, done.
Hardwood floors gleaming. Done.
Grandma's wonderful weekend away, but not.
They all appeared. Welcome Home!
“ But wait,” she told her daughter. “Just one second.”
“Can you walk in alone and observe? Please?”
“Have a look! It’s perfect! Everything in order, just for you!”
Both mother and daughter surveyed, acknowledging tidy with a yogi breath.
“Okay, boys, safe to enter.”
As they invaded scattering luggage, dirty shoes, musk everywhere, both women smiled. Ah, now it was truly perfect.
— Mugsy
Breath. Oh my. Alone in the house. Uhmmmmmm.
The French contractor who had been renovating the home, called her to make sure all was well. So sweet. They talked and talked. They talked. Hmmmm.
She walked from room to room enjoying the majesty of a four thousand square foot home. But then saw all the deferred maintenance, as only a mother could.
After the nude bathing, wine-drinking, and talking no one could judge, she made a list.
Next day multiple contractors appeared.
Windows washed.
Deferred landscape maintenance done.
Garage cleaning, done.
Hauling of debris done.
Trashcans sanitized, done.
Extra housekeeping, done.
Hardwood floors gleaming. Done.
Grandma's wonderful weekend away, but not.
They all appeared. Welcome Home!
“ But wait,” she told her daughter. “Just one second.”
“Can you walk in alone and observe? Please?”
“Have a look! It’s perfect! Everything in order, just for you!”
Both mother and daughter surveyed, acknowledging tidy with a yogi breath.
“Okay, boys, safe to enter.”
As they invaded scattering luggage, dirty shoes, musk everywhere, both women smiled. Ah, now it was truly perfect.
— Mugsy
It's so reinforcing to get all your projects done and the house perfect...for about 2 minutes until the dogs rush in the door creating the perfect hair storm- opelikakat 🤣
ReplyDeleteNicely written. To me it seems a fantasy to be able to hire other people to do things. (Except for the hauling of debris. That's something someone else would probably have to do in my case.) I do get the IDEA you're putting across, and can sympathize about the quick descent from perfection to messiness. But I was enjoying Grandma's earlier activities! ---Macoff
ReplyDelete