The Window Washer

Every year - usually just before Mother's Day - a guy shows up at my house and offers to wash the windows.

He will take the screens off.  Wash the screens AND the windows - all for $20.  I usually try to give him at least $30 - depending on how much cash I have around.  You have to give him a bucket and a bit of soap.

My windows looks great.  He doesn't always wipe the place on the bottom - between the screen and the pane, but hey, I'm only paying $20.

Some years he stops by twice.  Other years, he doesn't stop by at all.  This year, he stopped by today - a few months later than normal.  He even commented how dirty my windows were.

He puts on his music.  I usually give him a bottle of water.

The thing you CAN"T do?  Engage in a conversation with him.

Truth be told, I think he's homeless.  Or least doesn't live like the rest of us.  He noticed my iPhone and asked "is that one of those phone/music things?"  I didn't mention the camera too.

He's clean.  He does not smell like alcohol.  He works a honest days pay.  He goes house to house asking if he can wash their windows.

The first time I let him wash the windows was probably 5 years ago - at LEAST.

We don't let him in the house.  He keeps offering to clean a couple of the windows inside, that he can't get from the outside, but we say no thank you.  I make sure the boys aren't home with him alone.

A few years ago, I was telling a friend of mine about my window washer.  She told me, the next time he stops by, bring him to my house.

She has a two story house.  I think her bill was $40 dollars.  I'm sure she paid him $50.

We just had the conversation a few weeks ago regarding "William the Window Washer" and how he hadn't shown up this year.

Low and behold, he showed up today.  She's out of town with her son visiting a university.  I'll met the window washer at her house tomorrow - I forgot to call her husband today, letting him know someone was coming by to clean the windows.

When I sent her the text "I know you are out of town, but the window washer is here!".  I know I literally skipped when I saw him coming up the walk!

What a deal.  And more than that, here is someone whom is a limited in his mental capacity, yet being productive to society.

I don't ask more as he seems to talk to the space behind you.  But, he cleans my windows.  He cleans my friends windows.  He is clean he shows up once or so a year.

When you manage your expectations of other people in life - he exceeds them every time.....

Like you, only younger

I've written about this of friend of mine before.  

He is a dear friend.  A friend I've know for over twenty five years now.  In fact, next summer, my youngest son will be the same age (down to the week) he was when we met.  All those years ago.

His first wife was murdered.  Almost eight years ago.

It took a long time - he's re-married now.  He has a son.  He has a crazy wife.

I've tried.  Truly, I have tried.

I don't ever try to get someone to like me.  I don't "try" and be nice.  I just am, well, who I am.  Warts and all.  

I've played nice this time around.  I realize I'm very protective of my friend.  He's been through a lot.  We all think we have been though stuff - then well, when you say, "My friends wife was murdered", well, everyone agrees he wins the prize.

My teenagers think she is crazy too.  We all do.  We have all tried.  The entire group of us.  We are a welcoming bunch.  Just ask the boys, they think this group let us in - truth is, you don't have to welcome people in.  When people show up, you let them stay.  

Unless they try to change you.  

I could go on and on.  I could rant for days.  

Only, today, I will pray she finds peace in her life.  I really hope she can find it.  We are a really loving group.  Our group is patient.

Of course though, I have teenage sons involved in this relationship.  They get she is crazy.  It's actually funny to hear their version of the story.  

Today is my friends birthday.  I send him a text.  I sent him a message on Facebook - then I went to write something on her Facebook page.  Only I couldn't find it.  

Hmmmm..... That's odd.  Only, I was too busy to really think about it again.  Then I thought, "Hmm, maybe she got off Facebook"  (I do get the fact that it can be a bit much), only I sent a text to a friend of ours.  "Has she gotten off Facebook" - the reply "No, I can still find her".  

Then I have my oldest son look.  He finds her immediately.  Hmmm..... I've been blocked.  Seriously?

Are you really that insecure to block me from your friends list on Facebook of all places???? Was all I could really think.

The worst thing is that she will find out I figured this out.  (Although, sadly, I'm not sure how long it has been since she blocked me) Then she will apologize profusely.  And THEN, I will be so disgusted by the fact that begging just makes me sad,  and really all I wanted was for my friend to be happy.

As my oldest son and I are talking about all this, he says, "You know, what he needs to do is to break up with her (I had to remind him they were married and you don't just 'break up') and find someone whom is athletic, likes to do fun things and is adventurous".

"Someone like you mom." "Only younger"

I think that was a compliment.........And, I think at least, well, my son doesn't think I'm the craziest one around......

Cravings

You know how when you are on a diet, or "watching what you eat", when you suddenly want something you aren't supposed to have?

That extra piece of watermelon.  A cookie.  A glass of wine.  Chips and salsa.

Pick your vice.

So, what do you do instead of just eating that cookie?

You eat everything else around it.

The handful of carrots.

The yogurt with the fruit in it.

The non-alcoholic beer.

The kale chips.

Or pickles - as they are salty and crunchy, just no calories.

Then, you feel sick as you didn't just eat one of the things - you ate them all.

AND, what's worse?  You are still craving what you were craving in the first place.

I think you are better off, just giving in to your cravings.  You don't have to eat a bunch - or exactly what you wanted (maybe you have a sugar cookie versus a chocolate chip), but you need to come pretty darn close.

There is no sense and pretending it's not what you really want.

Thanks for dinner

Yesterday was my youngest son's birthday.

We had a great day.

We spent the morning at the DMV.  Then we went to Kona Grill for lunch.  I guess, if we can't be in Kona, well, then this is pretty close.

We had our Poke.  We had our fish tacos.  Their blender was broken, so he didn't get his Virgin Pina Colada.

Thinking about our summers in Kona.  A waitress delivered me a drink.  I hadn't ordered a drink, so when I refused, she said, well, I think it's from the woman over there?  No, I think that is her margarita.  And, in fact, it was.

Last year it was blind date, this year, it was just a wrong delivery of drinks!

We came home.  He went to be with his friends.

I finally text him around 5.  Dinner?

"Going to Paxti's"  (A pizza place around the corner where he and his friends go quite often).

At the last minute, I drive up there and pick up the check "for the boys on the patio".  They were just about to pay.  The waitress told them, "Some random stranger picked up your check, they said you had to leave the tip and pay it forward".

She said, they were all like "no way!"  "what!"  "Are you serious?".

I snuck out of the restaurtant, but I think I was spotted.  Not by him, but his friends.

I left the hostess my phone number, in case they didn't leave a tip.  I said I would come back and leave a tip.  She said, " those boys have been coming here since we opened two years ago, they always leave a tip."

I was dying to hear what they were saying.  I was hoping they hadn't seen me.  But I figured someone had given me away.

A couple of hours later, I sent a text asking where they were.

"We are at the school.  BTW, thanks for dinner". ;-)

I replied "Come get these cupcakes"  "BTW, I have no idea what you are talking about.  ;-) "

Just pay it forward......

BINGO

Today, my youngest son received his learners permit.

He's 15.  Today.

We were at the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicle) by 9:15am.  On his 15th birthday.  He now has his permit.

We had to wait about an hour.

Two weeks ago, I was with his brother the day AFTER he turned 16 and a half (the brother that is) to get his drivers license.  (In Colorado, you must hold your permit for a year, before you can get your drivers licence).

Not comparing here. Comparing things is stupid.  And, I don't think I've ever said anything is stupid.  But comparing, well that's stupid. We are all different.  But, can we tell the different personality types of these two boys?

Meanwhile, at the DMV - they call people based upon the service they need.  P719 was our number today.  I'm guessing the P has something to do with the permit.  Two weeks ago our number was B222.  Then there is T217 or X314 or B141.

I couldn't help it.  I quietly just said "BINGO".  My oldest son glared at me like it was the worst possible thing I could have said out loud.

Today, before we left for the DMV, I told my youngest son, "We get to go play BINGO at the DMV".  "What, really?"  He actually sounded excited! He had never been to the DMV, he had no idea.

We are sitting there.  They call "P719".  He looks at me and says "BINGO"

I guess he won.  I think he gets it.



.

Fran, that's not what I meant

Recently I went to Houston, Texas to visit.

I hadn't been in a while.  In fact, it had been over a year.  Carolyn had been to visit.  I went last February/March to say good-bye to a very special lady.

While I didn't get to go to the services to celebrate her life, I was able to go say good-bye in person.  Yet, part of me still didn't feel complete in wrapping everything up.

This time, I went for fun.  To see my God-daughter, to see her family.  To see everyone.  To also go see the memorial.

A funny thing happened, my dad's wife recognized a friend of my friend Carolyn - she called saying "Will you ask Carolyn if so and so used to live in Phoenix?".  Long story short - the couple whom lives across the street from my best friend, met my dad and his wife on a golfing trip 15 years ago in North Carolina.  (We will call them "the neighbors")

In fact, I had remembered meeting the wife of "the neighbors" before.  It's a really small world we live in.

Now stay with me - this story is going to get complicated, but it's really not a complicated story.

THEN, Carolyn has a friend whom is trying to figure out where she is in life.  She's married and has three kids, a great job and not very happy in her life.  Gee, I remember that feeling.  We will call her Betsy.

We made plans to go out on Friday night, to meet "the neighbors" and Betsy.  While trying to plan this evening, when someone asked me where I wanted to go, I replied "A place where there are rich single men". Carolyn got it arranged.  We are meeting everyone at 4:30.  (Don't ask me where I was - I was in a big city!)

In Houston, I decided it would be best if I met a new client.  I brought Carolyn with me.  I warned my clients I was bringing a friend

We go meet my client.  Then it's time to go see Mom (Fran).

We went to the memorial.  We called Dad and he came to meet us.

We ended up going back to Carolyn's childhood home.  We get out munchies.  We get out wine.  We are still getting our lectures, 20 years later from Dad.

Dad keeps talking.  Carolyn looks at me and says - with all the munchies and drinks before us - "Maybe we should have had everyone come over here."

Dad keeps talking

I do reply, "Well, I did say I wanted to go to a place with a single rich man.".  Then we laughed until we were crying.  Dad kept talking. Not caring we were laughing.  It made us laugh even harder.  Smile even more.  Cry a few more tears.

I looked up  "God, this isn't what I meant!"

Carolyn looked at me and said, "This one's from Fran".

Touche' Fran, Touche.

A happy medium

I might have found a happy medium.

I've been battling this "should I have a career again" versus "I really do love recruiting, only the up & down with the income is starting to take it's toll".  

The truth is, I don't really want a career.  I'm quite okay with out having a fancy title or all that responsibility either.  So then it comes down to me liking recruiting.

Recruiting is a love/hate relationship.  I'm good at it.  People are psycho.  Companies change their minds. People do too.

When it comes down to it, (at least for a bit), I need to recruit and I need steady income.

Short of marrying some guy so I don't have to work, I need to figure this out.

And, I may have found it.

There is a Denver based recruiting company and all their recruiters work at home.  They can't offer me the money I would need to do this full time with them, but we might be able to work together part-time.  There are monthly meetings.  A 20 person company.  Unlimited vacation.

I could keep recruiting on my own.  I could have a steady income working from home for them on a part-time basis.

Two offer letters went out to candidates today - for other clients.  I then spent 3 hours training with this new company.  I swam laps at the club pool for thirty minutes.  I made breakfast for my sons and their friends before they went to a day hockey camp.  I rode my bike.

I'm cooking dinner.  

There is a guy down the street whom owns a bike and likes to take me to dinner.

Maybe there is a happy medium.  At least for a moment.........