Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Some Whatever-Happened To's

Lawsee me! I am behind on some wedding posts, having now attended two out-of-town nuptials these past two weekends. I want to thank my sister for such awesome guest posting, and for not wrecking the place. Also, her post is proof that the suspension I received in high school really is on my permanent record. When I think of that now, I remember that the day I spent at home, in disgrace, besides being my 16th birthday, was the day I found out I was a National Merit finalist. It took the sting out. I skipped Chemistry to pull off that caper, and it was the beginning and end of my life of crime. But alright, so only actual seniors are supposed to be in the senior picture. I see that now, Society.

Wedding-y travel posts are forthcoming, but I wanted to duck in and offer a few updates on matters that may be of interest.

1) My relationship with my housecleaner Fabienne: it's an alternate Tuesday once again, so Fabienne came today, even though I didn't know she was coming until she appeared at the door. We got back from Boston really late last night, so I neither remembered that it was her day, nor straightened in preparation. Anyway, she broke my Red Wing console bowl today. She was vacuuming and she knocked a little table over. You can see the bowl behind Laura in this picture.

Laura Loves her Outfit

She came upstairs and found me to tell me the bad news, but the funny thing is, I had just heard the noise, and I knew exactly what it was. So I had a moment to process this fact, grieve, and compose myself before she poked her head in the doorway. She offered to pay for me to replace it, or to look on ebay for one herself, but I couldn't see making a thing out of it. Accidents happen.

And anyway, how do you put a replacement value on something that you found, and liked, but which isn't rare or precious? The bowl was from around 1955, and designed by Charles Murphy, who did a lot of Red Wing. RW was mass-produced; there's a brown one like this on ebay right now that would cost only $30 shipped. So it's not a monetary loss, really. I just liked this happy green color. I told Fabienne, "Don't even worry about it. Not a big deal. It will give me a reason to hunt for something else." Mild bummer, but I must admit that the Machiavellian in me thought, "Not making a big deal out of this will pay much higher dividends than the cost of that bowl. She may even feel indebted to me. She'll be more careful and will think of me as magnanimous, without my having actually been magnanimous." Wheels within wheels, people. That's my jam.

2) My pumpkin-stained table: I emailed Crate & Barrel about it, and they contacted someone at corporate, who said, "Yep, you're gonna want to sand that down and rewax it." I presume I need to sand the whole table top, so the finish will look uniform. I haven't decided yet whether I could do that myself or if I should go pro.

3) My Frenemy and Me: This isn't closing an open loop, but it made me laugh. Yesterday, as we were traveling home, Frenemy emailed me and said,
"I have a friend who has about a hundred pairs of brand new women's shoes he wants to sell. Would you be willing to help him sell them on ebay? He just moved back to town and is a good friend of mine."
I couldn't decide whether to go with, "I would rather take a beating" as a response, or the simpler, "Oh, HELL no." She knows that in the past, I've sold stuff online. So I just thanked her for thinking of me and told her that no, I couldn't take that on right now. But I'm thinking, who is this guy who just moved to town with a hundred pairs of new women's shoes? And what is his history with Frenemy? And is there anything about that proposal that could be less appealing?

I may submit this post to Keely's Random Tuesday Thoughts, as it is somewhat lacking in a strong narrative thread. But that's what I've got going on today. Just trying to get back in the groove. Here's some love from me to you.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ooooooh, I alwuz love a Frenemy update! That woman is way kooky. Nope, nothing could be less appealing. Unless Frenemy needed you to maybe, I dunno, watch her daughter while you were engaged in the task of "helping" her "friend"?

Glad the table can live again. I say go with the pro, but that is purely because I am a chicken in such matters.

"somewhat lacking in a strong narrative thread." Girrrrrrrrrl, you are some kinda funny.

Michele said...

This is rather random today. I know how you feel about breaking a piece of china. I thought of you while I was in South Carolina the other day. There were some books that looked like something that you would know all about. http://michele-dogslife.blogspot.com/2009/10/charleston-historical-society-one-of.html

Becky said...

Great post at your place, Michele! And those books look like they need to come live at my house.

Lawyer Mom said...

Frenemy is INSANE. Ask Frenemy if she's up for a root canal in exchange. Please!

Amy said...

Um, I say go pro for the table. Why risk it?

And Frenemy...wow. I can see maybe if she'd offered you some kind of commission, but that it just bizarre. Like, sure, you have nothing better to do than help some dude with hundreds of LADIES SHOES. This is one interesting fella.

The Dental Maven said...

Frenemy and her entire consort are to be eyed with suspicion. Any man who travels to a new domicile with 100 pair of womens shoes is a whack job. (hope her house sells soon)

Sara said...

I only wish I could've seen the shoes. Maybe you could agree to sell them as a lot? Just so we could get a peek? ;-)

Keely said...

Uh, I'm guessing those are the variety of shoes that "fell off the back of a truck"? What a nutjob.

Yep, this was pretty random. Good for you! ;)

Aviva said...

I'm so envious that your housecleaner at least offered to pay for the bowl she broke! The last time I had a housecleaner, who was highly recommended by a friend, she broke the faucet on my kitchen sink AND my vacuum cleaner, which, wouldn't you know, was 14 days past the expiration of its extended warranty. Not only didn't she offer to pay for anything, she charged me more double the rate my friend told me charged. Apparently because it was her first visit and I hadn't yet committed to having her back on a regular basis. (I considered it a trial run and would have hired her to come back regularly if things had gone well.) And after that experience, I didn't want her back, ever.

Loved the Frenemy update too! Can't believe there wasn't an offer of commission or something to compensate you for your time. Not that you'd have wanted to do it anyway, but still!

I vote for going pro for the gorgeous table. Call around -- there are folks who will come to your house and either do their work there or pick up the table and deliver it back when it's done.

Becky said...

Aviva, ugh, not a good housecleaner experience! Maybe she didn't offer to pay because she thought, "there's no way she wants me to come back." I did appreciate the gesture though.

Fantastic Forrest said...

Go pro on the table.

"Wheels within wheels" - are you a Wodehouse fan too, or is that used by someone else as well? Must know. Please respond immediately.

100 pairs of women's shoes. Seriously? That is a short story waiting to happen. But I'm too befuddled this morning to write it. PLEASE ask her why he has 100 pairs of women's shoes. You know she wants you to.

Becky said...

Oh ho! I AM a Wodehouse fan. But I thought it came from the bible. So I checked with Professor Google, and lo:

Ezekiel 1: 15-17 (KJV):

Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.
The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went.