Misfits and brrrr.

Thursday Misfits arrived early, I thought. It turned out I was running late. Anyway I did get the containers out for pickup in time and went out in a shrieking cold wind to retrieve the box. 

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The way it works is that I open the box out on the step, since it's too heavy to carry in and navigate the storm door.

I bring in that foil bag which contains items that need to be cool, along with the ice block that does that. The items go on the kitchen counter for checking, the containers into the freezer to go out next week.

Then I go out to carry in food, in manageable loads. Only, today, Gary was over in search of something from the storage closet, so he brought the whole food box into the kitchen, very nice. Then he was able to get the thing he needed from behind the door, now free of obstacles such as Misfits boxes.

So here's the raw materials of quite a few meals. The sweet potatoes and mushrooms are for Christmas, the berries for breakfasts with the seedy bread and desserts with the yogurt. I really like this yogurt, but will eventually go back to making my own.

Tuna for tuna salad and melts, also for mixing with last week's orzo, and cannellini beans.  This is all fast food but from original ingredients. Spinach for adding in all over, possibly with the tuna orzo. 

Chocolate cherries because why not, you lookin at me?

And there's always a last stage, after washing and drying produce 

Box broken down and taped flat, ready to go out to the recycle bin.

This all reminds me to send $$ to the food pantry so that more people can get some decent food. I'm so privileged to be able to do this week after week.

All this activity was punctuated by a couple of flying visits from Gary, one to show me a section of monstera which had evidently rotted at the root, to discuss how to fix the situation -- better drainage, the other to report sadly on yet another setback in the endless renovation saga in his living room. Then he felt better and left. I may slip him a few chocolate cherries to cheer him up.

Speaking of privilege, if you're considering getting a house cleaner or a team, which I hugely recommend if you're up in years, please try to avoid agencies. 

The workers are badly paid and with all sorts of rules and regs to follow which don't all make sense but are designed to make workers and tasks interchangeable. Read Nickel and Dimed, you'll soon see. And you pay the agency handsomely. 

I understand it takes money to operate and manage a cleaning business, hiring, training, client management, tools and equipment, but it's also a set-up which exploits people.

If you can find self-employed cleaners, and the best are largely word of mouth or an occasional flyer, that can be a happy arrangement.  A team is good because they get through faster and they know how to organize tasks. 

My great team are a Czech family, daughter born in the USA, who are independent contractors. I ask for certain intervals, they offer the time they can come. I provide materials and tools, they do a bangup job.  I rarely have to explain anything, because they know what they're doing. And they get to keep the whole fee.  They also love animals and have been known to give my cats a toy.

If your friends don't mind telling you, find out who they hire. They might not want to make their cleaners be so in demand as to maybe lose them to bigger houses, so don't be disappointed if they don't say.

I've shared my info with numerous people, especially nervous women worried about strangers in the house. And people whose houses are pretty needy, because P and L will advise them on what's possible, and what cleaning materials to provide. There's a language issue, and I largely communicate via email because I think their native English speaking techie daughter attends to that.

It's not cheap, but it keeps me in my house independently, and is much cheaper than assisted living, for as long as I can manage it.  That and good food delivered on the step is good. If Helen Hip keeps on improving, I can postpone my stair glide plans, but I have them in mind anyway.

Anyway that's my thoughts. 

Remember the slipper soles I showed you? Here's the plan.

I'm going to stitch in these handknit slippers to create a warm pair of serious slippers, because of cold floors.  Also you can step outside without your toes crying out. It looks as if it will work. If not, I'll think again. 

And here it's under way 

So far, so good. 

One done, one to go.

And the crocheted and knitted gloves are done

Happy day everyone, my current trip around the sun is winding down, down, down. Then a new one starts and who knows what might happen?