Today I finally fessed up to the cleaning lady that I preferred to make up my own bed with a clean set of sheets. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, CL said, 'I know! I'm terrible at making beds. My daughter complains, and one woman fired me over my bed-making!' My CL does a fine job with all her other duties, so I would not consider firing her over the way she makes a bed, although her method produces results that are much less than satisfactory.
I admit it. I'm somewhat of a perfectionist about wanting a neatly made bed. My previous CL made a bed with a perfection that even I could not equal, so I was a bit spoiled and had high expectations. Our mattress is deep, so it's a bit difficult, but entirely possible, to get the fitted bottom sheet positioned right. Then I want the top sheet, light blanket, and quilt evenly positioned on the the bed. Hospital corners at the bottom of the bed for the top sheet and blanket are de rigueur. Like ironing, I take pleasure in a bed well made. With both chores, I can plainly see the result of my effort.
The new CL has been with us several months, and for a while, I'd remake the entire bed after she left, which involved more work than making up the bed from scratch. Then my CL hurt her back and was out for a while, and Grandpère and I made do for several weeks by sharing the cleaning chores. When she returned, I continued to make the bed to help her so she would not have to strain her back which was not yet fully healed. Finally, the day arrived when she was fully recovered, and I decided to tell her that I wanted to continue the task. I feared I would hurt her feelings, but I did not. All's well that ends well.
I'm glad you didn't fire me over my very slapdash approach to bed-making :-)
ReplyDeleteNon-iron fitted sheets (even if they need ironing) and duvets were invented for me!
Erika, fire you in your own house? Of course not! You and Susan were two of the most gracious hosts who ever entertained me. I felt completely relaxed and at home in your house. I'm only sorry I couldn't stay a bit longer. I don't notice stuff like that in other people's houses. Really, I don't.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely bed!
ReplyDeleteI have a comforter or a light quilt over a top sheet. I never tuck the sheet and make hospital corners because I can't stand the pressure on my toes at night, and I figure why tuck it when it will be pulled out at night.
Hotels drive me crazy with the tucking of the top sheet and the blanket all the way around the bed! If I am staying more than one night, I try telling them not to do that since it hurts my back to pull it out. Sometimes they listen.
susan s. thanks. A woman from down the bayou made the quilt, which is hand-quilted, a good many years ago, to my size specifications. We went to the fabric store together and picked out the colors, I's still in love with it.
ReplyDeleteThe hotels drive me mad, too, with the top sheet tucked in all the way up the side, and when you pull it out, the bottom sheet comes untucked if it's not a fitted sheet, and you have to tuck it back. Grrr.
Yes, Mimi! And the bed itself is so low to the ground that my back goes out when I stoop to tuck the damn bottom sheet!
ReplyDeleteI's still in love with it. LOL!
ReplyDeleteIt's a crazy procedure, and I can't fathom why it's done that way.
A cleaning lady??? Now I know why you have time to blog so much. Like Erika I discovered the duvet (we call them doonas) when I first went to Germany in 1974, came home and bought a very good one which I still use (but was upset to see some feathers coming out the other day) and most but not all days I shake it out so it looks tidy. I do hate changing the cover each week. And I use fitted sheets. If I had a cleaning lady I would have to clean the house so as not to be embarrassed :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful bed! --and the quilt is beautiful! I's glad yous love it, Grandmere!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Susan --I HATE a well-tucked top sheet!
Brian, our cleaning lady comes only once every two weeks, so we have a bit of cleaning to do in between her visits. And I do straigten up before she comes. In a sense, I clean up for the cleaning lady.
ReplyDeletemargaret, thank you. The blog post was simply an excuse to show off my quilt. The woman who made the quilt was doubtful about the white on white choice of fabric, but she admitted after the quilt was finished that it turned out beautifully.
The bed is not an antique, but I've had it quite a while, and I love it, too.
Such a tidy bed. Mine is chronically unmade & festooned with dogs and "remotes" in varying stages of dismemberment (courtesy of the dogs).
ReplyDeleteLapin, my bed is not always this tidy. Some days it doesn't get straightened until I'm ready to get back in it. My whole house sparkles for a day, then it's back to normal. You didn't think I'd post a picture of normal on my blog, did you?
ReplyDeleteI am with Lapin. My bed-making skills are so haphazard I should really fire myself, only I am too lazy to do so. I absolutely never iron anything even remotely connected with it. Meanwhile, the one thing I think would really improve it is if it was festooned with dogs.
ReplyDeleteCathy, the cleaning lady told me the woman who fired her wanted her to measure the bedclothes on the two sides to make sure they hung down evenly. Now that's taking it a bit far.
ReplyDeleteMimi, thank you for your kind words. I am sure you would be far too polite to notice shortcomings in other people's houses.
ReplyDeleteMy mother used to have a cleaning lady and my siblings and I hated having to tidy up our rooms and sometimes even vacuum the living room before she came!
When I was a kid, Erika, we had a "daily" who would snoop through my stuff and report to my parents.
ReplyDeleteYou and I have the same philosophy on bed making ... hospital corners and perfect symmetry! Love the quilt!
ReplyDeletewhiteycat, thanks. It's odd that occasionally I don't even make up the bed in the morning, but I want it done right when the sheets are changed. My little quirk, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a truly BEAUTIFUL quilt!
ReplyDeleteEllie, thanks. I take good care of my quilt, and I did not permit my grandchildren to play on my bed when they were younger. Of course, some of them did anyway, but when I found out, off they went.
ReplyDeleteI use a good cleaners/laundry here in town, that washes the quilt gently in cold water and partly air-dries and partly uses a clothes dryer on a low setting. Over the years, I have had to launder the quilt only a few times, even though it's mainly white.