I was sitting in what my cousin calls her lounge and what I would call her living room one day last summer. I was quietly reading my book, drinking my coffee, absentmindedly flipping through the endless channels of nothing worth watching on the telly, when I suddenly realized there was a person standing outside the windows, looking up and down and at all corners, waving frantically. My first impulse was to shriek, E, there's a man outside with a squeegee! Oh yes, says she, and then launches into a long tale about the window cleaners who have been coming to her for yonks and how this, the son, has taken over from the father who is getting on, and what a good job they do and they didn't even charge her extra when they put the extension on and therefore added four extra windows.....
My cousin gesticulates wildly when she talks, so she kept waving her arm towards the window where this guy was squeegeeing the supposed dirt and grime of what turned out to be 6 weeks accumulation. So he must have known he was being talked about. I kept watching his smooth sweeps of the squeegee (I like that word, sounds so silly and fun to say) as she prattled on, feeling rather, erm, exposed, sitting there in full view, in my pyjamas.
So, what does one do when the window cleaner comes by? I don't get to experience that much. Actually, not at all. Because in my world, it is me who is the designated window cleaner and I don't dedicate myself to that task very often. But really, isn't it a little weird having someone come by at irregular intervals who can see into your daily activities as you watch tv, eat dinner, dust, play the piano...
Then again, isn't it nice to be able to see into the outside world as the birds fly about, the clouds move, the sun shines, the mail carrier comes with another postcard from Finland.
Gotta go, more sprung cleaning to do!
Spring is sprung
the grass is ris
my how noisy
the birdies is
but first some entertainment by George Formby
below
Sigh. I used to have wonderful window cleaners when I lived in the Pittsburgh area. They did 18 windows (2-story) for a measly $25 (I always tipped very well!)!! And I didn't even have to take out the screens, just loosen the locks. Those were the days! I love shiny clean windows. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteclean windows....so beautiful. I clean mine from time to time but the back windows are on the 2nd story and I can't reach them.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I forgot! LOVE the new header! What a gorgeous picture!
ReplyDeleteI don't believe I've ever encountered a window cleaner.
ReplyDeleteHi Violet,
ReplyDeleteliving in a glasshouse (virtually) I couldn't be without my window cleaner, (actually 2 men come - one inside , one outside) but I limit him to 2 or 3 visits a year...and I hose the salt off in between.
Now I have no doogie smudges it's easier.
Happy spring cleaning
I used to have a great and cheap window cleaner. Then I moved and he changed careers anyway(I think he's a local actor now). I haven't had my windows cleaned professionally for five years now. It shows. :(
ReplyDeleteOh my. Our windows are atrocious! I will clean them as soon as my thumb heals. As far as the strangers seeing in: we never close our backyard blinds except for in the master bathroom and we have a lawn chemical service and a termite service that show up randomly. I have told both companies not to come on Wednesday mornings because that's the one morning I am getting ready and walking around nude. It was not good the first time I saw a man in the backyard on a Wednesday morning.
ReplyDeleteWe have a window cleaner - the windows are too high up for my elderly husband to reach - and anyway, he never got round to doing even the ground floor ones! (I think that might be first floor for North Americans) I either pretend I can't see him or pull the curtains when I hear the rattle of his ladder!
ReplyDeleteThe reason I put off cleaning my windows, Susan is putting them all back in again. The last time I had bits left over, and I struggled for hours - hours!Char, living in an apartment building means I can't get at my bedroom windows, and see above for my excuse for the others.
ReplyDeleteI think it is more of a British/ European thing, Citizen, where they also don't have screens.
Delwyn I've always wondered about people who live in glass houses... those newer condos that go up with floor to ceiling windows and no balconies - my first thought is: cleaning the windows, followed very closely by the cost of drapes to block out the sun (and the dirty windows).
ReplyDeleteDid you not post about that once, Geewits? That would be my fear.
Pretending sounds good, Gilly. Afterall, you can't keep wandering from room to room trying to avoid them!
Doesn't anyone have blinds or drapes or curtains on their windows? T
ReplyDeleteBut it must be fascinating to be the window cleaner.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat to have the Windows cleaned, though I'm not sure I would like feeling like I was a Fish in a Fishbowl, being studied...lol!
ReplyDeleteI am not able to see the Video...If it is on YouTube, I can see it, but for some inexplicable reason...there is nothing but a BIG empty space with a little strange ICON up in the left hand corner---It's not just here on your blog...But just about everywhere...EXCEPT, I can see all the stuff on YouTube! Grrrrr.
So basically you're telling me that pyjamas are useful afterall? :-)
ReplyDeleteXUP: Don't you think that would be a little rude? Rather like slamming the door on someone as they come up your walk. Or maybe you are just too practical?
ReplyDeleteJazz: They probably don't even look in, whereas I would be having a good look around at their decorating and housekeeping and making up stories about the inhabitants just to pass the monotony.
Naomi: You could always train your binoculars on them!
ReplyDeleteAmanda: Yes, they come in handy.
We used to have a window cleaner when we lived in the inner city hotel. He was a furious smoker, & never seemed without a cigarette. I used to make sure there were ashtrays everywhere. Then, one day he came, & he didnt smoke. He had quit cold turkey! I was quite glad really, not having to empty stinky ashtrays.
ReplyDeleteViolet,
ReplyDeleteI don't have blinds or drapes except in the bedroom. We have large verandahs to shade the house and privacy is not an issue.
The version my mother taught me (and she was an English teacher) is...
ReplyDeleteSpring has sprung
The grass has ris
I wonder where them flowers is
at
Robin: I altered this myself, but the one I learned
ReplyDeletespring has sprung
the grass is ris
I wonder where
the birdies is
maybe that's the Scottish version!
mine will be the Canadian version - as these birdies have been here a long while before the grass ris'd
I was puzzled when you mentioned putting windows back in, until I read about screens! You're right, we don't have screens as a matter of course in the UK, and not in most of Europe that I know. I can see how that would make cleaning a long, difficult chore. We're unusual in our street in not having a window cleaner. We used to, and then I took a very Scottish thought to myself one night when he came to collect his money and I saw that his car was a new BMW. From then on we've done them ourselves (we live in a house), and it's not really much bother. That's not to say that they get cleaned regularly, but when we do get round to it the results are stunning!
ReplyDeleteLike the spring verse! The one I know continues 'the birds are on the wing/but that's absurd/I always heard the wing was on the bird.
Linda: yes, those fancy cars do make you think twice about the enterprising self employed!
ReplyDelete