1.20.2009

Minor Frustrations

Our gardener took a bag of the kids beach/pool toys yesterday. He thought they were garbage because I left them on my front porch... even though the garbage can is in the back yard... and I always put the garbage in the garbage can... in the back yard. It's a green garbage can, a large garbage bin, and it can hold a ton of garbage.... like beach toys, if they WERE indeed garbage. Which they weren't. Did I mention the bag was orange. And mesh. And you could totally see through it.

It took me about 6 hours to notice that they weren't there anymore. I had Matt walk the perimeter of the house to see if they were "misplaced." We looked in all the usual places. We looked in the unusual places too. We talked with the maid and the driver. Nope. They didn't see the bright orange mesh bag with the beach toys, though they assure me that if it was left in, on, or around the garbage can they would have seen them.

We called the gardener. Well, the driver who speaks Tamil called the gardener. Guess what he told me (through translation of course)? The gardener thought they were garbage, so he took them home. Really? Go ahead, ask the gardener how often I leave garbage on the front porch. And let's be honest... did that big bag of beach toys REALLY look like garbage? How about the car seats that we leave on the front porch from time to time. Garbage too?

I gave the gardener 2 hours to have the toys back in my possession. No ifs, ands, or buts. I was irritated. He usually goes through the garbage that's in the big green bin and squirrels things away to take home at a later date. And he's usually so humble that he asks if he can take it. He's never been so bold or brazen to just take something that clearly was NOT garbage. Of course it didn't help his situation when we were told about all the stuff the gardener is balking about doing... like cleaning up and trimming trees. Apparently he doesn't like taking orders from the maid. Who speaks Tamil. Since I don't speak it, and I've hit my limit with pantomiming everything that needs to get done around the yard.

Six o'clock on the dot the doorbell rang and lo and behold, there was the gardener, with the big orange mesh bag of beach toys. Matt had the fun job of explaining why we were so upset, and reiterating that anything in, on, or around the green garbage bin is garbage. Everything else isn't. Oh and by the way, here's your additional list of responsibilities...

Minor frustrations. Only minor frustrations.

Do you even want me to begin telling the story of the maid buying the soap today? The exact same soap that's in the downstairs bathroom. The one I showed her... that's pink and has a semi-bearable smell. How does she come home with 3 different soaps, none of which was the pink one with the semi-bearable smell. Argh... Don't get me started.

12 comments:

Mom24 said...

Isn't it funny how minor things can really add up to be major pain in the tushes. Sorry. Hope the gardener decides to be smarter from now on. If not, hope there's a new gardener to be had. :-) About the maid, I've got nothing, keep trying.

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

I am not sure that I want to know what your soap might smell like. Is that something that you brought with you? Or wished that you had?

Ashley said...

Lol oh how I wish I had your troubles with gardeners and maids ;) Hehe. Okay, maybe not if they steal stuff on the porch and I can't understand them, or them me. lol.

Good luck on finding some more bearable soap!

Heidi said...

Wow, that was bold. He must really like to go to the beach. At least you know what to get him for Christmas.

Tara R. said...

I would have been irritated too. Very bold. Good thing you got them back.

Jen said...

I can totally see your frustration.

Shannon said...

Ugh! I'd be frustrated, too.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

That doesn't sound like a fun day! I understand the soap issues too, some smell so ick. And I'm sure being pg doesn't help that at all.

You asked me about Word for Mac - We ordered it directly from the Apple store here because of course I needed the english version. It was 109€ = $140 I was very pleased they could order it so the cost was ok.
I got the student version since I'm not using it for business. The biz version was something like 330€!

If you know someone in the US who can send it to you I 'think' Amazon had it on sale for $80-90 about two weeks ago and the pro version was on sale for $150.

Hope that helps!

January 21, 2009 3:14 PM

Posted to Minor Frustrations

Simple Answer said...

Having help isn't always what it's cracked up to be! (until it comes time to do all my dishes by hand. then it's all that and a bucket of beer!)

Unknown said...

I'd be pissed..

Mrs4444 said...

Kind of funny, from my perspective, but sorry you can't seem to find good help out there!

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