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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to tell those that call me lazy to piss off.

68 replies

tookoolforskool · 21/03/2011 10:13

because i did the shocking thing of hiring a gardener for all of 2 hours to dig over and weed my borders for me.

Im a lone parent. DDs dad is away at the momment, so im not getting any break.
i work 20hours
I have a dog.
I have to do everything, by myself all the time.
All the housework, all the shopping, all the errands, all the organising. everything.

two weeks ago i pressure washed my patio to within a inch of its life. i hacked back the shurbs and weeded and sorted out the herb garden bit. This weekend i painted all my fence. All 22 fence pannels. i still have the garage to do, but am waiting for paint from the landlord.

My garden is quite new, its a rented house and it was a barren wasteland when i moved in two years ago. there were no borders, i had them cut in. Its just because im constantly seeding the grass.. it goes in the borders, and the weeds... its a big job.

So i paid £30 for someone to do it for me, to clear the weeds, tidy it up and turn it all over, so all i have to do is plant veg/bedding plants.

You would not belive the amount of stick i have had from people calling me lazy and taking the piss, or asking who i think i am.

AIBU to tell them to fuck off.

OP posts:
ilove · 21/03/2011 10:14

What's his number and do you live near me???

Original poster
tookoolforskool · 21/03/2011 10:15

ha. and he took out my evil non flowering rosebush.

What he did in 2 hours would have taken me all day.

OP posts:
vickibee · 21/03/2011 10:16

YANBU

I would love to hire extra help, a cleaner and a gardener would be great. If you can afford it why not? It is your money to choose to spend as you please. Take no notice of narrow minded people.

Enjoy your garden in the spring sunshine

worraliberty · 21/03/2011 10:16

Blimey it's a bit of a Biscuit really and certainly nothing to get worked up over.

I'm a SAHM and neither myself or my husband like gardening so we pay someone to tend to it every fortnight Confused

yousankmybattleship · 21/03/2011 10:17

Sounds like a very sensible use of £30 to me (and a bit of a bargain!). Not lazy at all!

BigWoof · 21/03/2011 10:17

I work 50+ hours a week and have 3 children. my family think I am lazy to have a cleaner.

I don't want to spend my weekends cleaning. I want to spent quality time with my children

Moulesfrites · 21/03/2011 10:17

Yanbu. Your garden, your money.

WinlessChunder · 21/03/2011 10:18

YANBU.

I pay someone to do that purely because I hate doing it. So if anyone's lazy it's me and the people who tell you you are can piss off themselves.

Stac2011 · 21/03/2011 10:18

tell them to fuck off, you have enough to do!

waitwhat · 21/03/2011 10:22

YANBU
I hired someone to help me start a veggie patch and was called a flash cow by my SIL.

Not at all i just had no clue where to start. Up until now i have only lived in flats, even as a kid, so i didnt know what to do with a garden.
The guy came for the entire day and did a crash course on growing your own for thickos. Absolute bargain.

ChristinedePizan · 21/03/2011 10:22

I am a keen gardener and a lone parent and even I don't think you're lazy. I hate weeding :o

emsyj · 21/03/2011 10:24

I told a friend recently that I am going to get a cleaner when I go back to work. She thought that was an outrageous idea and a total waste of £££.

Same friend has TWO Mulberry handbags and a brand new BMW and will shortly be jetting off to New York, having already been to Barbados and Greece this year. Hmm

YANBU to spend your own money on the things that you choose.

Original poster
tookoolforskool · 21/03/2011 10:25

thats my attitude. its my money, i can just about afford it.
and its helped me out loads.

To be called lazy pissed me right off. i work damn hard.
And who are they to judge? gggrrrrrr

OP posts:
SingingSands · 21/03/2011 10:26

Lazy? No, a clever use of your time and money. The hours the gardener put in freed you up to do something else presumably. What do people expect from you, a miserable existence of drudgery?! Enjoy your garden!

Vallhala · 21/03/2011 10:26

YANBU.

I pay a lovely man to come and mow my (pretty big) garden.

If the piss-taking neighbours really want to know it's because I've had cancer surgery and have a buggered arm as a result. Lawn-mowing is therefore painful and dangerous for me.

However it's none of their frigging business and I have now concluded that I would have the fella come in and do the lawn anyway because I'm no good at it, like you I'm a lone parent who does EVERYTHING and besides I hate lawnmowing.

So... yes, tell yours to feck off and mind their own!

worraliberty · 21/03/2011 10:28

Why are you so angry about it though?

And why have 'people' called you lazy? I mean how many people have you told?

It wouldn't cross my mind to mention it to anyone..anymore than it would cross my mind to mention I tood the car for a valet..which is a similar thing really.

throckenholt · 21/03/2011 10:29

what has it got to do with anyone else ? Did you ask if they have spent a few hours in front sky with a takeaway and a bear recently ? Probably costs about the same and is of less benefit.

Ignore.

MrsTumbles · 21/03/2011 10:29

YANBU, I'd love to hire a gardener, but I'm too lazy to pick up a phone book and call one... Blush

Original poster
tookoolforskool · 21/03/2011 10:30

yep - while he was doing that i was cleaning the oven. and hoovering. and washing curtains.
and walking the dog.

not sitting on my arse watching tv.

i would love to have someone cut my grass for me. if i knew a teenage boy id happily pay him to do it for me weekly. but i dont.

OP posts:
Original poster
tookoolforskool · 21/03/2011 10:35

it just came up in conversation. then some mum seemed to have told everyone at the school gates.
lord knows why

OP posts:
sloggies · 21/03/2011 10:38

No one else's business but yours. I do agree with Worraliberty sometimes its just easier not to mention stuff. Rockenholt, a takeaway with a bear sounds great fun, but do you think the zoo would do day release? Smile

throckenholt · 21/03/2011 10:42

Grin - well it makes a change from a beer.

BaggedandTagged · 21/03/2011 10:43

The British have a ridiculous mental block when it comes to hiring anyone to do something in their homes which they could technically do themselves (other than childcare- weird exception- I'll have to think about that one).

They should be applauding you for supporting the economy and creating employment.

Meglet · 21/03/2011 10:46

yanbu.

I'm a lone parent and my dad died last year. I got a gardner to blitz the garden last october, best thing I ever did.

FWIW I love gardening, don't mind getting mucky and have a veg patch, it's just tricky finding time to mow, strim, weed it with work / toddlers and british weather. I mow it when they are in bed if it's not raining though.

worraliberty · 21/03/2011 10:46

Maybe it's an area thing and that's why I find it hard to understand how having your garden done is even an issue?

Loads of people in my street use a local (semi retired) guy to trim and weed their gardens once a fortnight. The more custom he gets, the lower his prices are.

Do these people feel the same about window cleaners? Confused

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