To feel like crying (massive first world problem don't feel sorry for me!!)

[listsandbudgets]

I got in from work 40 minutes ago to discover our cleaner hasn't been today. There's a phone call from her saying she needed to look after her grandchildren so she'd come on Monday. (that's another issue I'm not pleased a bit more warning would nto have gone amiss).

I left the house vaguely tidy but not clean as cleaner was coming. Also left spare room bed for her to change as we have guests arriving tonight. Spent last 40 minutes whizzing round with hoover, wipes and air spay, went into spare room to change bed only to find that the window was left open (by me to air room) and a bird has got in there, paniced and there is bird shit all over the stripped mattress, the pillows, the clean bedding and the carpet. It is one incontinent pigeon. Caught the damned thing and put it out.

Now got friends arriving in 40 minutes, toys everywhere courtesy of DCs, no dinner as spent 40 minutes cleaning to a crap standard and a spare room liberally besmattered with bird shit.



Off to tackle shitty spare room.

ABIU to cry, order takeaway and get guests and me drunk?

[VenusDeWillendorf]

I think you'll find that most people in the third world who can afford it, have lots and lots of staff. House boys, cooks, gardeners, drivers, watchmen, ayas, dhobis.

Having unreliable staff isn't just a first world problem!

I think your pigeon nightmare would rival a Hitchcock film - sorry, but I think it's hilarious - you couldn't have organised it better!
Enjoy your and have a lovely evening.

[Gruntfuttock]

Maybe the cleaner did come as usual, saw the state the spare room was in - thanks to the incontinent pigeon - and scarpered.

[AlexReidsLonelyBraincell]

Another one wanting to know how you caught the pigeon? You are nails op!

I'd have opened the window as wide as I could, closed the door and cowered elsewhere, praying that it found its way out, horrible flappy things.

[KarlWrenbury]

Oops. Did she not text you? That's what mine does

[KarlWrenbury]

Did

[ToAvoidConversation]

Total nightmare! This happened to me once when I got home from a long day at work, was having guests and our regular cleaner hasn't been. The agency had sent a replacement as ours was ill. The place was a mess... They had moved all our furniture and not put it back, cloths hanging off door handles, cleaning equipment lying out in the hall. Was hellish. Had 20 mins until guests appeared and we had run out of loo roll too!!

Ignore all the 'you are entitled' crap. It is a first world problem but it's still a problem!!

[diddl]

It's unfortunate that it happened on the day that the cleaner was really needed iyswim.

Shame she just left a message informing OP, otherwise they might have been able to work something out.

I shouldn't think that there are many jobs you can just not go in because GC need looking after!

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

You got in from work?

Sounds like a stealth boast that you have a job in this economic climate to me. Discusting.

No doubt you have a computer or a phone or something to post on mn too. And there are people starving in the world! I'd be deeply ashamed if i were you.

[northlight]

hellskitty Didn't bother to read the thread then. The OP is clearly much more reasonable than you.

[hellskitty]

'she needed to look after her grandchildren so she'd come on Monday. (that's another issue I'm not pleased a bit more warning would nto have gone amiss).'

well I imagine she is looking after them because of some emergency, so this first sentence made me lose all sympathy for you.

[Staywithme]

Notaflamingclue.

more important than air

Snort laughed out loud at that.

[notaflamingclue]

My cleaner isn't a luxury.IMO she's more important than air.
Hope you had a great night with your friends OP

[PourquoiTuGachesTaVie]

Very trusting of you to leave a window open wide enough for a pigeon to get in when you're out all day. I'd be worry myself silly all day wondering if we'd been burgled.

[QueenofLouisiana]

I'm just in awe that you managed the catch the pigeon anyone else remember that fab cartoon?. I'm terrified of them and would have wanted to run away, shitty bedroom or not.

Hope you all had a great evening.

[AlpacaLypse]

Hi lists

I run a dogwalking/petcare agency and my dsis runs a housekeeping/cleaning similar.

You sound like our favourite sort of client - the one who understands that sometimes, not very often but SOMETIMES, it all goes tits up due to a Perfect Storm scenario.

It's really horrible when the client goes off the deep end, we both start quaking in our boots- but sometimes it really and truly was unavoidable.

[HillyHolbrook]

I missed the bit about the bird at first and thought you were just whining about cleaning your own house. I was going to come give you a bollocking about how entitled you are, but I'll let you off

How did a bloody pigeon get in?!

Have your guests noticed anything?

[BoyFromTheBigBadCity]

Have they noticed, or are you pleasingly pissed?

[BeyondBurma]

Oh don't be so bitter maras2 for heaven's sake. OP said it was a massively first world problem !

[Staywithme]

I'm so jealous. I really really want a cleaner but I think they would be mumsnet venting "AIBU to be really peed off about the state of this house I was expected to clean?"

[maras2]

Oh dear.What a shame.Never mind.

[taxi4ballet]

Is the pigeon OK?

[SquigglySquid]

If I could afford a cleaner, I'd do it without thinking twice. Bit by bit tidying everyday doesn't always happen and my house clutters up because I leave it for "tomorrow" until the mess is overwhelming.

I did laugh at the bird though. You'll look back on this and laugh after you're no longer stressed about it.

[listsandbudgets]

after all that they're running late and should be here by 8.15ish.

Spare room cleaned and sheets on. I've made risotto and defrosted some garlic bread, strawberries and cream for pudding. Hardly top notch cuisine but at least they won't starve. We'll go out for a curry tomorrow :)

Yes our cleaner is a luxury but since most weeks she stands firm between me and utter insanity she's worth spending my money on. Now I've calmed down I know she won't have failed to turn up without good reason, most likely her grand daughter was ill. Cleaners DIL is a nurse on critical care so much better I lose my cleaning than someone loses a skilled nurse for the day.

Think the wine may be helping my mood :)

As for updating mumsnet well I have to get my priorities in order don't I?

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

I'm saying nothing at all about cleaners.

[iwouldgoouttonight]

Yes, a takeaway and lots of wine and everything will be okay. You might not think you've cleaned properly but your guests won't notice they may notice the pigeon shit and will think it's funny.

To those saying how come you have time to post on here, maybe she just needed to let off steam, have a two minute break from stressing about getting things ready.