When I bought my house, my daughter was still in her last year at school, a crotchety eldest sister who was definitely not getting on with her brothers. So it was a big drawcard for my buying the house that the outside room, normally a servants quarters had been turned into a nicely tiled room with en-suite shower and toilet. Ideal for my eldest kids. Robynne stayed in that room for a couple of years and I used to go in there about once a month when she was on a sleepover and springclean. The room was very girly with a lot of knick-knacks and not a spare surface to put anything down. When she left home, Dael took up residence in the outside room and although he doesn't have as many belongings as his sister he is possibly the dirtier resident.
Anyway, last Friday night when the boys were at youth group for the evening, I decided that it was a good time to springclean as I hadn't been in there to clean for about 2 months. The only times I went in there was to get out a load of mugs (literally a laundry basket full) when I found I had nothing left in the kitchen or to rescue some of my towels lying in rapidly decaying heaps on his bedroom floor.
So I gathered the necessary supplies, bolstered my courage with a shot of vodka or two and entered the temple of disgust. Anybody who has teenage boys will know how their living area can begin to smell after only a short time!! I started with the bathroom. The toilet area was not to be touched until I had sprayed the general area with liberal amounts of bleach disinfectant while standing at a distance. I let that soak for a while and began wiping the basin and windowsill area. The shower curtain got the bleach treatment on both sides while I tackled the toilet. And so I continued. In between fetching more supplies from the main house or taking a load of laundry to the wash, I would down another shot of vodka.
While other naughty forties were enjoying an evening of fun and enjoyment, I was at home getting high on bleach fumes and cheap vodka. At about 9.30 pm, I got a phone call to fetch the boys and went off merrily and probably over the legal limit - luckily the roads were quiet! Dael was quite amused that I had to get tipsy to clean his room!
(P.S. I was sick to stomach in the morning - payback for my sins!)
ha ha ha ha ha! This is really amusing Momcat!
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of my brother when we both still lived at home. His room used to get a smell like rotten mushrooms.
My mom always said it was weird how boys just smelt muffy compared to girls.
My mom also moved him into the loft above the garage when he was older so as to move the chaos out of the actual house.
Your post really made me giggle - thanks
Hehehe... Going to tell my mom she should try this next time she cleans out my brother's room ;-)
ReplyDeleteha ha ha I can fully sympathise!! O and us single mom's and our cheap vodka I too tipple on that!!!
ReplyDeleteFF - I think the outside room is truly the only place for a stinky boy. And they don't know what everyone is complaining about!
ReplyDeleteTamara - Its the first time I've had to resort to hard tack but it was 2 months!
Lulu - The cheap stuff is my son's but is so gross he doesn't want to drink it. I just flavoured it and it was fine. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Truly a brave woman, you are! Especially attacking the bathroom. When I moved in with my husband and realized how much harder boys are on bathrooms than girls, I told him I "don't do" bathrooms so cleaning it would be his responsibility and so it has remained. You are a much braver woman than I.
ReplyDeleteI like vodka ice cold!
ReplyDeleteomg... what a pity he couldn't have the hangover for you after you had to go through that!
ReplyDeleteOur son has been off for two years and we are still working on getting through the grunge.
ReplyDeleteGood luck.
Hi Momcat. Thanks for commenting on my blog! Your comment speaks of true understanding which can only come 1. from a mother and 2. someone who chose to educate herself on the subject.
ReplyDeleteps. when we were still living at home my younger sister accused me (and my room of smelling like used kitchen towels)
ABM - I truly have to psyche myself up to tackle his room but I reckon the house is my investment and I cannot let his slovenly habits cause any lasting damage.
ReplyDeleteGreg - Good idea! Maybe if I refrigerate the vodka it'll taste better!
Angel - Its not fair because he and his sister drink far more than me but don't seem to suffer the same. Maybe it takes practice...
Dan - I try to tackle the grunge on an ongoing basis especially things that kids collect. At the beginning of the year, I had a major throwout.
Spear - Welcome to my blog too! I have developed that understanding because I didnt just want to look at the surface problems and accuse my sons for actions and attitudes they had no control over. I don't let them use their learning challenges as an excuse not to try though. On the smelly side, my daughter used to regularly tell my son "You stink" when she still stayed at home. I think that actually caused some damage to their relationship but hopefully as they get older they will become closer again.
What a cute post! And I have a younger brother, and I can definitely relate to the disaster and smell that they live in!!! No wonder you needed vodka!
ReplyDeleteVodka and bleach yumm
ReplyDelete