Sunday, January 03, 2010

Discombobulated


That’s what the Christmas holiday does to people. Well it does to me and I’ve had my head down working most of the time. It was brought home to me when S - my super help – super efficient and super punctual didn’t turn up at 9am on New Years Day. I had said I wouldn’t expect her unless she phoned and decided to come. She phoned a couple of days before and we agreed she would come. So by 9.15am and no S - I was sufficiently worried to phone and leave a message to make sure she was alright. Minutes later she phoned back – confusing because we were in the middle of a phone call to Australia which had been cut off twice and S shares the same Christian name as my DIL. All was sorted eventually and S was with me within 15 minutes. Like so many of us she had forgotten what day it was (a daily occurrence here.)


I felt a little smug that even someone as young and vibrant as S could get discombobulated – but the smugness didn’t last long. On the days she works here I rise at 6.45am to prepare and tidy whatever room she is working on. For example if she is doing the kitchen it doesn’t make sense for her to have to do all the dirty dishes and clear all the detritus off the kitchen table (it’s also an excellent excuse to get MTL to do a little tidying of his papers etc etc) This week it was the bedrooms so in spite of the weather the French windows were opened and I had breakfast and showered. I had already changed the guest beds so left our bed open and as I was well off for time before she arrived switched on the computer.


After S eventually arrived we had a little chat and then went off to our tasks – she to our bedroom and me to my office. I was checking my emails when a little voice said

‘Pat excuse me for disturbing you but would you like me to make your bed?’

This was moment of pure discomfiture for me. How could I have forgotten to make it? I noticed the twinkle in her eye and we burst out laughing. I suppose you had to be there but I wonder have you had any similar experiences during the break? Do you know what day it is?

18 comments:

Kevin Musgrove said...

for some of us, not knowing what day it is is an excellent defence mechanism

Charlie said...

Martha had vacation days she had to use in December so she was home much more than usual. Combining that with holidays, I haven't known what day it is since November.

Leah said...

Hi Pat!

I'm completely addle-pated myself. Help!

Pat said...

Kevin: yes I can see that would be a possibility.

Charlie:one has to remember - and I always forget - not to ask the workers when they go back to work.


Leah: addle-pated I like. May I borrow it?

kenju said...

I know today, because I had to work - taking down Christmas decor at some of the places we put it up (same as next Sunday).

But on Friday, I kept thinking it was Saturday. It always happens after a holiday.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Well, the other thing about this period of time isL Mercury Is Retrograde. So...communication sucks and many related things occur with Mis-comunication hinging on memory....That your Long Distance Phine call was cut off twice---TYPICAL, Mercury Retrograde.
So....yes, there have been screw ups here---though part of it is both Christmas Day and New Years Day falling on a Friday....It felt like Sunday every day, for three says. Hard to keep up....lol!

angryparsnip said...

With New years Day on a Friday it is having too many Saturdays....or then Sunday feels like Monday, , , Yikes

Queenie said...

I've just managed to get back in synch with the days of the week, but I have no idea what I should be doing today. There must be something...

Z said...

I was completely confused because it always felt like the weekend. I'm by no means ready to get back to normal,either.

*Normal*. Heh.

Pat said...

Judy: thank you. You have just given me permission to start the dismantling.

Naomi: I didn't know that. Hope it doesn't last too long. This morning the car wouldn't start.

Parsnip: is it any wonder we're confused?

Queeenie: well you did exactly the right thing by dropping by:)

Z: yes - I did wonder:)

Anonymous said...

I shouldn't worry about missing a day or a bed, for that matter. I rely on my long-suffering secretary of 23 years to make sure I'm where I'm supposed to be at all times. It's just easier to make someone else responsible for those details.

Cheers.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

I know Mondays because I have to put out the garbage. And I have to sweep the yard, wash the bin, teach.

I know Tuesdays because I have to teach.

And so on and so forth. Or so I think. Along would come a day when I wake up and think, oh cripes, what day is today? All my life it's been this way :-D

Pat said...

Randall: you have a Girl Friday as well as the EMBLOS? You are just spoilt rotten!

GG: it helps if there are two of you - the kitchen calendar is our bible but occasionally I forget to enter dates then MTL can't remind me - but nobody's perfect:)

Kim Ayres said...

So am I right in understanding that you don't get a home help in to help you, but to motivate you to do all the work yourself before she arrives?

Pat said...

Kim: I'm not going to dignify that remark with a retort. Wretched boy!

Kanani said...

That's funny! Well, did she make your bed?
Anyway, glad to hear she made it alright.
I too tidy up before people come over. But the funniest is when I end up doing it while they are there, and they say, "Stop! We really don't mind!"

Pat said...

Kanani: no I wouldn't let her and sent her off to the guest bedroom whilst I made it and prettied it with cushions and coverlet.

sablonneuse said...

Pat, ever since I retired I've had trouble remembering what day it is. It feels like a continuous weekend!