Months later....

Hello to all my people! ok, so theres only a few of you left, but I still think of you all! Let me give you all the updates.
ME: I'm doing great, and have re-entered the work force with what I initially thought was going to be a part time job at a very successful string of salons/medical spas in my area. While I do enjoy the job, my hours are all over the map and I can never say with any certainty when I will be at work or at home, as my schedule is ever evolving into more hours at work than at home. But I'm well, and that's what counts.

The Hotel : sinister cupcake had broken up with uneducated owner, but I still see her car there, which he purchased for her, so I'm unsure as to the relationship status at this point in time.

Bathrobe guy's house: I never ever go there! I gave up robe guy's cleaning gig because of the job, I don't miss that gig at all!

Beasley & Single Guy: I still go twice a month to adore and give snackies to The Beas. ok, I look for dust too, but mainly I go to adore the Beas. Its all right Jeff, I adore you too, in my own fashion :)

DOGGIES: Tucker is back and sqirmy for love. His nose is getting gray hairs on it! glad mine isn't! LOL

HORSES: Ole Frank had a go with the vet last week, he's been under the weather for a while, guy as old as he is, its to be expected. 30 something for a horse is old. Nickademus is as comical and playful as ever.

NEW JOB: For a person who generally does not like the phone, its a test, but theres room for growth, so that makes me upwardly mobile! Aside from the hours & random shootings in the vicinity, its a pretty neat job, besides, I look sooooo good in red and black!

Thats all for now my friends, I hope all of you have a splendid holiday season, and may you all have the bestest new year ever!

Love,
The Cleaning Lady (retired)

Its been a while

I know, its been a long while since I've posted the drama I call life, mostly because I've been living it instead of typing it.

My oncologist says I have to have surgery, I will believe him only because several others have said the same thing in the last seven months. Guess they know stuff. I just know I feel like hell, am getting a blubber gut and am so short fused I just may blow up before my surgery, which is on weds, 7/25. Do not expect one freaking peep outta me for at least two weeks, unless I am trying to get away from my mother, who is coming to take care of me. I'm kinda scared. for the family. lol

Worst case scenario, I will refuse chemo or radiation. I don't have to justify that decision to anyone for any reason. I live and I love every day that I am here, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Smile... I am :)

RANTS

I know that this blog is mainly a venue to post my gripes and bitches, but I feel the need to express myself vehemently today.

1st : to the city of Philadelphia's traffic courts division, YOU SUCK. How can you fine and suspend a license of a person 16 years after a supposed incident, and in the same paragraph imply that I was making payments prior to this notice, when I have NEVER been cited for a DUI or a police investigation in my entire life? Also, in this same notice, there is no phone number provided to call to ask WTF a 6308 is (I know what it is now, but they changed the coding @ penndot about a year ago, no one knows what it was in 1991). I must physically go there to ask some inept public servant, after waiting 4 hours to be called to the desk, after sitting in traffic for 2 hours on the Schuylkill expressway during rush hour, after paying $18 an hour to park my hybrid, for something I damn well KNOW isn't my fine to begin with. Maybe replying to the 3 e-mails I sent would pacify me, but I doubt it.

2Nd: To the pokey S.O.B.'s who travel at 40 mph on highways that are posted 55, with few and far between passing zones, the gas pedal is on the right side. USE IT or pull over! I hope ya 'll don't fuck like you drive (slow and sloppy). Take side roads if you want to sight see, whatever, just GTF outta my way so I can be on time for my appointments. Thank you.

3rd: Husband, I love you, but SHUT UP for 5 minutes, please! My ears are almost bleeding by the time you fall asleep in your man chair. I am only one woman, and I find myself being spread very thinly over our entire family, all while trying to stay alive via treatments that I don't get to pick and choose the schedule for. I didn't go to the cancer patch and request anything, it just happened, so deal with it like a freaking grown up. Denial isn't just a river in Egypt. I still love you, even if you act like an ass.


Okay, I feel better now, sorta. Mostly it's that I know all of the above will never read this, and that does detract from my general happiness.


On a side note, The Hotel is foundering, (please note the smirk on my face) due to Mr Cheese's inability to be a professional, EVERYONE has left, with the exception of heroin/ex con girl, and she's to stupid to know when she's being ill treated. Even the Linebacker knew it was time to leave, which is saying something about the disbanding of The Clique. But since he sees it as the world being "out to get him", he will never admit to his short comings. Enjoy, Dickhead. :)

Anyone have a rant to share to make mine look minute? please, I need a share bear (Mrs H!).

the past week in breif:

Thursday 5/3 got Tucker back, Mrs H quit the Hotel & got new employment at a higher grade establishment.

Friday 5/4 , played all day with dogs

Saturday 5/5: cleaned Beasley's house and then played with dogs and looked for new cars. Buying a hybrid :)

later Saturday, broke second to smallest toe on my right foot playing ball with the dogs. ouch.

Sunday spent quality time with the familia detailing the car & truck, then went to the grocery store, where we got robbed while shopping. its ok, the cops caught them BEFORE we even called 911!!! got everything back by Monday.

Monday 5/7: broke big toe on left foot walking up the stairs with laundry, while being "guided" by 5 dogs. more ouch.

I figure I have 8 more toes so we haven't stopped playing....YET!

He's Comin Home!

We got word yesterday that Ms M is willing to send Tucker home if we reimburse her $367.33, which are the charges originally incurred by the "adoption" . I want my baby home so bad I'm paying it. Forgive me.

What I am NOT forgetting is this was all due to bureaucratic BS from the Berks (in)humane society. I am going to hound the PA legal beagles into changing the holding time laws, they simply MUST be longer than the 48 hours presently established.

Find out what YOUR State's laws are for shelter animals. CALL, WRITE, E-MAIL, and badger your state reps to get the animals just a little more time to get back home, PLEASE?!?!?!??!

Thank you to everyone who has lent us your prayers and thoughts, without you, I would never have found the strength.

Karmas a bitch

Driving home from my surgery on Thursday,
I see the sign at The Hotel that usually proclaims
TODD's performance dates.
It has an add on;

SERVERS AND COOKS WANTED
apply within

Do you know how much it hurts to laugh after a surgical procedure?
so-so-so-so worth the extra pain killer!!!!

and yet, I wonder why he hasn't included bartenders, hostess' & dishwashers to his list of "wants".

Perhaps he needs a larger marqee ... or a class in people skills.

Five Star ***** Adventures

Dressing well is in itself a wonderful thing, dressing well for free is the bestest! I bestowed my company upon the Five Star Crack House in Pidgeontown (formerly known as the Frat house), and everything came up Varsace, and Ann Klein, and DKNY, Ralph, Gucci etc...! The closet of the mistress of the 5 Star was beyond over flowing. And when I say Closet, I mean an area that can hold a small family comfortably for an extended stay. Its larger than most hotel rooms. No where could you see the pile carpeting that lovingly held its treasures. Now most folks buy articles of clothing because we can't wait to wear it. The Mistress buys compulsively, and rarely wears as compulsively. As a business professional, She wears high end cotour on a daily basis, and then promptly comes home and flings it haphazardly into one of many piles, never to be seen or washed or hung up. That's where I come in :) To whisk away the eyesores. And they pay me on top of the thousands in clothing. DB JR also came by, she did the charity run for the Princess (mistress' daughter), dropping all the unwanted articles at the Salvation Army. DB JR also got a few bags of "stuff" for her New Job at The Spalon (spa and salon...), lord knows she needed to start dressing better (IMO) . Kids.... now if we can just get her to ditch all the hoodies, she may start looking like a girl.
I spent a great day with Princess, even if we were short a few Princess for "Twelve Princess'" . As reward for finding the carpets in the master suit, We met up with Bongasan for a fabu dinner @ Bourbon. Jumbo lumps everywhere! People were staring!
At the Crab meat, you perverts! jeez.....
We would have stayed longer and had more libation, but the restrictive smoking rules wrecked that idea. Yes, I leave when I can't smoke, also if there are obnoxious children, or worse, obnoxious adults.
After a brief repose at Bongasan's, his puppies got a bit randy and I just had to leave. OK , I was scared. I admit it. When 180 lbs of PUPPY is growling in your face, because your petting the 9 month old "c-puppy", and there are 3 others of equal or higher weights, it can make a body a tad uncomfy. Rigid is what I was by time we left. Sorry, Bongasan, I really was scared. And thanks for the one for the road, mmmmmm, was tasty!
Its ok, there is still another three or four closets at the Five Star Crack House (lets call it a palace, ok?)....like Arnold said... I'll be back!
:)

Men

Some one remind me to turn off the hindi script thingy later...but right now I'm husband bashing.
Why are men so eager to build? Why can they not wait until the appropriate time to build? Whats so damn hard about leaving the new deck canopy in the box until the weather complied? Could he not hear me repeating, in a mantra like fashion, "NOAA is calling for high winds and rain storms all weekend."? It's a HUGE canopy. It even covers half the hot tub!! If it were to take flight, one could easily mistake it for a small, square, hot air balloon.
NOAA was right. It stormed. It winded. Alot. Guess where the canopy is now? In a pile of metal pipes and netting on the deck. All over the deck. And hot tub. men....

Why are men so eager to tease?
Husband drug me to Home Depot to "visualize" our new master bedroom components & concepts. We deffinately are envisioning different rooms. Keep in mind this man is aware that I have been buying peices for this new room for 3 years. A beautifull Farm bed, an antique mirror, floor lamps, plank tables, wing back chairs, etc. He's aware. He takes me to this gawd aweful display of uber cheap laminant wood grain stuff. Its beyond hideous. He takes one look at my face and knows he's made a terrible error. I gaze longingly at the stone tile display at the opposit side of the flooring section. There it is. The reds and golds and blues are tantalizing. His eyes follow mine. He quickly affects the booboo face. He fights dirty.
I've been ROCK BLOCKED!
I bartered down to a temporary faux wood plank style of almost uber cheap laminant, with the condition that it will have a 4 year limit of being underfoot.
It was the booboo face.
He knows his wife, after 17 years, sorta....

Mute Switch

It seems that I am not the only grown woman that refuses to be spoken to rudely by unkempt incompetent. Big Cheese worked his magic and chased my replacement out of the building on Saturday night, mid hit. Now he will have some one other than himself to blame for whatever calamities happened there after.

DB Jr also came home way too early (8 pm), puking her way through the dining room, crying, babbling, we didn't understand any of what she said. Later, after tons of mouthwash and a shower, DB Jr explained that she was ill while at work, asked the GM to be excused from her shift, as she was leaving/puking in the parking lot, Mr Cheese was screaming at her, who knows what he said, she didn't hear him over her retching. Now my car smells of vomit, should I send him the cleaning bill?

I lost the cleaning gig at the hotel (big surprise there eh?). No worries, I still have The Frat House to take its place. Besides, Blue Bell is nice ride, and the perks far outweigh what the hotel offered.

I hope Mrs H calls me, I miss her and her Witty ways. I also hope that Mrs H didn't get slammed overly hard due to my kids illness, and if she did, I'm sorry, and so is DB Jr.

I really hope that the new GM of the hotel gets on track, if only the stupid bastard would stop screwing everything up for her. Some people should have mute switches, him most of all.

Sacrilege

I had the most excellent post 3/4 finished on Saturday night, when Himself (husband) walked in and tripped over my power cord, snapping it in half with his unknown super powers. ARGGGGHHHHHHHH!
You may ask what is it that was so damn important that I was blogging on a SATURDAY night? I quit my job.Of course, I may not have gone in a blaze of glory, but at least a puff of smoke. I have no other explanation other than I had simply just had enough of the neanderthal lurking in the kitchen, waiting to humiliate anyone his laser beam eyes land on. Apparently, in addition to all my other new titles, I unknowingly became a carpenter and an electrician somewhere down the line. Mr Cheese vehemently proclaimed that I was not doing my job, because there were two broken chairs (wooden cafe chairs, so not durable) by the far side wall in the main dining room. Also, the one man band left a 6 ft extension cord plugged (the horrors!) in, from the previous night. Being extremely observant, Mr Cheese proceeded to badger me on why there were TWO high chairs in the main dining when there was supposed to be one in each station. I news flashed him on the fact that there are FOUR high chairs, he told me to (and I quote) "SHUT UP!".
oh. my. god.
I had to stop myself. You see, I have a temper. It takes years to wane away the tolerance, but when it does, LOOK OUT. DUCK. HIDE. This man had pushed the invisible button that kick starts my temper. He finally walked away from me, while telling me that the plants that had just been hung on Thursday needed watering. On a Saturday night. makes sense, right? ha.
Typical of most Saturday nights, we had a full book, with little to no in between gaps. I was running,Mrs h was running, bus kids scrambling, waitress' w/ laden trays fleeing the kitchen before the sear plates cool to an inaudible hiss...
6:55 pm, getting ready for the 40 7 pm reservations we have due to be seated, with an already packed house. I take in an armload of plates in 4 the dishwasher, who is lagging behind as usual. As I walk in and start to clean plates, Mr Cheese screams across the kitchen that i had, single handedly, fucked the entire wait staff AND the kitchen, the whole line. all by myself. hmmmm.... I turned looked him strait in his beady eyes, smirked, set down the plates and walked through the door. I proceeded to unhitch the pager, telephone, pens and clip board from my person, set them on the service bar, carefully. I grabbed my purse and coat and asked my kid for the car keys. Chins everywhere on the floor. As I sailed out the front door I calmly told my kid to tell Mr Big Fucking Cheese to water his own friggin plants. I went home.
Home safe home.
Himself was crashed out in his Man Chair, and was startled when I came in during daylight hours. This is unheard of when one goes to work at 4 pm. He was so surprised by my having just walked out of my job he ALMOST got out of his man chair. He knew it was a matter of time before I took my annual hiatus from the hotel. Its been my running joke with most the regulars for the last two years, this here and gone and back again hostess deal. I used to say I only worked during allergy season, but this year screwed that one up :)

I have no idea if I will be cleaning the Hotel or not. Kid seems to think that I will be back at the podium next Friday, I think she is wrong. It's sacrilege to walk out in the middle of a hit like I did, Even if I was right. Honestly, I think I need some time away from the freak show called The Hotel.

On a high note, My cousin Kevin rocks, he came and gave the ranch a make over, for FREE! Who can argue with free landscaping? Its so Feng Shui, think I'll go sit and read a book on this fine sunny morning.....

Flash Backs

So much for the "new and improved" boss man. This weekend he was back to his former self (read: Dick headed). I was shrieked at for not wearing my hostess pager, which rarely if ever buzz's when I do remember to stick it on my person (which isn't easy in wearing a dress with no belt). It did not buzz at all on Friday. I was again verbally accosted for not posting our reserved top #'s on the line, which I had already done at 5 pm, I simply re posted the updated edition when he freaked out. I didn't even bother to show him HIS mistake. I just turned and went back to the front of the house, where even HE must mind his volume. 5:30pm, I was asked "where the fuck is your kid at?" meaning DB Jr, who was not scheduled to come to work until 9 pm for her cocktail shift. Aside from the imperfect grammar, which galls me to no end, is this man not her boss? Does he not know his own restaurants staffing schedules? Can he not look at the one posted on the freaking kitchen door and read for himself before he acts like an asshole? Apparently not.
You ask why I stay? hmmmm.... lemme think. Mrs H? Maybe you can help me here. Why do we stay? I can answer in part, not as clearly as I intend though, I'm sure.

I stay because, first because I like to dress nicely and schmooze.

The second reason is a bit harder to explain. Big Cheese, as I have stated repeatedly, does not particularly like me. I don't know why, he's never said, and I don't ask. What I know is for some reason, I always end up back at the podium, in his establishment. I never ask for the job, and he doesn't go out of his way to have me back. It just sorta happens. He has never made me cry, not for his lack of trying (with ALL employees). He has never made me lose my temper in either part of the house. I do not back down from his tirades, but neither do I give him much audience when he has them (I would say I use Waiter's famous thousand yard stare). I use words that he does not understand, generally two, maybe three syllable words that get him all betwixt. He then does a command performance on the idiot stage and says (every freaking time)" I am a high school drop out, your going to have to use words I understand". heh heh...and I always say " Dude, I ALSO am a high school drop out, BUT, I'm also a college graduate, which proves you only stay ignorant because YOU WANT TO." This wins me no accolades.
The man cannot be stupid with what he's achieved with this restaurant (formerly known as a biker bar and filthy), in this unbelievably small (grudge holding) town. There's just no way. And yes, I do tell him that. While it shuts him up for the time being, it never really solves his issue with me. I make him think, even when he hates me. I will leave there when the man understands that he DOES respect me on some level, or we wouldn't have this respect/hate relationship for going on 4 years now. I know he has the wherewithal to complete his dream, he just needs to find it within himself to become a better person on the whole, not just in the back of the house. This is why I stay. Well, that and its only 1/8 of a mile downhill to get there :)

*****************************************************************************
somebody left car parts in the snow bank after running the slip-n-slide driveway several times. ooops. maybe I'll shovel it next time it snows. But this girl got it out on the second try, proving that Scarlett Vertebrates in training, such as myself, can get a job done. got-er-done!

porn?

I often forget that I am also The Cleaning Lady while posting on here, not just The Hostess & Interiorscape designer. I haven't had alot of drama in the cleaning arena in quite some time. What I have had is a breif encounter with mild porn. Now, I gotta tell you, I never buy porn mags, or videos. I don't watch it on skinamax (cinamax) after 11 pm, either. Last week I asked several girls at work about porn, I learned that I'm the odd broad out. I asked because I came across a mag while cleaning Dream House. I looked, of course. so would you.

What I saw was prepubescent girls. ok, so most of them were at least 18, and who really wants to look at old boobs anyway, right? I felt like a perv. So, as a joke, I left the owner of said magazine a note, requesting older women and more life like poses :). He left me two old playboy mags on the table. Thanks Teddy, Red and I giggled and chortled as we paged through them yesterday.

It's Friday, I'm sure there will be drama ensuing this evening, tomorow at the latest.

is it wrong to......

Is it wrong to inadvertently tell your boss to go fuck himself?

setting: Hostess scrubbing glassware behind the bar, owner/boss sitting directly in front of hostess' task. Boss says "hey! here's a bottle with a message in it!" (empty bud bottle with label inside). Hostess looks up and asks "does it say "go fuck yourself"?....

Hostess wasn't thinking before she spoke, was she? not. at. all. Hostess was thinking she'd like to take that message and send it to a few unreserved diners in the hotel, who deem themselves above a reservation. This was not how boss took it. oops. Good thing the New & Improved Boss is soooo much more easy going than old boss. He shrugged it off.

Line backer says to hostess at 3 pm Saturday "You better take it easy on me today." Bear in mind that we are mid funeral (12-5pm) gathering, and she has just taken two more large reservations without phone numbers that I simply cannot seat at the times requested, which LB KNEW... Hostess, having had two bloody Mary's in lieu of pay for her efforts during the funeral gathering, looks directly at the Line Backer and says " I am going to hand you your ass, just like everyone else in this place, after the book you left for me tonight." LB had no further comment. And she definitely had her supple ass handed to her, in spades, just like everyone else. We are an equal opportunity employer :)

For Teeny

Thank you, Teeny.
Thank you for being the first neighbor to come say hello and welcome us to the neighborhood. Thank you for having the most easy disposition about my horses getting ready to swan dive into your inground pool, without permission. Thank you for bringing your grandbabies over to play in the puppy pile. Thank you for giving us access to your water when our pump broke over a holiday weekend. Thank you for tipping my kid generously at the hotel.

Thank you, Teeny, for having been a good neighbor in a world to full of bad ones.

You will be missed dearly by all who had the pleasure of knowing you in your short life.

God speed....

New & Improved!

Ever notice when a product or service has a blip on their screen they "change" something about it? The hotel is mid blip. Changes are happening at the speed of light. New policies. New employees. Old employees with new titles or responsibilities. New accountant. New bar plans & construction. New atrium. ATRIUM??? WTF??? They're RED NECKS, for gawd's sake! What do they know from plant room to atrium? I knew.
When asked to "find somebody to fill the porch up with plants and maintain them.", I replied
"oh, you want to have an atrium? That will be beautiful!". I got a blank look and then..." yeah, one of them".... this is the OWNER.
And I did. Several somebodies, in fact. One I really liked, another was a patron, one downright snooty-your-beneath-contempt type and a couple tree huggers. All designers. I shoulda known....And to think, I got the job because the BIG GUY was scared a man might look at his butt. No gay men responded to any of my plant inquiries, except my sorta son, but he doesn't count, not this time anyway...
After several proposals were submitted to me, I asked Mr Cheese if perhaps we ought to go and buy our own plants at home depot and try to maintain them as best we can, in house. He said he didn't want to deal with maintenance.
guess what?
We're going to the plant nursery next week to buy our new plants.
I now have a third title at the hotel. Interior scape designer.
Guess that makes me New and Improved?

Children of Divorce

Every break up has a few, and the Cheese's have more than their fair share. Now that the divorce has been declared emminent, tears have started to flow, and of course the requisit anger and mayhem ensue. OK, it wasnt THAT bad, but I'm not one of the "kids".

What brought on this declaration?I think I did, inadvertantly. I didn't even know I was doing something wrong... I was merely walking out of the store with my kids, and what do I see but Mr B. Cheese wrapped around the 20 year old "Sinister Cupcake" in the checkout line. Well colour me suprised! I did not run home and call MRS B Cheese, nor did I call Mrs H, or Dolly or anyone else for that matter (I don't have a cell). Where the man puts his parts is of no concern to me, I felt the same way about a former president too. So long as the JOB gets done and gets done right, whats it matter to me? It doesn't, not at all. My life has other far more complicated issues at this time to be overly concerned with Hotel shananigans. But it sure does provide drama for this here lil ditty of a blog!

Friday night, we had a small meeting, the declaration was made and most were in a stunned state, Mrs H & I were not. Being the two grown ups in the building, we tend to not get excited over idle bantering and gossip while on shift. Being adults, we also know you should NEVER EVER shit where you eat. Thats a metaphor, for those who don't "get it", google it. What lit up my night was the simple act of Mr Cheese sitting down next to me and sharing a laugh & a margarita. First time in 4 years. Then it happend again on Saturday, breifly. Good thing I had saved my shock and dismay earlier, huh?

Saturday was one of those nights you walk away from shaking your head, but feeling rather goodly about. And I did feel good about the night as a whole.At one point, I felt as though Mrs Cheese would feel that we were dancing on her metaphoric grave, by simply doing what we do every night we work, life went on as usual for us.This is HIS midlife crisis in action. He's nuts, he's been nuts and that hasn't changed. The fact is this, HE IS the Hotel, she was a bright flower in the vase at the bar, and well, we all know what happens to flowers after a while, don't we? One day, SC (s-cupcake) will be a very similar wilted thorny rose on her way out, but I'm betting she will have a new rack and a new ride befor she rides into the sunset. As a former Wallet miner, I know another one when I see one. I'm not a bitch, I just know shit. Trust me.

ADDENDUM: I was RIGHT! SC already requested the new rack! bahahahhahahaaa!

Playing with Barbie

You all recall "Barbie" from my previous posts? Well, she's back and bitchy as ever! Friday night, the displeasure of her company was all mine. I ask, about ten thousand times a night, each girl, "do you need help? can I do anything for you?" and with Barbie, the answer is always the same, a resounding "NO!". Not being omnipotent, I find something else to do instead of assisting her, then she goes full tilt, into the weeds. She rants and raves at the bus kid for not doing whatever it is that SHE thinks they should be doing, and all after declining the offered help she needed from the start. One would ask why she declines the assistance being offered, and I have no sound reasoning to offer in her defense.
But what do I expect from Miss methadone besides pendulum like mood swings? professionalism. Its a high expectation, I understand, but its expected of me, so why not Barbie? I digress....
Barbie has never been to NYC (its a mere two hour drive from this hamlet), and I, ever on the peace train, was trying to broaden her world, just a bit, by taking her on an NYC excursion. Well, the MET is out, Barbie isn't "into" art (translation, she's under-educated and has no concept of fine art). Broadway is out too, Barbie doesn't like "plays" (yes, I'm dying laughing as I type this). So the winner is MONTEL WILLIAMS, with special guest SYLVIA, the psychic medium! oy vey, my head! I can guess why she wants to be in this audience, her late husbands demise. I am not judging Barbie on this, I can't say with 100% surety that contact after death exists or does not. If I were in her shoes, perhaps I'd want some comfort via Sylvia too, but I'm not. It just seems so damn pedestrian to me. to each her own, I suppose. I'm sure if nothing else, the trip will provide fodder for this blog, so stay tuned!

when the smoke clears

Mrs Hirschman and I regularly have what we like to call "Bitch 'n wine @ 9" on Friday nights, after she and I are done our shifts at the hotel. This Friday was no exception, nor was Saturday... Saturday, being a much more aggravating evening than Friday, was a test, of skills, of temperament, and of grace. I'd like to think I passed this test, but I'm sure if anyone did a poll, I'd come out short, BUT... well, you can't change whats passed, right?
allow me to explain....
Our "book" (reservations) is generally light at 4 pm on a Fri/Sat night. By 5 pm, the Hotel is booked solid, until at least 7:30. We have a modest 21 tables, 4 waitress' and 4 sections of seating, with smoking only being available at the bar. We fill up fast and if you have no reservation, odds are good you are either going to wait or leave. Saturday was no exception to this rule. My servers come in at a staggered pace, with the "late girl" coming in the door at exactly 5pm. My job is to keep the tables seated and turned as quickly as possible, without unduly burdening any of my 4 servers and 2 bus brats (divide 21 tables by 4 servers, it aint rocket science). I don't TRY to double seat my girls, unless its a direct request by the customer (requesting specific server). I only double sat ONE girl on Saturday night, and she was never in the weeds for an instant. On the other hand, "Barbie", who didn't come in until 5:10 pm, was very PO'd with me. Why? how would I know? that would require her to bitch TO ME as opposed to bitching to the kitchen, where nothing will get rectified quietly. Barbie was in the weeds when I overheard a comment that I double sat her, which I did NOT do, but I was directly ordered to make sure Barbie's "tops" (customer count) were not less than anyone Else's. She comes in late and leaves early, how am I supposed to keep her #'s as high as the girls who were in 2 hours earlier? BY FAVORITISM! (not mine, I assure you). recently, Barbie hasn't been turning tables as well as the other servers. Here's what gets me.... I get drink orders for the clients when I seat them, I put the order in with Mrs Hirschman and I deliver said drinks all before the server gets there to the table to introduce herself. Barbie had 4 tables,and was for some reason absolutely flustered. Why? I have no idea. They (the servers) tip me NOTHING, but I don't ask them to either, and only one of those girls (NOT Barbie) has ever offered me a tip, and she worked so hard that night, I gave it back to her. Back to Barbie.... Now I have great capacity for compassion, and Barbie has had a wretched year, including the loss of her very young husband a few months back. She has two young kids and a history that is cloudy at best, but she is TRYING to make her life better, and it shows, to those of us that know the back story. but she brings a whole new meaning to moody. I didn't snap. I held my tongue.
Mrs H and I both let out a scream when we finally got in her car, very stress relieving, and the two drinks we had after that worked even better.
Mrs H and I both enjoy our jobs, as much as we might bitch about parts of them, on the whole, we really LIKE the job (s). Mrs H and I both feel that we are not part of "the family", which is most likely why we hit it off when Mrs H started there, aside from the other similarities (like we've both been out of the state more than once)...even though she was told to "not get attached because she's leaving" (meaning ME... oddly, I'm still there 8 months later).

BIG CHEESE, we like you, and like working FOR YOU, despite your jackassed approach to management. all we need is a little clarity....when the smoke clears.....

Rainbow vaccuum cleaners and other evils

The evil rainbow got me. Attacked me on the stairwell, while full of that delicious slurry. I caught the newel post in the center of my back. That felt great, wind sucked from my lungs. And did Mr Robe say anything? HELL NO! not even an "are you ok?"

Mr Robe's only pourpose in life is to watch TV , get smashed, and occassionnaly flash the Cleaning Lady, thus the name Mr Robe. Now I don't know about you guys, but when I KNOW some one is coming to my home, for almost any reason, I GET DRESSED. Not Mr Robe, he claims that I am lucky he isn't in his skivvies (gag!). He even does this when his wife is home, and laughs about it! UHG!

Mr Robe has a walking cast on his foot. he's out of work for 8 weeks for a busted TOE. A cast on a busted toe... think on that for a few. Why, you may ask? because drunk people break stuff, including their own limbs. And Robe guy is no exception. He broke his toe multiple times because his drunk ass kicked walls. How stupid can some people be? never mind... I already know!

I had to start from scratch at The Hotel this week. Nothing like a 200 year old steak house for seriouse dust bunnies clinging to every surface, with a grease demiglaze, and a side of nicotien. Tilex is my wonder cleaner, screw the bathroom uses, it cuts grease & nicotien like nothing else. I hadn't been in the Hotel in almost 3 months to clean, it was ugly. My helper was studious almost to a fault, 2 hours on one room, I'd say thats a record, considering it wasnt a kitchen. Silly me, I got yelled at for vaccuuming! What was I thinking? a Cleaning lady that doesnt sweep....hmmmm, its so new a concept that I can't yet wrap my head around it! The lights are cleaned, the fans are unsoiled, the stones walls have been swept (not with a vacuum!) and the air returns are white again. Another job well done. And the reward was the best damn cheese steak in the world, bar none (look out Pat's steaks, we may be far, but its worth the trip!).

Now if only the financing gods would smile upon the owners of The Hotel, you see, theres a long unattended building on the other side of the mountains, which would be a smash hit if only the right owners could be found. The (big) Cheese's could do that. I know they could, and whats better is THEY know it too. So God's of finance, please shine your light on them, they need a new project to bring them together again.

Peace ya'll!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, one and all!
Well, we made it through yet another strange and tangled anum, not without a few bruises and lumps to show for the fight, either.
Any of you that KNOW ME, know I'm in a wicked legal battle for my dog , Tucker, whom my family misses dreadfully. That's still ongoing, but the outlook is promising, knock wood. In summation, a shelter was notified by us of Tuck's being MIA, they lied about having him then adopted him out, ILLEGALLY. Humane my ass...
BUT ANYWAY......
I managed to not work on New Year's, but I did run ragged Friday and Saturday nights! The HOTEL was packed and when you only have 21 tables, you have to slide them in where you can, or hustle em out at the most opertune moment. I only had to turn away one group...idiots...who comes into a packed restaurant, party of 8, with NO RESERVATIONS?????? duh.... if there are no parking spots, what makes these retards think they will magicly have a table waiting just for their large unreserved party? And then their indignity... don't I know who they are? (no, I don't, nor do I care) why, they KNOW THE OWNERS!:O (yes, so do I, for all the good that will do you while standing at the door with no rezzy). Ah well, you cant win them all, right?
I was not invited to the hotel "holiday party" for employees, nor did I expect to be, as I am sort of a stand in Hostess, on call when needed. Yes, I also clean the hotel, when its not inundated with celebratory gaudies (decorations to some...), but alas, the BIG CHEESE only likes me on weekdays, not weekends or holidays... or anytime he's under duress would be more accurate! But I'm not overly worried about weather I am liked or not. I gave that up in seventh grade. So long as I do the job I was hired to do and do it well, I am at ease.
Back at the ranch.... Hubby and I had another couple over for New Years eve. It was wonderful! La & Hubby came in around 10:15, we talked and sipped for the next two hours quietly and voila! the clock ticked us into another year! No fireworks. No live band. No theatrics. No resolutions. Just a nice middle aged new years celebration :)

May your New Year be filled with joy, a minimum of pain, and a dab of humility, just to keep you human. Be well all!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!