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About The Author:

Laurie Barton was born in southern California and studied French Literature at Mills College in the Bay Area. Then she moved to San Sebastian, Spain. After several years of traveling, she has returned to southern California, where she teaches English to speakers of other languages.

• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Bedrooms
• All Remaining Rooms
• Spring Cleaning

Special Projects

• Move in / Move-outs
• Before / After party's clean up
• Garages / Patio's
• Rentals

We use ONLY Green Cleaning Products

Anyways, I didn't have to clean alone because I drove down to Home Depot and picked up one of those guys who wait out there. That was a weird experience! But it turned out great, he did a great job and did it for $25 less than the maids were going to charge. And now that I have his number I will probably use him for other things I need done. So all's well that ends well.

I have to go home now and unpack. It's 10:15 PM and I'm still at the office. Things are so crazy for me right now that I can barely breathe. We are working on getting permits for the retail space and my mom came last week to help me pick out furniture. I am so busy that a lot of things are being down-graded to non-priorities, which stinks (things like updating this blog!)

Also, I saw Stephanie Klein at The Container Store today. She was talking on the phone loudly. My first Austin "celeb" sighting. If you don't know who she is, you'll have to google her because I think I'm about to get locked in my office building so I don't have time to link to her website. Adios!

RS | MF

Some info: I'm going to finish all the series I've started, meaning I'll translate this (2 more chapters), Perverseness (2 more chapters) and Mad Chemist Mimika (one shot) next, unless something comes up.

Welcome to the Official French Maid TV website. Here you can find information about each French Maid, watch the French Maid TV episodes as they become available, check out other podcasting sites, and buy some awesome French Maid TV gear. Have a look around and see if anything excites you.

Read more and subscribe to podcast on the French Maid TV Website.

Since I have nothing to do, virtually, I decided to put in a few books from the Elder Scrolls lore here. Books that you don't need to really delve into the history of Tamriel to understand.
This one, is described as "A (mercifully short) excerpt from Crassius Curio's bawdy play"

This is the first part of 4 and this will probably be the "regular" hentai I'll be doing for the time being.
First 6 pages in color!

RS | MF

Today I meet up with Tokyo Hunter again at Akihabara for some shopping, I found out from him that there is the Uchimizukko event soon. I miss it last year and I didn't have my camera with me then, so I rushed all the way back to get it.

What is Uchimizukko?

I'm not sure why they called it that (anyone?) but it is a old custom of sprinkling water with a bucket of water on the street to cool it down. More about it here and last year Uchimizu coverage by Danny Choo and Tokyo Hunter.

The Uchimizukko event start off at Kanda Miyoji and then later on at Akihabara Station, Yodobashi-Akiba and Fujisoft(?).

Before I go further, some of the photo below are badly frame or some guy shadowing. There are a lot of press attending this time and they block everything. I have to try and squish in to take the photos, I want a Metal Gear Mk. II with DSLR camera addon!

After this, I went to the next event which will be held Akihabara Station. Looks like not all the maid will be present, in this case only her.

That is all for now, this is only the start of the summer event in Japan. I have another roll of fireworks picture up for process and blog.

"who else", you ask.

even though there is no other women in my life yet, i was still sandwitched in a duel where the parties were my mom and a women in house (not in my life though).

this other women is my maid, who is above fifty (let me state this at the very start)

here's what happened.

the maid was having a good time at our house. there were two bachelors ready to compromise with whatever she prepared for food and howsoever she kept the house. as mentioned in one of the posts earlier, we weren't happy with her performance. but there was no choice (these days it is so difficult to get a trustworthy maid).

enter mother. she is here on vacation with her eldest son and daughter in law.

it was difficult to convince her to continue the services of the maid. the concerns are of course on usual lines - the maid belongs to a backward caste. "mom, she has been working for long. did god bring any misfortune to us until now."

finally she agrees to continue the maid. but she will not be allowed to touch every thing in the kitchen. the maid will only prepare chapatis and wash dishes.

good for the maid. but not for her ego though. how can someone give her orders?

one who seldom absented herself for duty now disappeared without notice. one night there were some guests and the maid was no where to be seen. another day, the maid absented without notice for two days at a stretch. the extra work fell on mother and bhabhi.

mom was already furious at the maid. these instances served as fuel to the fire. can't she sweep the house regularly? shouldn't she mop up the house at least twice a week? how much time would that take? she hardly fries the spices; thats why the curry tastes so bad. her chapatis are always burnt. she seldom washes the dishes well.

Me: "mom, most of the things that you talk about are not her duty", i say. "would your sons do anything more than what is described in their job description?"

Mom: "oh! so you are trying to take sides with this maid"

Me: "who said this", i say defending myself

but mom is not convinced.

Me:"it's ok then", i say. "just tell her to leave from the next month onwards."

Mom:"why next month? why not tomorrow or maybe today. there is still 10 days for the month to end."

Me:"mom she is just like us - an employee to someone. how can you ask her to leave at such short a notice?"

Mom: "so what"

Me: "how will she find job so soon?"

Me: "and how will we find another good maid so soon"

Mom: "good maid! my foot"

Me: "at least she never steals anything from house"

Mom: "so you are again taking sides"

i am gagged. saying anything will also find me no repreive. i leave the results of the duel to time.

time surely proves to be a better judge. the maid is still working with us - two years since the time mom visited us. the duels continue each time mom is back to delhi, but i do ensure that i am never sandwitched again.

My Aunt and Uncle are going out to a party or something of that sort tonight and guess who gets to herd goats for a few extra hours? Oh yeah... Yours truly. Getting $10 an hour. And the goats gotta be in bed after a movie is over. Yeah, no biggie. I've babysat before.... that person still owes me money too... ANYWAY!!!

Also think I shouldn't be called the Goat NANNY. I think Goat MAID is more like it. Yes, I think i've been ordered around a lot. It's like being a waitress at some five star hotel, doing things to appeal the customer's every whim and need to make sure they're happy even if it means getting bossed around and (in my case) getting yelled at. So order me that Maids outfit, boy will it come in handy in the next month i'm here...

Ending on a nice note, I was on the 'mil watchin House today and was so excited and very happy when House and Cameron kissed. Thought it was so cute.

(Less than a month!!!!!!!)

So my Ah Yi or the kids call Yi Poh came to Spore for a month. Kyrie was hospitalized during Yi Poh's first week's stay. Hallie took a few days to warm up to Yi Poh. Since then both kids adore her, especially Kyrie. Everything she wants Yi Poh to help her, from bathing to feeding to watch tv together.

Yi Poh has gone home for more than a week now. Occasionally, Kyrie still mumbled, "I miss Yi Poh." Yi Poh called few days ago, but she's too shy to talk to her!!.

I bought presents for her birthdays and gave her angpow on Hari Raya and CNY. She eats what we eat and get a fair share of it. In short we never short changed her. I even loaned her 6 months salary when her husband was involved in a accident and need emergency surgery.

Things started changing towards her 2nd year contract. She became more moody and calculative. She lied and stole from us. Guess all these could be the influence of her fellow country-women from my neighbourhood. She flip flop on her decision on whether she wanted to renew her contract. All these happened during my maternity where both my kids were sicked. She really knew how to pick her best moment to make my life more miserable. She left Spore on 15th June 2008 and promised to return. I gave her all her money because she begged me so. We bought her many gifts and gave her a small angpow. I spent additional money to get her a new work permit because the old one was cancelled when she said she didnt want to renew contract. I even bought her a return air ticket and helped her to pack her bags.

She failed to return a month later and never bother to apologized. Later, we realised many things missing from my home. I was really mad and called her brother. Why I called the bother? Firstly, she decided to MIA when she failed to return and secondly, she's really afraid of her brother. The brother was not aware of all these and agreed to pay me back my compensation. We shall see if he does!!!

Moral of the story? Never treat your maid too nice? I dont know. What I know is I decided to get a Filipino maid this time.

If you think she's ugly, you haven't read the books. Brienne is described as way too tall and big (big as in "muscled", not as in "fat", she is lacking in the bosom department), with rough features, hideous lips that look almost swelling, a nose that's been broken a few times, covered in freckles and with the kind of blond hair that looks like dirty straw instead of gold wires. Her only beauty are her big, blue eyes.

So, yes, I made her far prettier than she should be. It was done on purpose. First of all, I love the character. Second, I try to look at people in the eye as much as possible, and I think that someone with huge blue innocent eyes must have some physical charm. You can't have lovely eyes and be that ugly.

This, as everything else, is sooooo registered.

Writing about these people makes me want to explode all over again * sigh. Better sign off now. Later ..

www.24kbar.com

Now, admit it, you’d go back to university today if all of the coeds looked and dressed like Hayley B. This very sweet looking blonde is wearing a cute maroon college uniform complete with a sweater and tie. However, this teasing babe slowly strips right out of her uniform and reveals her white cotton panties and matching bra. Soon, the only things she’s wearing are her panties her white socks.

Visit Only Tease today and you can see more of Hayley B and more beautiful babes teasing in sexy college uniforms. If you like women in uniforms, you are going to truly love this site. They feature photo sets and videos of women in all sorts of uniforms like nurse uniforms, policewoman uniforms and what seems to be everyone’s favorite the postman uniform.

Take the free Only Tease tour today.

Hubby and I decided that since the boys are older now, we would try to work things out without the services of a maid.  It's a scary thought... the loads of washing, ironing, householdchores, supervising the boys' homework, cooking, the lists goes on... And all these while holding a day job! I don't know for sure if we can manage the new routine.  All of us would have new routines by then. No more the luxury of sleeping till late (ie. 7am on workdays & 7.30am on weekends)!!! Oh yah, no more the many variety of homecooked food as my maid loves to experiment with recipes from cookbooks and cooks the boys' favourite dishes when they behave extremely well.  It's her way of rewarding the boys.

The boys will go to Morning Star for before school care arrangements, which means they'll have to be up by 6.30am for their pick-up at 7.15am.  I've still yet to figure out the rest of my routine. Honestly, I'm trying not to think too much about it... I don't know where to start planning.  All I know is that it'll be the beginning of very early mornings and very tiring late nights. But many are doing this, no? ...so what makes us so special that we can't make it?  True, it's been some time since I last done the full spectrum of housework, but I can still clean pretty well, and iron too.  Cooking is my greatest foe!  My friend, Cookie Monster, warned me it ain't going to be easy.

My other concern would be how much time I have left for the boys' school work and, obviously, I'll not be able to bake as often I would like.

In fact, I would have to remove my website for Joanna's Treats.  It tears me apart ;'( that it'll be removed because hubby & I worked spent many hours (due to our limited knowledge) to get that simple site up in 2006.  It has been quite a journey - baking for sale! Something of an achievement for me.  But with the new routine, I think I'd still bake if I can manage the quantities but unlikely to be on large scales, it'll be quite impossible.  But I do thank God for the opportunity to indulge in baking.

I try not to think of the uncertainties this change would bring and trust that God would guide us through and be with us.  If it turns out that we really can't manage, we would then explore other options.  We'll be praying very hard for the wisdom to know when to seek help when the time comes!

Wish us luck!

Maid -  Whether you choose to have a live-in, a full-time, a part-time or a top-down, a maid is actually a necessity for living in Bangalore.  As I explained to my husband, the housework is actually twice as much thus making having a maid not really a luxury.  Because of the dust, the ants and the general lack of automation there is plenty of work to keep a maid busy!  Most homes do not yet have dishwashers and I noticed that my maid spent a good portion of her day washing dishes.  Floors have to be dusted and wet mopped on an almost every day basis.  Washing will have to be hung out to dry, taken in, organized for the dhobi to iron.  A live-in maid is usually cheaper than a full-time maid because she is getting her room and board as well.  Many people don't feel comfortable with the kind of intimacy required from having someone living with you, however.  A full-time maid will generally work 9-6 or whatever time is convenient for you.  She will generally work 6 days per week.  In addition to a full-time maid some people also hire a top-down who comes in for two hours a day and just does dusting, wet mopping and bathroom cleaning - freeing up the maid to do everything else.  Maids often help with child care and grocery shopping as well.

Cook - Many homes employ either a part-time cook or a full-time cook.  I have a two-hour per day cook who comes in and prepares one Indian meal a day (two curries, rice, chappattis, etc.)  Some people just have girl come in to do "prep" work - the cleaning and the chopping.  On the other end are the families that have full-time cooks versed in all types of western and Indian foods as well as baking. 

Driver - Given the state of Indian roads, you will want to have a driver.  Usually the deal is for 10 or 12 hours days, 6 days per week.  Salary for drivers is becomming a difficult issue as the new airport has lured away many good experienced drivers to "company jobs."  Driver salaries in my neighborhood range from Rs 5500 to Rs 10,000.  It is important to check the credentials of any driver you hire.  Talk with previous employers, see the driver's license and keep a copy of it.  Generally, don't give too much salary in advance - you many never see the driver again!  While we have had a few great wonderful drivers during our time here, we have also been scammed and cheated a few times.

Dhobi - Most neighborhoods have someone who comes house to house to pick up the clothes for ironing.  There is usually a per piece charge (Rs 2-3 per item) and most will run a monthly tab.  It is a good idea for you to count the pieces and note them in a notebook.  Our dhobi is illiterate so he depends on a notebook that all the customers write in and keep track of all charges.

Anyhow something should be done by the end of the week.

RS | MF

As time bides by, said appendage, or rather its accompanying paraphernalia, gives its bearer rather interesting milestones in the journey of life such as a rumbling voice that sky-rockets 3 octaves in an instant during puberty, growth of hair in certain areas, or in other cases (such as Archer's) in areas not so certain, and some that make for interesting barstool confessions, such as an unhealthy interest in the house-help. ( Now you know why your younger brother' s clothes were always whiter than white. The 'Toss' used does not come in a mtungi, or at least, not of the plastic kind) However, realizing that further pursuit of any topics involving the house-help might make quite a number of the Nairobi born and bred male quite uncomfortable, I vote to leave it there, or at least postpone it to another post.

But talking of appetites, another one that characterizes the MMSS afflicted family ( and one which the house-help assists- above board, that is) is the one for food. I grew up with two brothers - and for your information, NO house-help - and mealtimes were always an interesting scenario. Once the food was put on the table there would be a sudden exodus, but not to the dining room, as would be expected, but in all other directions. We would either develop a sense of hygiene that required one to wash hands for 10 minutes or suddenly realize that cell phones needed to be plugged in and would head to the bedroom.

My mother never found out why this was the case, but she didn't mind as by morning the sufurias would all be empty, but the truth was, each one of us wanted to be the last one at the table so that we could properly conduct the Stainless Steel and Aluminum Orchestra, which consisted of scraping noises as the conductor ran the serving spoon so deep into the sufuria or serving dish it almost popped out on the other side. Actually, the process involved first using the serving spoon and when that could not extricate all the pilau from the sufuria, a tablespoon would come in next , then in certain cases, the sufuria would be up turned to drop the last of the offending grains. Of course, during the excavation process, contact between spoon and sufuria would birth a spark, which, coming into contact with the herbs and spices in the food would result in a flame that might have turned any watchers not just into a pillar of salt but into a complete condiment set of their choice. At this point, the holder of the pilau a'flambe would dash into the kitchen and return not with a fire extinguisher or a glass of water, but with two slices of bread with which he would then proceed to beat out the flames. We would be smiling at the fire-fighter's ingenuity as now he would be holding two slices of toasted bread, which he would add to his meal to be had with some soup, or something. In our house, we had bread with everything..bread with tea, bread with githeri (try it..akiai ni tamuuu!!!!!!) even bread with bread.

Those were some good old days. Nowadays, breakfast is had standing up (though I would rather it was something else had standing), lunch is more often than not forgotten and supper is had in some wee hours of the night in front of my computer. I miss the Stainless Steel and Aluminium  Orchestra. Might explain why I have taken such a liking to Symphonic music on those DMX music channels that come on DSTv.

AOB

Does anybody know what they'll do when they retire? Do share..