All That Glitters (and other cleaning nightmares)

Church cleaning never has become mundane. There is always something different each day that presents a challenge.

While I was walking through the nursery today I noticed that there was something on the little plastic fridge. I thought, "Hmm a new plastic leaf?" No. It was a real leaf of lettuce, at least I think it was lettuce!

I went downstairs thinking about the fishing booth. I looked at it and wondered if it would go down the skinny hall. Then I thought, "Well yeah, they had it stored in a room downstairs so surely it would work." I slide this booth down the hall and then I get to the original room where it was stored. Thankfully there is an angle for me just to push it into the room. Yeah, right! I get behind it and try to push it in there as easily as it slid down the hall. It was hung up. So I get in the room and pull it in. Then it's stuck. Me without a cell phone in my pocket. I thought if somehow I get in it and escape out the back...no that won't work. So pushed it out of the room and tried again. The wooden arms was stuck on the door frame. I thought if I shouted downstairs "Help I'm stuck downstairs," would anyone be upstairs and hear me? Was anyone else in the church at that time? A lot of things ran through my mind. I tipped the booth just so and it finally got in the room. Ah, that trapped feeling was gone. I wonder if that's a phobia? Being trapped in a room by a fishing booth?

I have cleaned a little wooden stove in one classroom. Once there was a little tin pot of water on the "stove" leaking through the wood! So now, when I check these dishes I make sure there is no water in them!! Can we just pretend to put the water in the pot next time, without physically putting it in there??

Then in another classroom they have the glitter ALL on the TABLE and on the floor. Well, I proceed to vacuum this stuff up. It does not go willingly in the vac. Then once I clean the floor I think "what about the table?" That was a mess. I go upstairs for a clorox wipe. I don't use JUST one, I use many. Glitter maybe pretty for cards and little kids like to put it on their cheeks (anyway S used to do this), but cleaning this stuff up is a nightmare!!! The room looks a lot better after I clean this up. The Glitter that was stored in little plastic shakers are at an undisclosed location. I NEVER want to see that stuff again!! I am still checking my hands to see if it is still on them!

In another room, the older kids classroom I have found batteries, playing cards, and push pins on the floor. Then usually a mess in the kitchen sink. When I first took on the job cleaning this room was up to the older kids. Well, the rules have since changed and now I have the task of cleaning up (aka being the maid) for this group. If these kids want to help clean then instead of leaving this mess on the floor and sink. Clean it up. There are two trash recepticals in there. There is cleaning solution and dish towels there.

Being a janitor you do so much more than just vacuuming, dusting, cleaning windows, or cleaning toliets. You also put things back into place, move things, pick up certain rooms, straighten chairs and hymnals. You check what is broken, torn up, or doesn't work quite like it did. You may have to clean up unexpected floods because roofs leak or other things leak. You do other things that some people take for granted, even though technically it's not in your job description.
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Here is an unrelated nightmare...today the price of gas is $3.79!! Pretty soon going to Wichita is going to seem like taking a luxious vacation!! The price of diesel is $4.35!! When will this gas nightmare end? It's not even the summer and the price of gas is just horrible!! Make it end all ready. I can remember when gas was a quarter a gallon. I hope someone can fix it!!