Hey kids !!!
My Tess💕 has been away for a while,but she came home a few days ago. She returned to a house that looked like four pigs 🐷🐖🐖🐖, a couple of dogs and possibly a bear🐻had been living there (on the phone she kept telling me not to worry about it, so I didn't until she called to tell me she was coming home 😅 and then it was too late😣). The cupboard was so bare that our resident mouse🐭 had died of starvation. After the funeral, Tess sorted the mountain of laundry👔👖👘 and rallied her troops, her friends Lily and Elle, who help her around the house, and told them that they would be doing the spring cleaning a little early this year. After taking inventory, Tess made her Walmart order and asked me if I could pick it up🚛. Considering that she hadn't burst into tears or scolded me when she walked in, how could I refuse ? On my way home I picked up takeout 🥡🥡🥠🥠from our favorite Chinese restaurant, not only because I knew that there wouldn't be a homecooked meal in the near future, but to celebrate Tess' homecoming🎈🎈🎉.
When she first came to work for me nine years ago, I found out pretty quickly that Tess is a teeny bit obsessive in her domesticity. In the first week she completely reorganized the kitchen from refrigerator to pantry and everywhere in between. One day, I found her alphabetizing the herb and spice containers. I told her not to bother, that I'd just mess them up again when I cooked.
Tess: YOU...cook?😲 Me:Yeah, not like you, but I know my way around a kitchen. Tess: Your assistant (lets call her "Claire") told me that you could not boil water. Me: She exagerates. Tess: Then why were you hiring a Private Chef? Me: I wasn't. Claire kept telling me I needed someone to look after me, but she had her own family, so she said she was going to find someone for me. And she did 😀. She did the pre-interviews and when she had narrowed the field to three, she arranged for them to come to the house to meet me. The first one reminded me of that guy from the FOOD channel that runs a bakery with his sisters and they're always fighting. That guy😞. First, he complained that I had an electric stove (it came with the house I had at the time),then he didn't like the pasta or the cheese or the wine in my pantry. When I asked what his signature dish was, he looked at me like I had offended him. "PASTA !!! ,😵He shouted, waking my dog and when she started barking, he said "Does IT have to do that?" 😒I asked him if he had seen my front door, and then I showed it to him😠. When I came back, I looked at Claire😟. "He wasn't like that when I interviewed him." She promised I'd like the next one, adding "She's just your type". Me: I don't have a type ! Claire: Oh, sure you do! Me: What is it? The doorbell rang so I never found out, but if what came through my front door next was any indication, I was in need of change. Immediately !!! If Crazy Jane has a long lost sister, I've met her😬. She never did cook for me and she only stayed for about fifteen minutes (which was plenty !!!). Apparently, she thought that the job might include more than just cooking for me (if you know what I mean😉.) When I cleared up that little misunderstanding, she was no longer interested in the job,told me that I had wasted her time and that I didn't know what I was missing, and left in a huff.
Claire😲 began to apologize when her phone rang. It was contestant #3 calling to say that she was unavoidably detained and would we like to reschedule? "Just cancel !!!" I whispered. She shook her head. They rescheduled for the next day. Claire assured me that I'd like this one. Me: After today, I don't trust your judgement."
So, to make a long story short, ( I know, too late😏) at eleven o'clock sharp the next morning, a living doll , carrying TWO bags of groceries😀, sashayed into my life (and into my heart🤗), made me REAL southern macaroni and cheese (My choice, and still the best I've ever had)😋fried chicken and chocolate chip cookies 😋😋 , made me smile, made me laugh and made me wish I WAS interviewing for "more than a chef" 😍(although, I wouldn't tell her that for years). I hired her on the spot and she moved in the next day and began to put my house and my life in order. I'm not an easy guy to work for (or live with) and she's come close to quitting several times, but she's never given up on me😌. Good things DO come to those who wait. I know that firsthand now. Perhaps if I had met her sooner......No, the past is what shapes us, the future is something to look forward to and the present is a gift. And sometimes the bad times make you that much more appreciative of the good (and great) ones. Two days later the house is pristine again, I have a closet full of clean, ironed clothes ( who irons t-shirts🤨 ???) the cupboards (and fridge and freezer) are full (as is my tummy😚) and it's warm and cozy and smells like cookies🍪🍪. Best of all, My Tess is home again. All is right with the world. 💘😊😉💘
When she first came to work for me nine years ago, I found out pretty quickly that Tess is a teeny bit obsessive in her domesticity. In the first week she completely reorganized the kitchen from refrigerator to pantry and everywhere in between. One day, I found her alphabetizing the herb and spice containers. I told her not to bother, that I'd just mess them up again when I cooked.
Tess: YOU...cook?😲 Me:Yeah, not like you, but I know my way around a kitchen. Tess: Your assistant (lets call her "Claire") told me that you could not boil water. Me: She exagerates. Tess: Then why were you hiring a Private Chef? Me: I wasn't. Claire kept telling me I needed someone to look after me, but she had her own family, so she said she was going to find someone for me. And she did 😀. She did the pre-interviews and when she had narrowed the field to three, she arranged for them to come to the house to meet me. The first one reminded me of that guy from the FOOD channel that runs a bakery with his sisters and they're always fighting. That guy😞. First, he complained that I had an electric stove (it came with the house I had at the time),then he didn't like the pasta or the cheese or the wine in my pantry. When I asked what his signature dish was, he looked at me like I had offended him. "PASTA !!! ,😵He shouted, waking my dog and when she started barking, he said "Does IT have to do that?" 😒I asked him if he had seen my front door, and then I showed it to him😠. When I came back, I looked at Claire😟. "He wasn't like that when I interviewed him." She promised I'd like the next one, adding "She's just your type". Me: I don't have a type ! Claire: Oh, sure you do! Me: What is it? The doorbell rang so I never found out, but if what came through my front door next was any indication, I was in need of change. Immediately !!! If Crazy Jane has a long lost sister, I've met her😬. She never did cook for me and she only stayed for about fifteen minutes (which was plenty !!!). Apparently, she thought that the job might include more than just cooking for me (if you know what I mean😉.) When I cleared up that little misunderstanding, she was no longer interested in the job,told me that I had wasted her time and that I didn't know what I was missing, and left in a huff.
Claire😲 began to apologize when her phone rang. It was contestant #3 calling to say that she was unavoidably detained and would we like to reschedule? "Just cancel !!!" I whispered. She shook her head. They rescheduled for the next day. Claire assured me that I'd like this one. Me: After today, I don't trust your judgement."
So, to make a long story short, ( I know, too late😏) at eleven o'clock sharp the next morning, a living doll , carrying TWO bags of groceries😀, sashayed into my life (and into my heart🤗), made me REAL southern macaroni and cheese (My choice, and still the best I've ever had)😋fried chicken and chocolate chip cookies 😋😋 , made me smile, made me laugh and made me wish I WAS interviewing for "more than a chef" 😍(although, I wouldn't tell her that for years). I hired her on the spot and she moved in the next day and began to put my house and my life in order. I'm not an easy guy to work for (or live with) and she's come close to quitting several times, but she's never given up on me😌. Good things DO come to those who wait. I know that firsthand now. Perhaps if I had met her sooner......No, the past is what shapes us, the future is something to look forward to and the present is a gift. And sometimes the bad times make you that much more appreciative of the good (and great) ones. Two days later the house is pristine again, I have a closet full of clean, ironed clothes ( who irons t-shirts🤨 ???) the cupboards (and fridge and freezer) are full (as is my tummy😚) and it's warm and cozy and smells like cookies🍪🍪. Best of all, My Tess is home again. All is right with the world. 💘😊😉💘
