If you ever read the Nancy Drew books, you probably fell in love with her housekeeper. Even as a young pre-teen, I recall thinking how much I wanted her to live with me. It’s been awhile since I read the series, but I just remember thinking how nice it would be to NOT have to do chores.
I haven’t vacuumed in months. Now, I am not an obsessive house cleaner by ANY stretch of the imagination. Really, if you have been to my house, the thought wouldn’t even have crossed your mind. *grin* But, I try to kept things picked up and wiped down. Ish.
Happily, my vacuuming is taken care of by my (sort-of) live-in housekeeper. She’s great, but she only does floors. She’ll work any hours, but she’s not too bright. I have to move things off the floor as she will just mindlessly push them around otherwise. And, woe, if an elastic headband gets in her way–that will bring her to a screeching halt.
In the absence of Hannah Gruen, the Darling Husband bought me a Roomba (robot vacuum cleaner) for my birthday last year. (As an aside, mine is not the all-sparkly one in the pic–I found one on craigslist.org that was gently used and much cheaper–go frugal me!) I sort-of laughed at him at the time, enjoying how excited he was at MY birthday present. He insisted that he was doing it for me, thinking of saving me all that time. Uh-huh, I thought, suuuure. Something all gadgety and fun for him to play with. However, I have to say, he was right. (It didn’t save us any time initially, as the whole family stood and watched it zoom around the first couple of times we ran it. It’s kinda mesmerizing…).
I heart my Roomba (which we call the Room-Bug. The Toddler points at it and shrieks “Bug! Bug! as she’s not sure if she likes it or not). It zips along happily, without complaint (unlike my 9 year-old who is currently throwing a fit because I asked her to DO something). I run it in a room almost every day and I can’t imagine life without it. This is how insidious technology is. Remember life BFORE DVR’s? When you COULDN’T pause live tv? Ack–how did we ever survive?
When we had to order a new battery for the Room-Bug, I actually had to pull out the old Hoover. Funnily enough, I almost forgot how to turn it on and spent a few seconds looking for the power switch…
I’ve got vacuuming covered, but if Hannah Gruen wants to come scrub my bathroom, that would be great..
© 2008 – 2009, melissa caddell. All rights reserved. If you steal my stuff, I will also be really, really mad.
Meals: The art and science of feeding your family Click here to buy! 
Wonder what your kids are reading?Bookalachi is your source for parent reviews of kid & YA books!
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Just wanted to let you know that I read a few of your posts and they are all great! I love your writing style–you are very funny! Just to let you know I was in the middle of doing my nightly tidy up when I decided to check my own blog and then got sucked into your blog :-) Now gotta get back to tidying. And by the way I sweep and swiffer my floors daily and now I think I need a Roomba!
I tell you what, I would give my left kidney for a Roomba! Okay, maybe my left pinky nail. You get my drift.
we love roomba. when roomba comes into my room, i feel all favored and flattered, until it chokes on my throw rug and i have to boot him out.
Kalisha–thanks for dropping by! Yes, you do need a Roomba. Trust me on this one. :)
Catherine–I hear ya, chica. We got an older model off of craigslist.
Ooo, I just checked and there is one in Littleton for $60! Whoo hoo!
Rex–yes, sadly, roomba is not so bright. Ours tries to climb up the slight incline of the table leg. It sits there, whirring, trying to get off and it is just pathetic. I usually end up calling it names as I rescue it…
Idea for the DH: mount a laser pointer on the front. I am still working this out, but — with 2 cats in the house — it looks like it’ll be fun.
We are saving up for our second-generation (which is about 5th gen in the production line) Roomba, so Rex won’t have to worry about it choking on rugs or chords.
Ours gets trapped under the couch, on the foot rail, which is JUST the wrong height so it can’t decide whether to back off or go over.
NOTE TO PROSPECTIVE ROOMBA BUYERS: Make sure you’ve a person around the house, like me or the DH (perhaps), who doesn’t mind getting grimy as they service the machine. Emptying/cleaning it is not for the dirtphobe!
we love roomba. there need to be more housekeeping robots, in my opinion.
Yes, cleaning it out is a bit of a pain. But less of a pain then actually vaccuming. :)
Absolutley, we need more cleaning robots! But, there is that whole iRobot/Terminator thing, where they will come to life and rebel. I might be willing to risk it, though. Who am I kidding, sign me up for the first one! If it kills me, at least the house will be clean when the police and paramedics arrive!