Skip to main content

Decisions

We have a habit of shelving non-urgent work & doing things like going out instead or even just staying in, but then suddenly we have lots of properties to prepare, laundry to sort & we end up having to cram in as much as physically possible! Today has been one of those days, two large house cleans & an interview with some new customers... Now I have no idea why we really feel the need to take on even more work & can't believe that I've let Sime persuade me yet again, but we've shaken hands on it & we'll be starting in April...

The thing with this job is it's a holiday let, which means weekend changeovers & we've already got 6 properties to sort on Saturdays during the holiday season. So as we do at this time every year - we're having to think hard about the direction we want our business to go. Do we expand & take on staff? We have a couple of local women at the moment that help out when we're struggling & then there's Rose & Asa, who will help out during their summer break, but to actually become employers is a scary thing for us & many of our customers just want us, so it's difficult. We are also perfectionists when it comes to our work, so to pass it on to someone who probably doesn't feel the same way - would then threaten our business. Are we better keeping it small & manageable? If that's the case - then we have to think about dropping at least one, possibly two houses to enable us to continue without wearing ourselves out!

It seems that each year, we make adjustments & it does always seem for the better - we let go of those properties that make our lives difficult, places which are poorly maintained with owners unwilling to spend money on decent furniture & appliances (but charge high prices for the accommodation). These same owners always stall our payments & ask us to do more than was first agreed. Unfortunately, we never find any of this out until we get started. Today we have been able to come to a decision about two properties, the last two that we took on last year - both owners mess us about & we really don't have room for that. We know it's foolish to be loyal to these people, as they really don't care about us & as we are always getting calls from potential new customers - we might as well move on...

The next step is telling these people, which hopefully will be Sime's job (I'm a coward)! At least the majority of folk we work with are lovely & we are very lucky to be given such responsibility - caring for some amazing properties & meeting people from very different backgrounds to our own. Here we are, two scruffy, working class bums & just like that we're been let loose in some of the most expensive, upmarket houses we could ever imagine! We get invited to parties with nibbles, rub shoulders with film stars & titled people - a completely different world to ours & the funny thing is these folks seem to like us & trust us. Luckily, our feet are firmly on the ground, we're not easily awestruck & we have no desire to have that kind of lifestyle - it's all a bit of a laugh to us, just another Smith adventure!

One day, we'll give up the business altogether - when something better comes along... Though maybe it will be sooner rather than later, the new band that Sime has joined recently is looking to make it big. They are all seasoned musicians & their music is getting lots of interest.

Wouldn't that be hilarious? If at the age of 50+ Sime finally gets his dream come true & plays some big gigs in front of thousands of fans...


Perhaps then we could find someone nice to look after us for a change!

Now that definitely would be funny, but not impossible...

Kay :)

Comments

Anonymous said…
Making the decision to drop the 2 clients is the easy part. Telling them will be more difficult I would imagine.
Good luck with that,Sime!!
Alex said…
You make it sound like a very easy decision to drop some of the houses. Life is far too short to work with people you don't get on with.

And good luck to Sime with the band!
Kirsty said…
Really enjoying reading your blog after seeing a comment from you on a friends blog. Cornwall looks so gorgeous, I really need to try and explore there one day.

Good luck with the decisions :O)
Thanks guys & hi Kirsty - have just seen that you're a fellow home educator! If you click on our home education heading in the label section, it'll bring up blogs about our kids.

Kay :)
Catherine said…
I think dreams can come true at any age!! Good luck to Sime and the band!

You two are adorable!
Happy Weekend!
xo Catherine
Sime says thanks to everyone - he's going to be contacting the owners who have to go soon, but not until we've had this month's money!

He's also promising to do a blog about his bands soon too, but at the moment he's spending all his spare time learning songs for the new band & he won't be happy unless he's perfect! He has his first gig with them in 3 weeks time...

Thanks Catherine - don't think we've ever been called adorable before. You've made our day!!!

Kay :)

Popular posts from this blog

Diet And Drugs

Some of you know about my fight with Graves Disease, an auto immune system disorder, which causes an overactive thyroid. Since I was diagnosed 7 years ago, I have made it my business to know everything I possibly could about the condition & this has probably saved my life. I have blood tests on a regular basis & in November last year, I was told that my T4 levels are normal & again in January the same.  My thyroid stimulating hormone was finally starting to work too, after 7 years of lying dormant, so I suggested I came off the anti thyroid drug & my GP's response was to continue for a while longer. A month ago, I rang my GP & suggested again that I come off the drug or at least halve it, as I was feeling so well  & was concerned about the drug pushing me into being under active. Again, she said to be patient & they would send for me when it's time for a blood test. I don't normally do as I'm told, but decided to stick with it a b

Our Neighbours

The ladies next door have been giving birth in the field. Their babies are like any other babies - they sleep, they feed, they follow their mums everywhere, they run around, then fall asleep again.  These little beauties are completely unaware of their fate... But we know... And this is one thing which makes living here difficult. How can people eat other beings without feeling terrible?     It just doesn't make sense. Both the posters are from the  Cornwall Vegans  website. If you are in Cornwall or will be on Saturday 22nd April - do support this event! Perhaps you have been considering veganism - this  Vegan Starter Kit  will help you to get started and if you have any questions, need help or ideas for recipes - just ask, we are always happy to talk to folks who want to change their diet for the better. And in case you haven't seen this on iplayer - Here is  Simon Amstell's Carnage . Please, please think seriousl

Nettles

Our garden yesterday. Tall Nettles TALL nettles cover up, as they have done These many springs, the rusty harrow, the plough Long worn out, and the roller made of stone: Only the elm butt tops the nettles now. This corner of the farmyard I like most: As well as any bloom upon a flower I like the dust on the nettles, never lost Except to prove the sweetness of a shower. ~ Edward Thomas ~ Every time we venture out to pick nettles, Sime always goes on about this poem! Anyway, thought I'd share with you the article I've written for next month's Parish Magazine... Our hedgerows are coming alive with food aplenty, but hardly anyone really notices the nettles that surround us, they grow quietly while using their juices to produce a medicine that can bring health. Anaemia, arthritis, rickets, tuberculosis, respiratory diseases, colds, catarrh and lymphatic problems can all benefit from this wonderful wild and free super food. Nettles are rich in ca