February 15, 2012
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New job--cleaning the library
Last fall, Vernon found an ad in the Ladysmith News for bids to clean the library. It had a huge list of things that needed to be done including: vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, cleaning cobwebs, restrooms, disinfecting the railings, door handles, dusting, and washing windows. When he showed it to me, he asked if I was interested in making a bid on the job. Frankly it looked a bit overwhelming but I told him that if he would help with the cleaning, I'd be into it. We certainly could use some more income and it would be something our entire family could do together.
I went up and evaluated the building and of course, I figured we could handle it.
So, we submitted a bid and didn't hear anything for a couple of weeks so figured someone else must've gotten the job. But about the time that we shelved it, Hollis, the head librarian called and said they accepted our bid. This was in Sept. but the job didn't start until January. We were to do it 3 times a week.
On Jan. 3, found us at the Library at 8 Am. Hollis let us in and we plowed in. It was dirty so we had a lot of work to do to "whip it into shape." We soon discovered that we had underestimated the job but after a week, we sort of developed a routine: Vernon and Jonny do the vacuuming which takes nearly 2 hours for them to do, Lavina cleans the 5 restrooms, Tiana cleans the lower level and I dust, sweep and mop and help whoever needs help. Kaity follows us around or sits and enjoys the children's nook. She loves riding the elevator too.
Here are some pictures of our new job. We do enjoy it and have learned to know the librarians in a way we never would have otherwise. We work Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8-10:30ish. The librarians claim the building has never been so clean since it was new. When we asked for pointers on what we could do to improve, Hollis said, "We are still reeling from shock on the good job you are doing!"
Now that's reward for a job well-done!
Kaity in the children's corner
Tiana mopping the lower level
Jonny vacuuming
Vernon vacuuming and cleaning the cobwebs
Lavina doing restrooms
Me doing the front foyer. Sometimes I have to dry the floor after I mop it because just mopping alone makes it look streaked.
Comments (5)
Sounds like a good family project.
The girls and I did some cleaning jobs together....a good opportunity for them to learn mom wasn't the only one who might be picky, and gave them some spending money
I hope you bid high enough...that is a lot of man hours.
This post brought back fond memories of when my sisters and I and a friend used to clean the town library , city and police offices. They were all in a big, old, brick building with huge multi paned windows and creaky wooden stairways. We LOVED the job! It was so much fun to have the whole place to ourselve after hours except the lone sheriff occasionally in the office still. It was all so still and smelled of old books ...awww lovely memories!
Enjoy!!
Val, we clean before the library opens but there's always one or more of them there. Otherwise we'd have to buy insurance to be bonded. It works out great this way.
Great job, well done! And yes, that would be a job!
That does sound like a good family project. Sounds like they needed you too!