housekeeping

I have the next two days off (Sunday and Monday), after 6 days in a row at my new job.

This morning was the first day I've felt as if my body was adjusting to the newness of 'manual' labour. Surprising, as yesterday, Friday, was a crazy, marathon of a day. I'm still officially training and only on half the eventual expected workload, but yesterday I barely stopped to catch my breath.

One hundred and seventy rooms out and one hundred and seventy new arrivals -- almost a complete turnaround. I only had 6 rooms in six hours. There can be a lot of lost time finding low supplies, waiting for the service elevator, etc., contacting supervisors or maintenance about wayward irons and bedside lamps. The departures require complete bedstrips which involve a mammoth struggle fitting a floppy down duvet into a queen- or king-size coverlet. I am determined to master this bewildering process of the duvet.

Fortunately this week I am off Sunday and Monday, other big check-out days.

I find this whole cleaning process strangely comforting. It takes me back to my childhood. With every tucked bed sheet I can hear my mother explain to me about 'hospital corners'. With the flapping of every clean pillowcase, I can hear my mother telling me how the zipper should go in first, so it doesn't show.

Every room is like a visit with my mother. Something I certainly wasn't expecting, but something very nice indeed.