Oh, Dear. I’m June Cleaver.
This past weekend we had company. My husband’s cousin and his wife spent a few nights.
Folks don’t stay over much. We live out in the country,and most of our friends and relatives think we are somewhere north of Vladivostok. (actually, it’s Connecticut.)
But we had a family wedding. Our houseguests’ daughter was getting married out here in Siberia.
I had a busy week at work and hadn’t had much time to get the house ready for company. I had washed the sheets and hung clean towels in the bathroom. I figured, at worst, if I couldn’t get to anything else, at least they had fresh linens.
I raced home from work on Friday afternoon. My husband had done a pretty good job in the kitchen, but the fruit bowl held some pretty old and fragrant bananas. So I threw together a banana bread, and changed that smell into something much more pleasant.
Then I quickly changed out of my fancy office attire (meaning my ‘good’ jeans, cami, and silk sweater) and into old jeans and baggy tee. I set to vacuuming. With four kitties, it doesn’t take more than a day or two to be kicking up little hairy clouds as you walk.
I vacuumed like a demon, as time was running out before our guests would arrive.
All finished. I bent down to unplug the vacuum from the last outlet and saw what was still dangling from my neck. My lovely (and expensive) strand of pearls.
I have heard that the warmth of a woman’s body (i.e., perspiration) enhances the iridescence of pearls. That’s so nice. I wore them to the wedding. They glistened.
- Posted in: Fashion ♦ Home ♦ Humor ♦ Style
- Tagged: Aging, Connecticut, Family, housework, Humor, June Cleaver, Leave It to Beaver, pearls
notquiteold 
June would be so proud. Were you wearing pumps too?
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I love your sense of humor and your sense of style! I think I am going to start wearing my pearls around the house every day–maybe I’ll be inspired then to do more housework so that my home will live up to the Cleaver’s and your reputation!Loved your post.
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While I never bother to vacuum, so won’t be found wearing my pearls then, I am often found walking my dog at the park in sweats, sneakers and, yes, pearls. There are many deer who envy my look.
Thanks for the smile, June!
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My father’s parents grew up in Germany. My grandmother believed it was bad luck for a husband to buy his wife pearls, but that every woman should have a strand of pearls. Guess what my dad, and the oldest, had to buy his sisters when they graduated from high school?
I’m the oldest boy, and whwile my sister is very worthy of several strands of pearls, she aint getting them from me. Traditions die.
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I vote for keeping THAT family tradition alive! Yea, sis!
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I love “bigsheepcommunications” comment!
We also had company visiting this past weekend; I did vacuum before their arrival, but I didn’t wear pearls while doing so.
Loved this post!!
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I love it. I need to get my pearls out!
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Love this! I’m a pretty crappy housekeeper, but am the exact same way about linens (and, by the way, people think we live in Siberia, too [a.k.a. western Jersey]). If nothing else, they shall have clean sheets and towels!!
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Almost makes me want to put on some pearls and vacuum. Almost.
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Hi June (I mean Nancy):
I have a question about etiquette. My husband does the vacuuming. Should he wear pearls?
Sincerely,
I Hope Not in Canada
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Dear Hope Not in Canada: Of course your husband should NOT wear pearls. But a tie would be appropriate.
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You have inspired me to always wear pearls when I vacuum. The thing is, I almost never vacuum.
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Well, I like June Cleaver, although I always did think it was rather odd to do housework/cooking in strings of pearls, a shirtwaist dress and heels . . . so it’s not so bad! All in the perception. I’ve often wondered why in the world I shower, get dressed, do my hair and makeup when I’ve no place to go (???) My kids will probably blog about that one . . . 🙂
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I think it was Phyllis Diller who said that housework was ridiculous. You work your butt off cleaning toilets, vacuuming, dusting, and then six months later, you have to start all over again.
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T-Bob’s hair could make another rug. We have to vacuum daily to ward off the dust colonies/balls/clouds, you know what I mean. And, I do it when inspiration/motivation hits…dressed from work or in my jammies. Great post and good job!
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You make me smile….
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You’re one classy housecleaner!!!
🙂
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It’s nice to have such realistic role models! I hope everything went well and, on the plus side, you din’t have to worry about insuring those lovely pearls! 😉
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NICE pearls. What a hoot. Do you do housework often or only when company is coming? I try to avoid it as much as I can but then I don’w own any pearls, so it’s a bit of a chore doing.
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My housekeeping is TOTALLY limited to an as-needed basis . . . I mean, to do otherwise seems such a waste of energy, doesn’t it? It’s kind of like making the bed ~~ never do it, except when the sheets need changing. Who CARES how the sheets and blankets are laying? It’s not like anyone ever sees the bed, except me and my husband, maybe the cats. But it you have to do housekeeping, I think pearls are just fine!!
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I’m not ashamed to admit that I love June Cleaver and her pearls.
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