Some Things are Best Left to Professionals

I seem to be using this phrase a lot more as I get older. It's fine to try and do things for yourself. It's even better to know when this is not a good idea. Here's a brief list of things that I find are best done by professionals:

1. The grooming of the dog. Anyone who has ever tried to bathe and groom their furry pet will certainly agree with me that the paid groomer does a much better job at this task. Plus, they adorn her with this adorable little bandanna, which is always coordinated with the seasons. She had a really cute one around St Patty's Day.





2. The hemming of the pants. I'm quite short, at 5' even. With the exception of Lands' End petite jeans, every pair of pants I purchase requires hemming. I don't even know where to start with such a task. I go to a local seamstress whose workroom makes my studio look neat and organized. I can't figure out how she keeps everything straight, but my pants are always ready when promised. And she doesn't speak much English, so I never have to hang around and make chit-chat with her.

3. Serious accounting and the filing of the taxes. I really do enjoy a bit of bookkeeping and checkbook-balancing. But serious accounting? Fuggedaboutit. Again, I don't even know where to start. I've been using the same accountant for the past 12 years and he knows me better than I know me. That's a comfort.

4. The cleaning of the house. Unfortunately, this is one of those things that just isn't in the budget right now. On the rare occasions when it actually gets done, I do it myself. And I don't do it well. I remember the good old days when I had a real job and made gobs of money. The "girl" came once a week and my house was always spotless. That was a long time ago in a faraway place.

5. Anything involving the fixing of the car. My husband is a very handy guy, but we are both firm believers in going to the expert when the car is acting funny. We even take our vehicles to the shop for oil changes.

This list is by no means comprehensive. If you have things you would like to add, please leave a comment.