I expect my not-quite five-year-old to dress herself. And to brush her own teeth, although I do supervise sometimes to make sure she's doing it well.

Franny too, hence my confusion. Isaac isn't quite up to dressing himself yet, at least not without supervision and assistance.

I find it interesting in how "au pair" is described these days. When I was in my teens (OK, a long time ago) au pairs were European girls who came to the U.S. for a summer and were "mother's helpers" - they'd provide back-up child care, a little light housework; they were here to improve their English, earn a little money, see a little of the world.

Actually true au pairs (nowadays rarely from Western Europe) have very strict regulations about what you can and can't ask them to do. They only stay 1 year, are not supposed to work more than 40 hours, should never to be left with the children overnight, etc. Their stipends are not that significant, but you have to feed and house them.

We had French au pairs growing up, as much for the help as for my Mom who had only moved to the US for my Dad. My sister also had au pairs. She had really good luck with most of them. I still am in touch with the one from Brazil. She was awesome. The others came from Lithuania, Poland, and South Africa.

I could use an au pair.

I remember having to show a dorm-mate how to fold a contour sheet the first week of school freshman year. Her mom had shown her how to do the actual laundry (complete with written instructions), but she was clueless when it came to folding.

I don't think that's really a class or pampering thing. I've been doing my own laundry for an awful lot of years and I'm still hopeless at that. (Also never heard it called that - I assume it's the same as a fitted sheet?)

Also never heard it called that - I assume it's the same as a fitted sheet?

I was just wondering that. If so...it's an art, and I don't judge anyone for not being able to do it well. I only started getting halfway sure it was possible after Hec was showing off here some whiles back.

I can't fold them, even with instructions. I needa second person to do it.

I only started getting halfway sure it was possible after Hec was showing off here some whiles back.

Showing off what? My fitted sheet folding skills? Because I don't have that skill set. JZ does, though, so our house is set.

Hmm. I wonder who it was then...I'm pretty sure it was a guy.

It was a guy, but I can't remember who it was

Top 100!

I remember having to show a dorm-mate how to fold a contour sheet the first week of school freshman year. Her mom had shown her how to do the actual laundry (complete with written instructions), but she was clueless when it came to folding.

Yeah, I don't know how to do that. I try, but I FAIL. Epic FAIL on the fitted sheet for Nora.

I don't know where I picked up the term "contour sheet"--it might have been at home, because "fitted sheet" doesn't seem to come naturally to me.

Then again, it might have been from commercials. I think we probably called it "the bottom sheet" when I was a kid, so I might have started saying "contour sheet" to be more grown-up because that's what they called them on tv.