[lucymulligan]

thanks for everyones advice ...havnt been on for a few days as rabbit chewed through internet wires

[Mike_G]

Have you been out yet Lucy?

[lucymulligan]

yes yes yes .....out today ..... absolutley fan-bl£$%dy-tastic
on top of world ...confidence is right up there ...
all this started because at my last three houses i could never get a window cleaner ...and joking around at mums and tots i said "i dont know why i dont start up a window cleaning business " and everyone said if i did, i could do there windows so here i am ... i got two litlle boys who are 1 and 3 and i need to go back to work for sanitys sake ... so i invested 400 notes in getting set up ( need a better ladder though ) first it seemed great but for a while i began to wonder if i had been a bit stupid and maybee i should just get a normal womans job but after today i can wait to get started on proper customers not just my mates from mums and tots .... got some proper boots...samsons ,steel toe and mid sole ...made the world of difference .they got ladder grips on bottom .....this is so cool

[combat cleaning]

Well done Lucy, glad it went well for you.
Which quarters are you doing in Hampshire?
Keep at it and it will grow for you.
Best wishes.

[lucymulligan]

at the moment im just sticking to the army quarters where i live as if i put it all on a rota i would always be ok just carring my ladder about from house to house ... across the main road  about 1/4 mile theres all the civvie houses which i belive has a window cleaner (but he just shows up every three months !!) if all goes well i will expand over there but i would be able to make a living off of the army pad easy (if i got 5 out of 10 houses )

[Tosh]

Lucy, I left the army four years ago and started up window cleaning.

You're the first 'pad's wife' I've heard of doing this!

Just out of interest, where are you based and what Regiment/Corps is your better half in?

[lucymulligan]

hubbys in RLC down on south coast ... i decided to go back to work now our kids are 3 and 1. but even on my hubbys wage we cant afford a small house or anything . we missed the boat for property ladder . but we got a good posting at the mo and hubby wont be deploying for at least 2 years .. do you miss the army ? did you do your full 22 ?

[Tosh]

Hi Lucy,

I was originally in the RLC (RCT as it was then) and joined in 1986 as a Junior Leader in Colerne.

I may know your hubby!  Was he ever stationed in Bielefeld?

[Tosh]

hubbys in RLC down on south coast ... i decided to go back to work now our kids are 3 and 1. but even on my hubbys wage we cant afford a small house or anything . we missed the boat for property ladder . but we got a good posting at the mo and hubby wont be deploying for at least 2 years .. do you miss the army ? did you do your full 22 ?

Sorry, I missed your other questions:

I miss the army, but not the tours away; or the 'damn about factor'; the duties; the forced fun or the discipline.

I left as a SSgt in a Warrant Officer's post, so was doing okay, but didn't do my full 22 years (I did 17 years).  I just had enough and wanted out.  If I don't know your hubby, I bet we know mutual people.

How long has your hubby got to do his full 22? 

I also know what you mean about buying a house; house prices are crazy!  Apparantly, the average first time buyer now needs at least 35K as a deposit, and even then the mortgage will not be cheap; depending on which part of the country you wish to live.

[lucymulligan]

yeah everyone knows every one hubby is called lee mulligan but bet ya you know the same people i know he has done ireland kosovo quatar egypt andover south cerney chicksands and before i met him i cant remember he is 31 so you must know some people .he has been in 12 years .. done my sons school windows for free today  ( he is 3 so the pre school is small ) got  LOADS of business oportunities from it ..... people seeing me do it pluss the teachers .... you got to speculate to accumulate !!!

[AuRavelling79]

Hello Lucy - welcome aboard - I haven't noticed you over here in FAQ until tonight. You sound very enthusiastic. Go careful up that ladder in the icy/wet conditions and bear in mind that decking is lethal for ladders slipping on.

[Moderator David@stives]

Lucy

I would second that please be carefull on the ladders.

Do a search on the hse site for some ladder safety leaflets and advice.

I will try to find you some links.

Have you considered wfp ?

Dave

[Moderator David@stives]

here is a good place to start

http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2005/e05141.htm

[lucymulligan]

i have read loads of ladder saftey . i got a ladder mat and a stand off. plus proper boots .. was gonna go on a diet but figure the extra weight will sink me in the ground a bit more ( im only 10 st could probably do with a bit more on ) ...i spent alot of time practicing going up and down . gonna take it slow . i know there was 7 deaths from falls BELOW head height last year .. oh my god ?? i like living dangerously ..,.. i just want to work outdoors .... PS what you doing up at 5AM i have two boys that drag me up at 6  ....thats bad enough

[combat cleaning]

Hi Lucy
Regarding ladder safety, I also do quarters and never use a ladder!
From the sound of it your houses are like mine with a washroom window over the porch.
I use an ettore two section Reach extension pole and a backflip on all upper windows which is fast and safe.
The poles and backflip can be seen on a suppliers site if its confusing you.
On all the houses I do this reaches all the windows and the customers are fine with me using it, and you are complying with the TWAH directive and not freezing at the top of a ladder.
From your descriptions to tosh I dont think that we are on the same site!
Guessing Port and Maritime.
Best wishes.

[lucymulligan]

mmmm....dont be giving away my top secret location .... ha ha
seen recently a couple of old guys with a ford mondeo with a ladder on the top but every time i see them they are eating pies and reading the sport or nuts or something .,..but figure they are my competition

[Tosh]

I dont think that we are on the same site!
Guessing Port and Maritime.

Nah, he's a Movcon (Movement controller); judging by his past postings; this is his first, according to lucy to Marchwood.

Combat cleaning, you must be an ex-Trog to know that!

[lucymulligan]

yeah you guessed ....was only being shady as i didnt think hubby would be best pleased me telling everyone where we live but he said its ok ...........you guessed anyway ....!!! you should of joined the inc core.. got a full days work tommorrow ........cant wait .. love reading this site its really good and funny

[combat cleaning]

eX Donkey Walloper!, Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
Live in Hampshire and do the Middle Wallop Quarters.
Sailed into Marchwood in 1972 with a load of Polo Ponies from Malta when the Mintoff thing took off.