Coffee first thing in the morning is my go to drink, nothing fancy just a mug of plain old black coffee, but if I forget to flip the switch on the coffee maker then my coffee drinking routine is delayed, thus ruining coffee being ready when Cindy's Dad and I sit down for breakfast.
"Jimmy! You forgot to start the coffee!" And why is Cindy yelling at me? Because starting the coffee is my job. I get up before she does and she makes breakfast as soon as she gets up, if Cindy starts the coffee when she starts breakfast then the coffee isn't ready, if I start the coffee when I get up then it is. Besides she does make the coffee every night before she goes to bed so all I have to do is flip the switch, and she doesn't even drink coffee herself, so with that said I have no problem with starting the coffee each morning being my job.
Unloading the dishwasher is something else that I do, and why do I do this you may be asking, Because it's my job... Just how did I get myself saddled with a job like this? Every night when we come in from our computer time, the dishwasher is finished and Cindy walks right past it and sits down, I open up the dishwasher and begin my wifely duty of putting the dishes away.
You won't hear me complain though, because the first thing is we only run the dishwasher once every day, and second is Cindy cleans up after each meal and loads the dishwasher, this includes breakfast, lunch, supper, and any random snacks we may enjoy during the day. After supper she starts the dishwasher and it is ready for me to unload when I shut my computer down.
I could make a stand and refuse to unload it, but then again she is doing all the cooking and the loading of the dishwasher, and with that said I'm not ashamed to admit that I unload the dishwasher because it's my job.
One of my sons told a joke a number of years ago:
"How many men does it take to sweep the floor?"
"I don't know, how many?"
"None, because that's women's work!"
I don't necessarily think that is too funny! Because I sweep the floors in our house, I mop them too, and I even run the vacuum...Why? You may be asking, even though you already know the answer! Because it's my job!
Cindy does the cleaning and dusting of all the knick knacks and pretty pretties, the wiping down of the counters and stove, you know all of the above the floor stuff. I'm a whole lot safer cleaning the floors than her collection of pretty things, and whether you see doing the floors as women's work or not, I do them in our house because...Ok everybody all at once! "Because it's your job!"
I could go on and list a lot more things, like cleaning toilets while she cleans the rest of the bathroom, or folding sheets while she is on the other end folding the opposite side, or putting away the laundry that she washed and dried.
When I was still working, Cindy did the majority of the household chores without ever asking me for any help, except for taking the trash out, yes taking the trash out is definitely my job and always has been for some reason. I never asked why, I just figured the answer was..."Because it's your job!"
But since I've retired it's only fair that I pitch in and help out around the house. The thing is, there are jobs in each of our households that have to be consistently done, some of them you always did and others were your spouses responsibility, while other tasks were always shared. End result is whether you like it or not, they still have to be done.
I don't really mind helping out with housework because I know somewhere within the fine print of the marriage contract, there is a line that reads "Jimmy you will do these things, Because it's your job!"
What is your least favorite household chore?
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| Cup of coffee (Image Source) |
Unloading the dishwasher is something else that I do, and why do I do this you may be asking, Because it's my job... Just how did I get myself saddled with a job like this? Every night when we come in from our computer time, the dishwasher is finished and Cindy walks right past it and sits down, I open up the dishwasher and begin my wifely duty of putting the dishes away.
You won't hear me complain though, because the first thing is we only run the dishwasher once every day, and second is Cindy cleans up after each meal and loads the dishwasher, this includes breakfast, lunch, supper, and any random snacks we may enjoy during the day. After supper she starts the dishwasher and it is ready for me to unload when I shut my computer down.
I could make a stand and refuse to unload it, but then again she is doing all the cooking and the loading of the dishwasher, and with that said I'm not ashamed to admit that I unload the dishwasher because it's my job.
One of my sons told a joke a number of years ago:
"How many men does it take to sweep the floor?"
"I don't know, how many?"
"None, because that's women's work!"
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| Woman sweeping while man watches (Image Source) |
Cindy does the cleaning and dusting of all the knick knacks and pretty pretties, the wiping down of the counters and stove, you know all of the above the floor stuff. I'm a whole lot safer cleaning the floors than her collection of pretty things, and whether you see doing the floors as women's work or not, I do them in our house because...Ok everybody all at once! "Because it's your job!"
I could go on and list a lot more things, like cleaning toilets while she cleans the rest of the bathroom, or folding sheets while she is on the other end folding the opposite side, or putting away the laundry that she washed and dried.
When I was still working, Cindy did the majority of the household chores without ever asking me for any help, except for taking the trash out, yes taking the trash out is definitely my job and always has been for some reason. I never asked why, I just figured the answer was..."Because it's your job!"
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Photo by Marie-Sophie Tékian on Unsplash
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I don't really mind helping out with housework because I know somewhere within the fine print of the marriage contract, there is a line that reads "Jimmy you will do these things, Because it's your job!"
What is your least favorite household chore?
Cooking...but.....I like to eat so there you go.
ReplyDeleteYep, you are right Delores there are some chores that have their definite benefits.
DeleteI think your division of labor is great and rightly so because you live in that house too and you, being retired, probably have more time at home than Cindy. I only have one bone to pick with your essay. You said, "I don't really mind helping out with housework." Jimmy, you're not 'helping out' as in helping out with women's work, you're pitching in with family work. It's the price of a good marriage to work out what is best for your family. The division of labor around the house and yard no longer apply.
ReplyDeleteMy least favorite chore unloading the dishwasher but I only have to do it once or twice a week.
Good morning Jean, OK as for the bone picking the point you made was exactly the point that I was trying to make with this post, and Thank You for making that point clearer. My wording may not always be correct but I know what I mean even though it may not sound that way sometimes, I do appreciate the fact that you will let me know when my words don't set well with you, that is great communication in my opinion, and I wouldn't want to lose that.
DeleteYes pitching in with the family work is what makes for a good marriage, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I was trying to be funny but get my point across so you're not the only one who failed to communicate fully what we meant. LOL
DeleteLOL Jean, this is why we work so well together, because even when it doesn't work it's still funny. ha ha
DeleteThe good thing is the point was made through teamwork here :^)
I think everyone that lives in a home share the work. You need certain things done or you'd be living in a pigs sty in no time. If the man is working full time and the mom is a stay at home mom then she should be doing the lions share of the work at home. I've seen guys work all week, their wives at home and then they spend the weekend doing housework. Not fair.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day and weekend. ☺
Exactly Sandee, When I was still working Cindy had everything done by the time I got home, except for taking the trash out that is and on the weekends I did the yard work if there was any to be done, our yard was a lot smaller then.
DeleteMy job is pulling the trash dumpster 1/8 mile to the end of the driveway, and back the next day. It's not too bad in fair weather, but for half the year, it's kind of miserable.
ReplyDeleteVal, I can see where that would be miserable during the cold weather, or the hot weather...
Delete"...it's only fair that I pitch in and help out around the house."
ReplyDeleteI like that and it's how it should be, everywhere, always.
My son-in-law is the same, always helps out, even when the kids were babies he did his share of changing, bathing, feeding etc, but with housework, the divisions weren't so well defined. It was more a case of whoever got home first did whatever needed doing, starting dinner prep, supervising homework, turning on the washing machine, both did any jobs willingly and the kids learned from them.
Different story for me of course, with hubby in the Army and being away a lot, the housework and child raising was all mine. Gardening too.
The way your son in law helps out is the way the majority of our housework gets done, nothing is really defined and the ones that I mentioned are just the jobs that I do compared to what Cindy does that is equal or more work. It takes teamwork to make it work out. Like you with your husband in the Army and away leaving all the housework and child rearing to you, Cindy did the majority of our chores when I was working and she was a stay at home mom
DeleteWhat chores, my wife does it all, except on occasion when I've actually brewed some coffee for the both of us before her getting out of bed, which only happens once in a great moon! As a matter of fact, yesterday my wife and I were checking out our groceries from an Asian grocery store. Our grocery cart was stacked full, but instead of my pushing it out the door, I just slowly walked past it and my wife followed me out with the cart. When we got home, she laughed, and said if she would have walked past the cart too, we both would have arrived home without our groceries.
ReplyDeleteOh . . . by the way, thanks for the reminder, I'm going to have a cup of my wife's coffee now, that is, if I can get out of this chair, wait a minute . . . HONEY!!!!!!!!!
Lon, It appears that your system works really well for you...Good thing your wife grabbed the groceries, she sounds like a wonderful woman.
DeleteI remembered the coffee this morning so I'll have a cup with you.
Jimmy my wife really is wonderful, we've been married going on 33 years!
DeleteAfter reading your post to her on how you're such a good husband to your wife, I read my comment to my wife which I published above for you to read. My wife and I laughed so much at my comment until we had tears in our eyes! I think this was the first time in my life that I've actually laughed so hard until I had tears in my eyes!
Thanks for having a cup of coffee with me, it's always nice having it with a friend!
Always a pleasure Lon, we have to appreciate our wives, and sitting down with your wife of 33 years and laughing like this is the way life should be, I am happy to have been a part of it my friend.
DeleteI do my fair share, she says I do them all incorrectly and yet she will not do them. Most are the same as yours.
ReplyDeleteAhhh the moral support that you get on your chores sounds like mine, it is the wife's job to point out our mistakes hoping we do it differently next time...
DeleteWell done, Jimmy and Cindy - that's teamwork at its best.
ReplyDeleteThe job I like least is dealing with paperwork that stacks up. What can we get rid of? What has to stay? Do I have to shred it or can I just fire it in the recycle bag? I don't mind as much with my own but husband's is a foreign land (he does some work from home) and he's not good at dealing with it either!
Jenny it sounds like you and your husband are a perfect match, getting rid of anything presents a challenge to a lot of us, I know that I can relate to what you are saying clearly.
DeleteGood for you for helping out! I do most of the household stuff because the husband brings home the lion's share of income and works more hours than I do. For the record, I make the coffee :)
ReplyDeleteMy least favorite chore is emptying the dishwasher. I do half at a time to make it bearable.
Abby at least you have the coffee ready before unloading that dishwasher, a good cup of coffee is good while you are waiting for time to unload that second half.
DeleteCleaning the bathrooms is my least favourite chore. And sadly it is mine. Himself cleaned the bathrooms just once. He cleaned two bathrooms and a toilet in less than ten minutes. Without getting up I told him he had done a half-arsed job. He took offence. And the job has reverted to me.
ReplyDeleteOh yes EC I can see how that job reverted back to you, they say if you want something done right then you have to do it yourself, and Himself just may have had that part figured out before he started his ten minute stint of cleaning bathrooms.
DeleteAh, the eternal housework division. Many years go Romeo "helped" and I did nothing but criticize (I do it like this and that, the baseboards aren't dusted, etc). He then stated that if I wanted done my way, I could do it all myself. That was the last time I complained about the way he does housework. I still complain when he washes the dishes without wearing his glasses though :-)
ReplyDeleteLol yes wearing your glasses while washing dishes would indeed come in handy, I can't blame you for complaining when he doesn't.
DeleteWait, baseboards are supposed to get dusted??
DeleteAww shucks. (*~*)
We have a dishwasher (came with the house) but I never use it. We're on well water, so it never costs a dime more to use more of it. But I try to keep our energy bill down as much as possible
ReplyDeleteWhen I was back in my 20's I bought a mobile home and like you I don't think the dishwasher was ever turned on, used it more for storage than it's intended purpose lol.
DeleteI start my morning with black cup of coffee. Watch a news and breakfast...Then it depends on the day what might follow.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
Dora that sounds like the way our day begins also, Life is good my friend.
DeleteIt doesn't apply to me anymore but when it did I was the luckiest woman in the world. Joe would do all the accounts work (since I'm a dunce) and I would get on with household tasks. He would always offer to help but I liked to do it myself because then I knew it was up to my standards....lol. When I was sick though he made a wonderful nurse and house attendant.
ReplyDeleteValerie, Joe was a good man indeed, it takes a smart man to know when to stay out of the way but also when to step up and fill in, I'm still working on the staying out of the way bit.
DeleteHusband loads and unloads the dishwasher. He gets very upset if I try to fill it as I 'do it wrong'!
ReplyDeleteHe also cleans the kitchen floor.
Liz it sounds like he takes pride in doing his tasks correctly and to his standards, I am sure they would be done just as well with your way, but as long as he gets it done...Right?
DeleteDH does the shopping and the cooking. Dishes get done when they get done. We use a lot of disposable plates, cutlery, etc. Writing it down makes me sound like a lazy slob, I know. I'd do it all like I used to, but ...
ReplyDeleteSharon, There is nothing lazy about doing things in a manner that suits you and your needs, there is also no shame in using disposable plates and cutlery, it's better to do that than to make it hard on yourself trying to do it the way that you used to, this is the way you do it now...
DeleteMe and Nick share it all. If one walks across a floor that needs swept, we will just grab a broom and sweep. Whoever is up walking around when the laudry stops, just begins doing them. same with dishes and other chores but It is “my job” to make the coffee. I set the coffee pot every night before bed and it comes on automaitcally at 7:00 each morning. I also keep my bathroom cleaned and after I cant stand it any longer, I will clean his. He thinks its cleans itself.
ReplyDeleteLisa
That is the way the majority of the household chores are done here too, there are a few things that I do most of the time and the same with Cindy, but still we call certain tasks Our Job.
DeleteOK now I can see that Nick really has it made, I don't know any other guys who have a self cleaning bathroom like he does, I'm jealous! Lol
4 hours later: I just looked in the kitchen and Nick was putting water in the coffee pot. I yelled, “What are you doing? Thats my job!!” He said “dont worry im just cleaning it!”.
ReplyDeleteLOL this is funny Lisa, I can see this happening!
DeleteI hate ironing, but am also too cheap to take everything to the dry cleaners.
ReplyDeleteCindy calls throwing an item into the dryer for a few minutes "ironing" lol
DeleteI'm pretty impressed that the work is distributed fairly and not dumped on just one person. Kudos to you(lol) I think that is what makes a relationship work. I'm not a fan of ironing, so I wear things that don't need to be ironed. While in the Air Force, ironing was a must, so I'm burned out. (lol) Fun post! Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteWell Thank you RO, I try to do my part.
DeleteAs for ironing I can do it just not very well and Cindy is not partial yo it either, most of our stuff is hung up right out of the dryer so we don't worry much with the wrinkles. I think that I have mentioned the friend of ours that we met when he was an Airman in New Mexico, now that man was good with an iron it was impressive to see the before and after versions of his bdu's.
you are such and adorable man for this sweet attitude dear Jimmy!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteeither i do not find this joke funny though i belong to society where men mostly don't do any kind of this job .
but situation has changed in bigger cities with education and modern I.Q
now .
I find myself so lucky that since the early days of my marriage my husband is participating in household as possible .
You wrote so beautiful and painted your routines front of my eyes as i see daily mine
enjoyed this post!!!
I was hoping that my not thinking this joke funny came across ok, the kids used to tell it now and again though. I am pleased that your husband is a good man who helps you maintain a good household.
DeleteMy Dad used to do virtually every household job. Ironing, cleaning, filling and emptying the dishwasher, gardening, dusting, cooking. Actually, I'm not sure what my mum did do.
ReplyDeleteI hate changing lightbulbs. One goes every day in our house.
Your Dad sounds like a good man Joey. I'm with you on changing lightbulbs, my balance is not as good as it used to be...
DeleteYou are truly a versatile and well rounded Jimmy. Both admirable traits.
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I have unwritten agreements about some of these chores.
The person who cooks a meal does not have to clean up, or do the dishes. My wife is a MUCH better cook, so I'm usually the one doing them. I kind of like doing dishes because I get a sense of accomplishment when I'm done.
My least favorite chore is changing bed sheets! As a result my wife is pretty much stuck with it and I do a other stuff that she doesn't like.
It all comes down to teamwork Pat and it seems you and the wife have a great system that works, neither of us likes folding sheets either so we double team them when the time comes...
DeleteBecause starting the coffee is my job. <-- As it should be. It's in the Bible. Look it up:
ReplyDeleteHebrews.
I'll take your word for this, it does sound reasonable!
Delete