Housework blues

[Andy Mac]

I NEED A GOOD WINGE!

What is it about womenfolk? Doesn't matter what I do at the moment... its just bl**dy wrong, according to Her Majesty.
Bit of background, we've recently swapped roles: I've given up work in the paid workforce (was going to say 'work' fullstop, but apparently that term denigrates the role of the housewife), and she has started work fulltime with a new business. (I will be doing one day a week starting February at the uni, just to keep my foot in the door in case it goes pear-shaped.) So I'm the the chief bottlewash, sweeper, laundryman, cook etc, looking after 3 kids.
Now, I've mostly pulled my weight around the house (dishes, nappies, cook sometimes), and do the garden when I can, but never criticised how things were run inside. Suddenly everything I do regarding the housework is just plain wrong!! Wrong cycle selection with the laundry, hang the damned clothes wrong on the line, changed everything around in the hall cupboard, spend too much on shopping, and to top it all off, yesterday before I left to go weekly grocery shopping, I mounted a blitzkrieg in the fridge. Anything vaguely limp, spoiled, bulging, resembling a science experiment, and old dairy went into the bin, or down the sink or to the chooks. I've had enough of discovering unknowns in there, or not being able to fit a beer, or listening to complaints about it...I just did it, ruthlessly. Now I'm the biggest pr*ick around, not only aggressive, but a waster of money etc. Have honestly worn a pile of vitriole about it, and still are. Simply because in amongst it was a tub of OK yoghurt and half a cup of sour cream. My big mistake in hindsight was to intimate that dairy was the cause of most of the problem in the fridge, and because I don't consume any of the stuff, comments like that are considered prejudiced. I only did it to be spiteful!! Yeah right. The outcome is anything of mine that the wife doesn't like around the house is fair game! Work that leap in logic out!?! Move from the site of a very specific problem, into a take-no-prisoners war around the entire house!
Maybe its just that she can't let go of what was her domain, but I tell you, I'm almost over it. Have had calls from work to come back during my long service to sort some stuff out...very tempting at the moment.



Cheers,

[Dirty Doogie]

Sometimes divorce is the only way forward LOL

[wheelinround]

basicly she wants her life back Andy

Biily Connolly comes to mind "Do I come to your work and tell you how to sweep up"

[wayfarer]

You're in an unfair situation, Andy. I know, I've been there.

But it's not Her Majesty's problem.

You see, there are very few housedads. Probably one in 20. Who knows? What happens is for those 1 in 20 men there are 20 women standing behind your wife trying to get even... or equality as they call it.
Revenge is another words that pops from the keyboard.

Best of luck with it. I'm sure there's a solution of some sort. Ours was for me to return to work and us to get in the cleaners in every two weeks. I've never had to do the washing though. Not since shrinking that "good knit" about 19 years ago.

Here's a fair question. If the Minister for War and Finances went out and mowed the lawn, badly, what would your comments be?

[Wongo]

Go back to work Andy. Don’t mess around with God’s plan.

[astrid]

The womans just handed her Porche to a learner.
Would you be calm, reasonable and rational?
Have a little patience Andy, She's suddenly found her role reversed as well.

Also going back to full time work after a long break is stressfull for us older women, trust me Ive just been there.

You go to work trying to measure up to kids half your age and with up to date skills.

Swallow you pride and just ask her for intructions (yes i know you dont need them)

ask her advise on what to cook and how to load the washer.

Dont trivialise her old career by making it a piece of cake for you to do.

We women know that housework is grunt work and not rocket science,
But like anyone forced to do a menial job when their too smart for it, we make a big deal of how well we do it.
Like i said, take a deep breath___________________________ahh

AND WAIT FOR MENOPAUSE

Aunty Astrid

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Here's a fair question. If the Minister for War and Finances went out and mowed the lawn, badly, what would your comments be?

"Never mind. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it eventually."

[bitingmidge]

Wot Wongo so eloquently said! .

Remember those old workshop rules:

1) the Boss is never wrong

2) if the Boss is wrong, see rule no 1.


I feel your pain. We have a clearly demarked set of jobs to prevent exactly the sort of conflict you describe.

She does everything inside, including cooking, and she pays a chap to do everything outside, because it wouldn't be fair if she did both, but more importantly, we can talk about his inadequacies without starting a war.

Now on the odd, (perhaps rare) occasion that I do lift a hand, it's under very very close supervision.

There are one or two jobs at which she doesn't excel, but of course even if criticism were allowed, the fate of the critic would be worse than death.

That's why, when scrubbing of pots and pans is required, I wait till she's out, and drag them out of the cupboard to do them.

What you have failed to realise is that you haven't actually swapped roles. She is still the chief domestician, and you are her assistant, hired to enable her to do other things.

Once you get your head around that, there'll be plenty of time to watch Oprah and Dr Phil.

Cheers,

P

[astrid]

Well midge, I wouldnt QUITE say it that way to Andy,
But basically your right,
She just hasnt learned the finer skills of delegation yet.
I get this with my new bosses all the time

Astrid

[SPIRIT]

Andy spent the larst 2 years as house man just get some balls and say it is now my house
and dont forget to get her slippers and a drink when she gets home

never ask how to do it never !!!you will be letting us all down ,its bloody house work not biulding a rocket

[silentC]

My Mum decided to clean our fridge out while we were away. She chucked out the Parmesan because it was a bit white looking and the anchovies went in the bin because they had white furry stuff all over them!!

There now, I've got that off my chest.

I have no other contribution. I know my place and that's the way I like it

[Toyboy]

For what it's worth, ask her advice on how things should be managed. It will not only improve your life, but may save it....and sleep with a knife under your pillow. I'm pretty sure that's legal if you're married, if not, it should be.
If you any further problems with your domestic situation, suicide is still an option.
So you see, everything is not lost.....yet.

[Ivan in Oz]

I do wish you lot would address First Issues 1st.

See Below.
messed it up,
just like my Cooking

[Ivan in Oz]

I do wish you lot would address First Issues 1st.

Andy,
I learnt this when batching for quite a while,
whence married still ;
BUT B4 Dv

ADD MORE CURRY TO THE FRIDGE REJECTS
and make a Stew......or was that Goulash

Tastes quite Good,
and gives your immune System a bit of a Kick

[Sebastiaan56]

Andy,

I was talking to an elderly friend over a couple of beers. I candidly asked him what it was like to be retired. He turned to me and in his best german accent said "much the same as working, the only thing that has changed is the management"

Get a bigger shed,

Sebastiaan