Good Lord I am stupid!
This past weekend I had house guests, so this week
has been spent putting the house back together.
You know the routine, change the linens,
loads and loads and loads of laundry,
vacuum the house from top to toe,
restock the fridge, blah, blah, blah...
it all takes a few days.
Totally worth the effort of being able to share your home
and time and life with loved ones...
and yet...
here I was this morning feeling this
volcanic eruption building inside of me,
looking desperately for a target to spew my inner-lava over.
(The only person in the house was Brilliant Husband...
good thing I hung onto a vestige of common sense and kept my mouth shut,
after all, he did bring me roses and champagne for Mother's Day...Yikes!)
and what, pray tell me, was this all about?
Old Habits!
I could actually hear my parents' voices in my head.
Warbling on "...am I the only bloody one in the house who knows
where the vacuum is? Why does this always fall to me?" - Mum
"Are you girls ever going to get up and help your Mother?" - Dad
on and on and on and on.
I actually LIKE taking care of my home.
I actually LOVE having friends and family come to stay.
Begone you nagging, ugly voices!!
My eldest daughter called in the middle of the day and asked if I had
recovered from the weekend. I heard my (poor, sad) self answer "NO!"
Then she told me of the plans she has organized for Brilliant Husband's
birthday this weekend. I said to her at the end of the conversation
"Thanks for doing this Honey"...she replied "No worries Mum, I love doing this!"
"Thanks for doing this Honey"...she replied "No worries Mum, I love doing this!"
Then I began reflecting as I continued on through the day, on a conversation I had with my youngest daughter last night.
She has just begun an interesting job as a private chef for an Eating Disorder Clinic.
She taught her first cooking lesson to the patients today.
Jessica told me the one piece of advice she had been given by the counsellors was to
"be real".
Give your head a shake Jacqueline.
Those poor patients have issues. You don't.
Time to Get Real.
You are so smart.
ReplyDeleteTomorrow all day I am going to say 'I like doing this', whatever this is.
Thank you for the inspiration!
Laura
White Spray Paint
I am the same way often, but before the guests arrive. Worrying about things and tryong to make it perfect.
ReplyDeleteHow sweet of your girl to organise the weekend so you can relax,
That sounds like a really interesting job that you other daughter has. My kids have had frinds with disorders. I know how tough it can be.
I sometimes think it would be good to have a wife who was 'houseproud'; but then I think it might drive me nuts. Hence, I live amongst 'clutter', and love it!
ReplyDeleteHa I had such a good laugh over this one....my inerself is having a ball right now telling me "here you go, you're not allone out here doing all the hard work and funny thinking".
ReplyDeleteThank you sooo much for sharing. Love it, and most of all needed a pile of this today. ;-)
Dagmar
Just noticed that everyone has vanished from our 'followers' gadget. Thought we were being singled out, but I've popped around a few of your friendly blogs and noticed the same thing!
ReplyDeleteLooks like Big Blogger is having issues!
I wonder how much of what we think and say is driven by what we heard as kids. Good on you to do some self analyzing.
ReplyDeleteSalut Jacqueline, I'm sure it's pretty normal to have those kind of days and to get "a bit mad" when we have/had guests, are slightly overworked etc. At least your post made me smile safe in the knowledge that I'm not the only one like that... I do like your daughter's advice - so true! Love from London xo
ReplyDeleteI have been sitting here for hours thinking of all the things I should be doing. I should be outside among the dark clouds and very wet grass and work on my gardens before the next downpour, I should change the sheets today, I should wash the floors, I should, I should, I should.
ReplyDeleteWe just do it all best!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteLast night getting ready for a dinner party I asked for some help and ended up haveng to re-do a few things and put up with a few others (like a burnt cake bottom...someone was supposed to be watching the timer whilst I did other tasks!). Sometimes it's just easier to do it ourselves.
What a blessing both of your girls are...very thoughtful and wise!
xo J~
First...followers are back...thank you blogger!
ReplyDeleteSister V. is a big proponent of letting Old Habits go...she reminds me all the time.
It's really just about asking yourself the question...how do I REALLY feel about this, isn't it?