Vacation day 1

I'm off work now for twelve beautiful days in a row!

This morning, at five o'clock, when Boyfriend got up to face his workday, we chatted a bit, then got on to the topic of my plans for the day.

I said I was hoping to get some quilting done.

Boyfriend thought a moment (I could see the wheels turning), then said "Ok, and then how about putting away your stuff in the basement family room, dusting the downstairs, and straightening up your sewing room?"

He was attempting to get back at me for interfering with his plans for his days off, you see! Very cute!

Except that my list is always longer. I didn't say it then, but I'm saying it now:

Is that before or after I clean the bathroom, vacuum, empty and re-load the dishwasher, mow the front and back lawns after picking up the dog poop, wash, dry, fold and put away the laundry, wash the kitchen floor and some of the cupboard doors?

And after lunch...?

There are three of us living together now. A couple of weeks ago I put my foot down about cooking dinner. See, if I make a dinner, it's wholesome and nutritious, and takes into account the fact that these two diabetic men shouldn't have too many carbs. I plan what I'm going to make, I shop for what is needed or make a list for one of the guys to pick the stuff up, and I start cooking early enough that we're not eating at eight at night.

If they "cook," it's Harvey's or Miss Italia, or Benny's.

So we are trying out a new system, suggested by my Beautiful Daughter, called GoodFood.

There are 7 days in a week. We order in one of those days. That leaves six days, divided between three people: i.e. - we each have to make dinner two days a week.

So, since we get three GoodFood dinners a week, we each only have to come up with ONE meal per week out of our own brains.

We've finished one week, and it was more or less a success. I had to go out Tuesday night, so the men decided to go to Harvey's.

I really am a ball and chain in their way! They really don't care if they live or die, nor how young!

Ahem. I digress.

Today's jobs are well begun. The first load is through the washer and the upstairs has been vacuumed. Hubby says the lawn doesn't need mowing, so that lets him off the hook. It does need mowing, so lucky me, I get to do that as well, despite the fact that there are three of us living here, and I mow the lawn every week, and do all the vacuuming.

Now, there are lots of stressors in life, and most of them we can't change. Apparently, I can't get Hubby to understand the need for mowing and vacuuming. These have been bones of contention between us for over two decades, and I guess I just have to learn not to react in anger.

BUT I WANT TO SMACK HIM!

No, no, Debbie, "don't be negative" one of my BEST FRIENDS said to me last weekend!

Everyone blames me, because I get angry! I squawk. It's "blame the victim" time all over again! "Oh - you married a man who doesn't cook, doesn't clean, and doesn't do yard work? Your fault! You left him once, you knew what you were getting into when you went back, why are you yowling now?"

To be fair, it was accept his invitation or go live in a car.

At any rate, I simply can't go on like this. I've got to learn how to vacuum, scrub, mow and whatever...without getting angry.

Wish me luck.