Crabby

I've been feeling a little . . . unappreciated lately.  It's a common refrain heard from moms and wives since Biblical times, I'm sure. Normally I just suck it up and go on with life, but every so often I feel the need to hit the brakes and pout about it a bit.  I've been threatening to "go out for cigarettes and never come back," but this threat has been rendered largely ineffective, mostly by the fact that I do not smoke.  

No one seems to notice that clean underwear automatically appears in their dresser drawer.  Or that clean sheets magically land on their beds twice a month. Or that nutritious meals appear on the table regularly.

Apparently, I am the only member of our household capable of:
  • Emptying a backpack (and dealing with the contents thereof, such as school papers, wet snow gear, and stowaway Zhu Zhu Pets).
  • Cleaning the litterbox.  Cleaning anything, for that matter.
  • Buying groceries.
  • Letting the dogs out. Letting the dogs in. Feeding said dogs.
  • Keeping track of the school schedule, which includes late starts, early dismissals, and "closed just for the hell of it" dates.
  • Driving short people to gymnastics class. 
  • Keeping track of every birthday in our extended family and buying gifts for those occasions. 
  • Packing lunches.
So yeah, there are days when the burden starts to feel a bit heavier than I'd like. Did I mention that I also work full time? My other half doesn't offer to do more; he just tells me that the stuff I do is unnecessary (I maintain that the toilets do, in fact, need to be scrubbed from time to time). Am I a bit of a neatnik?  I suppose so.  I don't like clutter all that much. I guess my fear is that if I don't stay on top of the workload, I'll find myself on an episode of "Hoarders" while the guys from 1-800-GOT-JUNK are pulling 20-year-old newspapers and cat skeletons out of my house.  It's a slippery slope, people!

I know it's really my own choice that I like to keep the house neat.  It would just be nice to hear an occasional, "Hey, thanks."  When I was growing up, it didn't matter if my mom handed my stad a pickle sandwich.  He would say, "Aw, thank you, honey. That was the best pickle sandwich I ever had."

I was feeling a little frustrated the other day when the note below was slid under the bathroom door while I was in the shower.  I have to confess that while it would be nice to be both loved and appreciated, one out of two ain't bad.

Comments

Mamallamadingdong said…
Awwwwww.....notes like that make the heart melt....kinda the way only a Mom can make things "all better" with a kiss and a hug.
Zenseeker said…
YOU TAUGHT THE DOGS TO WRITE?
Angela Z. said…
Did I write this? Oh wait...I don't have any cats...but the "underappreciated for the million plates I keep spinning" sounds very familiar. # of times husband has packed a lunch for kiddo=0. etc. And I am terrified of becoming a hoarder! (which I am not even close to as I too crave order and conquer clutter on a daily basis) Love the note...
Susie said…
I thought I wrote this too, but I don't have a cat either. :) I'm also the only one who pays the bills, loads the dishwasher (although miraculously the dishes seem to rinse and pile themselves beside the sink, directly above the dishwasher, just can't seem to make it in there--wierd, huh?), sees messes that need to be cleaned up, etc. Since my health problems have come up, though, it seems to have gotten a bit better in some ways, but oh my goodness I'm still in a perpetual state of annoyedness! :)
Alabaster Mom said…
I forgot about the lunch-packing thing! That's my job, too, of course.
khudson33 said…
Sounds all too fammiliar- as we look to get another fur child and a bigger house I stop at times and think really do I hate myself this much!?

Bottom line is when I get in a funk like this I realize that its due to the fact that we've got 6 foot snowbanks here, and I remember to look at all of the things I DO have and how much worse I could have it...

And then I think 3 more months and I can get a lawn chair and a drink and not care anymore!!
Jen said…
Since those things are unnecessary, stop doing them and see how quickly there are complaints of dog piles and a house stinking of cat box :). Oh and since feeding A is also unnecessary you'll save a ton of money on meals! And maybe stop doing the sheets until you hear complaints of rashes and itching. ha ha

I hear you on the last one. In 12 years I think my other half has done the litter box less than ten times. And I'm being very generous. I don't know why it's become my job but I will say it's probably the only one I really resent having to do myself. I think my family will only "get it" when they realize I'm dead serious on not getting another pet. I won't even discuss it.
Lisa.Y. said…
I often fear ending up on the "hoarders" show. DH and I watch the show occasionally and he just doesn't understand how anyone could let that happen to their house- and I look around after a weekend that I work and he's been home and I think THIS is how that could happen!

But on the plus side since I've gotten pg DH does do the litter box pretty regularly with only minor nagging required.

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