The Strike of 2010
YOU KNOW … I am on Strike. Did I tell you? Yes I am. But I don’t think anyone knows it. I ask you – is it better to be on strike and NOT have anyone realize it? Or, is it worse? Hmmmm. . . I’ll have to ponder that one.
You see, it all started a few months ago, when my husband decided that I needed to attend his “How To Load a Dishwasher 101” class. What’s funny is that I didn’t even know he was certified to teach this class. But, low and behold, HE IS! So, one weekend morning I found myself standing in the kitchen watching him as he went through the ins and outs of loading the dishwasher. “YOU KNOW, obviously the dishes will get much cleaner if you put them in this way,” he said. To which I really wanted to reply, “Well, obviously I DON’T KNOW, since I have to stand here for this lesson!” But, I didn’t say that. I stood there, biting my tongue, and watching him. He practically unloaded everything that I had placed in there the night before, and reloaded them to his liking. What’s even funnier is that I usually do that same thing after HE loads the dishwasher. I knew he was obviously frustrated with me, so it was at that time that I decided . . . that's IT! I’m on STRIKE. NO LONGER will I subject myself to his torture (ok, maybe I’m a little dramatic). But, I was seriously DONE with loading the dishwasher. So began “The Strike of 2010”!
Well, the dishwasher strike didn’t last very long. Because, quite frankly, I don’t like when there are dishes in the sink. So, I decided to suck it up and just be more aware of how I am loading the dishes (isn’t that good? How I am compromising? See, I get it. It’s all about the COMPROMISE, right?)
Right.
Well, all was fine, until last week . . . when I was forced to go on strike again. This time, it was not about the dishwasher. This time, was about the laundry. Yes, I am on strike and refuse to do the laundry. (I’m so bad, aren’t I?) You see, remember when I went to Crankville? Crankville was a rough couple weeks. I was not having fun. Life was not fun. LAUNDRY was not fun. So, what do you do when something isn’t fun? You FORGET it. You clearly don’t DO the NOT FUN thing. So, I didn’t. I’m not proud of it. But I was busy – I was in Crankville. I couldn’t do laundry in Crankville.
And just to put all of this into perspective – I will tell you that we DID have clean clothes. All of us. Clean unders and overs. Clean socks and jammies. We had clean clothes. BUT, we also had a PILE of dirty clothes to be washed. And I do mean a PILE. I wasn’t worried. I’d get to them. But, evidently I wasn’t getting to them soon enough. This time, I found myself attending the “How to do Laundry 101” class, also taught by our beloved PG (yes, he is certified in THIS COURSE too!) “YOU KNOW, the pile won’t look that big if you do all of the towels and linens and blankets first, and then do all the little stuff after that load!” (seriously) “Oh, really? I had never thought of that before,” I said, as I walked away … thus declaring to myself that I was official ON STRIKE from the laundry.
For the record – I DO realize how lucky I am that I have a husband who not only puts dirty dishes in the dishwasher, but who knows how to do the laundry. I count my blessings for him daily. What drove me to strike, however, was that I do load the dishwasher just fine (the dishes come out completely clean when I do it), and I do do laundry (I was the primary laundry person in our house until these new toys came home. And I swear he only does the laundry because these machines are a new electrical gadget for him that he can’t keep his hands off of!)
I also must mention that while I am on strike from doing the laundry - I have been folding the clothes and putting clothes away, so I’m still being a responsible member of our household. I guess I just need to COMPROMISE some more (there goes that word, again) and let go of some of the control, right? Hmmm … that might be exactly what I need to do. I guess that’s what this marriage thing is all about. And I think the most successful relationships are those built on compromising.
Ok . . . I give up. I’ll strike no more. But for now, I have some other things to work on, like my syllabus for a class I’m giving next week, called “How to get your spouse to Load the Dishwasher and Do the Laundry, so You can Blog -101" Any takers??? ; )
You see, it all started a few months ago, when my husband decided that I needed to attend his “How To Load a Dishwasher 101” class. What’s funny is that I didn’t even know he was certified to teach this class. But, low and behold, HE IS! So, one weekend morning I found myself standing in the kitchen watching him as he went through the ins and outs of loading the dishwasher. “YOU KNOW, obviously the dishes will get much cleaner if you put them in this way,” he said. To which I really wanted to reply, “Well, obviously I DON’T KNOW, since I have to stand here for this lesson!” But, I didn’t say that. I stood there, biting my tongue, and watching him. He practically unloaded everything that I had placed in there the night before, and reloaded them to his liking. What’s even funnier is that I usually do that same thing after HE loads the dishwasher. I knew he was obviously frustrated with me, so it was at that time that I decided . . . that's IT! I’m on STRIKE. NO LONGER will I subject myself to his torture (ok, maybe I’m a little dramatic). But, I was seriously DONE with loading the dishwasher. So began “The Strike of 2010”!
Well, the dishwasher strike didn’t last very long. Because, quite frankly, I don’t like when there are dishes in the sink. So, I decided to suck it up and just be more aware of how I am loading the dishes (isn’t that good? How I am compromising? See, I get it. It’s all about the COMPROMISE, right?)
Right.
Well, all was fine, until last week . . . when I was forced to go on strike again. This time, it was not about the dishwasher. This time, was about the laundry. Yes, I am on strike and refuse to do the laundry. (I’m so bad, aren’t I?) You see, remember when I went to Crankville? Crankville was a rough couple weeks. I was not having fun. Life was not fun. LAUNDRY was not fun. So, what do you do when something isn’t fun? You FORGET it. You clearly don’t DO the NOT FUN thing. So, I didn’t. I’m not proud of it. But I was busy – I was in Crankville. I couldn’t do laundry in Crankville.
And just to put all of this into perspective – I will tell you that we DID have clean clothes. All of us. Clean unders and overs. Clean socks and jammies. We had clean clothes. BUT, we also had a PILE of dirty clothes to be washed. And I do mean a PILE. I wasn’t worried. I’d get to them. But, evidently I wasn’t getting to them soon enough. This time, I found myself attending the “How to do Laundry 101” class, also taught by our beloved PG (yes, he is certified in THIS COURSE too!) “YOU KNOW, the pile won’t look that big if you do all of the towels and linens and blankets first, and then do all the little stuff after that load!” (seriously) “Oh, really? I had never thought of that before,” I said, as I walked away … thus declaring to myself that I was official ON STRIKE from the laundry.
For the record – I DO realize how lucky I am that I have a husband who not only puts dirty dishes in the dishwasher, but who knows how to do the laundry. I count my blessings for him daily. What drove me to strike, however, was that I do load the dishwasher just fine (the dishes come out completely clean when I do it), and I do do laundry (I was the primary laundry person in our house until these new toys came home. And I swear he only does the laundry because these machines are a new electrical gadget for him that he can’t keep his hands off of!)
I also must mention that while I am on strike from doing the laundry - I have been folding the clothes and putting clothes away, so I’m still being a responsible member of our household. I guess I just need to COMPROMISE some more (there goes that word, again) and let go of some of the control, right? Hmmm … that might be exactly what I need to do. I guess that’s what this marriage thing is all about. And I think the most successful relationships are those built on compromising.
Ok . . . I give up. I’ll strike no more. But for now, I have some other things to work on, like my syllabus for a class I’m giving next week, called “How to get your spouse to Load the Dishwasher and Do the Laundry, so You can Blog -101" Any takers??? ; )
Really, Leanne?! This post could have {and I SHOULD have-LOL} been written by ME and my {darling} husband. *sigh*. He is always telling me how I load the dishwasher and do the laundry WRONG!! He is wonderful {don't get me wrong} and he appreciates all I do...but somehow I don't do it the way it SHOULD be done! Okay, dear...
ReplyDeleteLoved this post! Glad I'm not alone!!!
Have a happy day my friend...
PS...you can call me Les...all my friends outside of bloggyville do!!!:)
Oh Leanne that's too funny! I've gone on strike a few times and sadly no one noticed...and I ended up with even more stuff to do :(
ReplyDeleteYou ARE a lucky girl...I've been trying to show my husband how to do laundry for 17 yrs! Off to do my walk...have a great day!
As Leanne knows - I pick my "fights" especially when it is in marriage - first I have to say, my husband is a great guy and a pretty great housekeeper and cook, and he does "supervise" most of what I do - after 25 years, mostly now it is a joke because in most things we have "cooperatively" trained each other, however, I did go on strike once over 10 years ago over mowing the lawn with the tractor (3 acres) - when he was "supervising" my mowing skills next to a neighbor - I stopped the tractor - got off and went in the house with it still running - after 15 minutes I know he knew I would not be coming back out - and have not mowed since. Winning some disagreements are lasting and satisfyingly meaningful . . . LOL - hugs to my most favorite gal in the world - sometimes married to a loving clone of my favorite man XOXO
ReplyDeleteRita
Okay, so we aren't alone in this!! I, too, have received a "Reader's Digest" version of Dishwasher 101. To which I GAVE my version. So we also compromise. Where I went on strike is starting the dishwasher. I leave that to him, because I know he's always going to move things around. And I'm okay with that. Same goes for the laundry. My "strike" is where I tell him not to do my laundry. I let him do the rest. Works for me!! We do have some wonderful guys, don't we?!?! They just think they're the experts, that's all!!!
ReplyDeleteI love Rita's comment about "cooperatively" training each other!! I can't related to the dishwasher story, because rarely will Claudio's dishes make it from the table to the dishwasher; the dishes get as far as the sink and then, for some reason, they can't seem to find the path (which is only a few more inches) to the dishwasher. As far as the washing machine is concerned, it is strictly the electronic gadget thing that has these guys (including Claudio) longing to do the laundry -- they love pressing the buttons, seeing the buttons light up and hearing the beeps -- like little boys playing video games. Still, we are lucky and it works for me!
ReplyDeleteHILARIOUS
ReplyDeleteI have found it is pretty much impossible to go on strike. I have tried it and failed many times!
ReplyDeleteRethink that 'controller' sentence. Next, it'll be bedmaking, trash wrapping, etc. I once saw a 3-page legal-length single-spaced housekeeping itinerary for a man's wife he had prepared and left on his desk. Said she didn't do housework right and he was going to show her the best way to do it all and he had done it up for her. Every single minute of the day was accounted for, so I asked the obvious -- when does she get to go to the bathroom? eat? fart? (I was less couth, in person.) He said she was "a better wife when she knew how to please him"! I said I'd be a witness for her at the divorce hearing...come visit when you can...
ReplyDeleteI think I am going on strike too...our kitchen is under construction and I have to do dishes in the bathroom...hubby washed his one cup and left the stack there fro me...I almost killed him.
ReplyDeleteWhat I hate...is having to UNload the dishwasher and put away the clean dishes. It's such an annoying chore. You just got another follower...me! Stop by my place if you're in the neighborhood and I promise you won't have to load the dishwasher or do the laundry! http://www.boomerpie.com/
ReplyDeleteSorry I didn't know you were on strike and sorry I got critical...not sure what my problem was! Maybe too much sugar or something. I apologize! I will continue to do the laundry and dishes as long as you want me too...
ReplyDeleteYou used to be critical of me for the way I folded the clothes (not sure if I have improved), so I think I went on strike briefly once too and you didn't know it. Ha ha...we need to talk more!