Tuesday 28 August 2012

Travel makes the world go 'round

My Grumpy Man,

You are away, and I am all alone. I should be used to this. You are away a pretty reasonable portion of time*.  And yet, I miss you.  Our house feels quiet.  But it also feels clean.

I spent most of the weekend cleaning. I cleaned the bathroom. I cleaned the kitchen. I vacuumed the carpets.  I scrubbed the grout with a toothbrush.  I straightened all the cushions and folded all the blankets on the couch. And you know what's crazy? It's still clean! That's right. It's been two days and you can still see the benches and the floors!

I love you dearly, but I don't think you realise how much your mess makes me crazy.  You say you feel like I've given up on our house.  That I no longer clean or do washing or whatever, but I maintain my position, that you make too much mess for me to clean around.  I have given up because I can spend hours cleaning the floors and benches and then you walk in with dirty feet and dump stuff on the counter and go on your merry way.  I honestly do not understand how making a sandwich involves three knives, two plates and a cutting board and leaves crumbs over the entire bench top. Not to mention the butter and bread that gets left out, or the fact that the plate can then sit where it was left for 4 days.  It's like you did a course in how to make a housewife crazy in three easy steps...

I love you with my whole heart, though. And I rather have you here making a mess thatn away with a clean kitchen.

Your E. xx

*N.B. I have a big dog that will eat you if you try to break in while A is away! Grrrrrrr! So don't think this is an invitation for random internet-ers to come steal my TV.

Monday 13 August 2012

Holiday

Spending holidays together was an interesting experience.

I found it very strange to realise that this is the longest we have ever spent together as uninterrupted "us" time. I can see why we don't do it very often. I mean I love spending time with you and I loved going away with you and I loved everything about our holiday, but oh my goodness, I don't think we've ever bickered as much.

I swear I could not do a thing right! If I wanted to sleep I was lazy. If I wanted to eat I was a glutton. If I wanted to go somewhere I wasn't letting you relax. If I wanted to stay in and ready book I might as well have stayed home. I couldn't read a map. I couldn'tpack a suitcase. We didn't need souvenirs... It just went on! I think we just about killed each other!

And then to get home and suddenly be loving and relaxed. Why couldn't we be like that while we were away? We got home and fell in love. After two weeks of togetherness that just about instigated homicide, we get home and are all lovey dovey...? I just don't get it. And I don't know how we learn to do it better next time.

What ever... I love you and I'm happy and relaxed after our holiday.

E xx

Thursday 9 August 2012

Helping me through tears

We both know you're not brilliant with tears. Nor do you do well with sick people. So having you look after me yesterday as I wept over my illness, was amazingly special. Yesterday was one of the hardest days of my life. I didn't expect it to be. I thought it would be, not routine, but methodical and logical and calm. Instead it was traumatic and emotional and extreme. And you went through it beside me. You were the greatest of comforts. You were a pillar of strength and a soft place to land. You could not have been a better husband or friend.  And I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I will get through this. And I will do it because I have you with me.
All my love
E xx

Monday 6 August 2012

Cleaning the kitchen

To my own Grumpy,
Thank you for a delicious meal. I love that you cook for me, even though I come home late and you want to eat early. I love that you wait for me... My meals are not as satisfying when you don't share them, with me.
I don't even mind cleaning up, when you ask nicely, or even when you assume I'm going to do it. I don't mind! You just fed me, after all. I do mind, when you demand I do it. When you complain that I haven't done it. When you stomp around and make sarcastic remarks about how difficult it must be to be me and be waited on hand and foot. That makes me feel like telling you where to go. So thank you for tonight. For letting me know you wanted my help, not demanded I service your kitchen. It made me feel much more loving and more satisfied with my cleaning.
I do love you, Grumpy Bum.
Enjoy you computer, I'm off to do the dishes :-P
Your Grumbles.
xx