O/T Ranting about my father-in-law

[Carolyn]

"Cobwebs and dustwill wait 'til tomorrow,

but babies grow up, I've learned to my sorrow.

So settle down cobwebs, dust go to sleep,

I'm rocking my baby;

Babies don't keep."

-Anonymous

 

[Stephanie]

There is also a big difference between "clean"and "filthy". I am sure you are not living in squalor, in a pigsty,that yes, it's messy with toys and four kids running around, but not inany way a health hazard.

It never ceases to amaze me how some people seem to think that a stayat home Mom/housewife sits around all day doing nothing. As if! Keepingup a house is a full time job. Period. It's just that most of us do iton top of working full time outside of the house too and it goesunnoticed.

I wish I could say a thing or two to your father-in-law. I'm all riledup right now and I haven't even had my coffee yet!!!!GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

I'm a clean freak, but it's not like we live in a pristine environment24-7. My hoodie is never hung up, always on the couch or back of thechair, and I won't even go into the mess my rabbits make on a dailybasis with their cardboard.

Sorry you're in this situation with your inlaws. It really sucks to have someone hanging something like that over your head.

 

[Gabby]

[align=center]Housewife[/align]
[align=center]FromDebbiesKitchen.com[/align]
[align=center][/align]
[align=center][/align]
[align=center]A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County
Clerk's office, was asked by the woman recorder to state
her occupation. Emily had hesitated, uncertain
how to classify herself.

"What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have
a job, or are you just a .....?"

"Of course I have a job," snapped Emily. "I'm a
mother."

"We don't list 'mother' as an occupation...'housewife'
covers it," said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found
myself in the same situation, this time at our own
Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a
career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a
high-sounding title like "Official Interrogator" or
"Town Registrar."

"What is your occupation?" she probed.

What made me say it, I do not know. The words simply
popped out.

"I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child
Development and Human Relations."

The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair, and
looked up as though she had not heard right. I
repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most
significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my
pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the
official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just
what you do in your field?"

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I
heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of
research (what mother doesn't) in the
laboratory and in the field (normally I would have
said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters (the
whole darned family) and already have four credits
(all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most
demanding in the humanities (any mother care to
disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more
like it). But the job is more challenging than most
run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a
satisfaction rather than just money."

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's
voice as she completed the form, stood up, and
personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my
glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab
assistants - ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model
(6 months) in the child-development program,
testing out a new vocal pattern.

I felt triumphant! I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!
And I had gone on the official records as someone more
distinguished and indispensable to
mankind than "just another mother."

Motherhood...what a glorious career. Especially when
there's a title on the door.

Send this to another Mother you know. Whether a stay
at home Mom or a career Mom, we should all carry this
title.

Does this make grandmothers "Senior Research
Associates in the field of Child Development and Human
Relations" and great grandmothers Executive Senior
Research Associates"? I think so!!!

I also think it makes aunts "Associate Research
Assistants".[/align]

 

[Gabby]

[align=center]Dust If You Must[/align]
[align=center]FromDebbiesKitchen.com[/align]
[align=center][/align]
[align=center]Author Unknown[/align]
[align=center]
[align=center][/align][/align]
[align=center]Dust if you must but wouldn't it be better,

To paint a picture or write a letter,

Bake a cake or plant a seed,

Ponder the difference between want and need?


Dust if you must but there's not much time,

with rivers to swim and mountains to climb,

Music to hear and books to read,

Friends to cherish and life to lead.


Dust if you must but the worlds out there

with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair,

a flutter of snow, and a shower of rain.

This day will not come around again.


Dust if you must but bear in mind,

Old age will come and it's not kind.

And when you go and go you must,

you, yourself, will make more dust.
[/align]
[align=center]
Remember, a house becomes a home when

you can write, "I love you" on the furniture....[/align]
[align=center][/align]

 

[m.e.]

On a more humorous note:

House Cleaning Tips

1. Vacuuming too often weakens the carpet fibers. Say this with aserious face and shudder delicately whenever anyone mentions CarpetFresh.

2. Dust bunnies cannot evolve into dust tortoises when disturbed.Rename the area under the couch The Galapagos Islands and claim anecological exemption.

3. Layers of dirty film on windows and screens provide a helpful filteragainst harmful and aging rays from the sun. Call it an SPF factor of 5and leave it alone.

4. Cobwebs artfully draped over lampshades reduces the glare from the bulb, thereby creating a romantic atmosphere.

5. In a pinch, you can always claim that the haphazard tower of unreadmagazines and newspapers next to your chair provides the valuable FengShui aspect of a tiger, thereby reducing your vulnerability.

6. Explain the mound of pet hair brushed up against the doorways byclaiming you are collecting it there to use for stuffing hand sewn playanimals for underprivileged

children.

7. If unexpected company is coming, pile everything unsightly into oneroom and close the door. As you show your guests through your tidyhome, rattle the door knob vigorously, fake a growl and say, “I’d loveyou to see our Den, but Fluffy hates to be disturbed and the shots areSO expensive.”

8. If dusting is REALLY out of control, simply place a showy urn on thecoffee table and insist that “THIS is where Grandma wanted us toscatter her ashes.”

9. Don’t bother repainting. Simply scribble lightly over a dirty wallwith an assortment of crayons, and try to muster a glint of tears asyou say, “Junior did this the week before that unspeakable accident…Ihaven’t had the heart to clean it.”

10. Mix one-quarter cup pine-scented household cleaner with four cupsof water in a spray bottle. Mist the air lightly. Leave dampened ragsin conspicuous locations. Develop an exhausted look, throw yourselfonto the couch, and sigh, “I clean and I clean and I still don’t getanywhere…I think I’ll just take a break and check my e-mail!”

 

[AnnaS]

Sorry, I did read all of the posts, so I am not sure if I am repeating probably everybody.
I think that your father in law thinks he can butt into your family because you live in his house.
Personally, he has no right to tell you what to do, what animals tokeep. Animals are good for kids and its your own family business.
Maybe you can tell him that you appreciate his help but it does notgive him the right to butt into your life and judge you. How can hejudge you if he never stayed home with 4 kids and cleaned, cooked, didlaundry too. He probably never did anything himself.

 

[AnnaS]

I feel so bad for you, its horrible when people act like that instead of helping.

 

[bluebird]

I recently read that having animals in the homewhen children are young makes them have less allergies.also keeping thehouse too clean is no good because the children dont get a chance todevelop a natural immunity when they are young.wish i cut that out ofthe paper.bluebird

 

[AnnaS]

Having animals teaches kids to be kind to animalsand people. Also they learn to take care of something small thatdepends on them.