It is funny how you can tell when someone is not coping too well. Some people retreat into a room and play guitar. Some people drink a bit too much. Some people go out a lot. Some people clean.
I am the opposite. When I am not coping too well, my house gets messy. Very messy. But my true Emotional Barometer is the state of my kitchen.
If the washing up is piling up on the bench top, you know I am having a rough time. When it is piling up on the oven as well as the bench top...well let's just say I'm headed for a melt down.
Sometimes it gets so bad I will go out for the day (no matter what it does to Bede's sleeps) just to avoid looking at the state of my kitchen.
This is all very ironic given that I do the mouse's share of the cooking in our house.
Luke has always done the bulk of our cooking.
He likes it.
I like it.
Long may it continue.
I have always done the bulk of the cleaning. I am not good at it. My house would never win an award for tidiness and my mother would (and sometimes does) flinch at the state of the bathroom.
But when I am coping, my kitchen is pretty clean. Immaculate even. It's when I'm feeling confident and in control. But it can go from clean and easy maintenance to messy and hard to fix in the space of 24 short hours. I never realised I was so emotionally mercurial!!
So when you come to my house and I tell you "Please ignore the mess"...chances are I would really appreciate a hand. I would deny it! Vocally. But please ignore my protests and please wash up for me!!!
It is an easy way to help me get back under control.
What state is your kitchen in today? love hez
ReplyDeleteThis is a good thing to know about yourself and a good thing to let others know! What a great code - "hey everyone, messy kitchen today" and you don't have to tell people you're struggling, they would know.
ReplyDeleteI would like to ask, along with Helen, how's it looking today?
Today it is medium...yesterday it was hideous...every so often when it gets really bad I make Luke come and help me do it all at once including drying. I often really wish he would just take the initiative when he can see it getting bad. I hate having to ask because he already does so much around the house.
ReplyDelete