My mother has always been an energetic home cleaner. Even with four kids just over a year apart, she always had the cleanest house on the block. I can never remember a time that our childhood home was not clean. Lucky for her three daughters, Mom passed that gene on. We have all enjoyed keeping pretty clean homes and we all work full-time.
Now my mother is in her 70's and very active in her volunteer activities--when I say very active, I am not exaggerating -- she works VFW bingoes on many Friday nights and Sunday afternoons, spends almost every Wednesday afternoon at the local Tendercare home playing games with the residents, sometimes she and my dad spend 10-hr days cooking for VFW fund-raising events, she is a three times past president of the VFW ladies auxiliary and is the soon-to-be president of the Cooties auxiliary--another veteran's group with a very strange name (my dad is the commander of that group, second year in a row -- they both have endless energy). Two weeks ago they traveled four hours south to a military convention. Next Wednesday they will travel even further to a VFW home in upper MI to entertain the older veterans living there. They have a carload of gifts donated by our local VFW to give the residents as they play bingo. The residents really look forward to this visit. My Mom & Dad never challenge them when they yell "bingo!", even though they cheat like crazy to win the little gifts. They are just happy to bring a smile to the face of an old veteran who has little else to look forward to.
I have only highlighted a few of their recent activities--suffice it to say they are not spending their golden years in a Lazy Boy recliner. If they have any spare time, they like to go on weekend trips with us.
Last Saturday I called my mother to see if they wanted to go on our trip with Roamy. She was home that day, but my Dad was working a gun show at the VFW. She said she had to scrub floors, do laundry, etc. because she was so far behind. "Housework is cramping my style!" she declared.
Isn't that the truth? I am far from my 70's, but I wholeheartedly agree. As I get older, my ambition for housework is waning. Today I am stuck home doing housework. It's cold and raining so there won't be any garden work like I had planned. I would much rather be on a weekend getaway. Life is just too short to forgo fun to clean a house. My new motto is "Enjoy life while you can--you never know when your time is up!"
From now on my housework will just have to wait because I am my mother's daughter and housework is beginning to cramp my style, too!
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you are my hero...you go girl...housework cramps my style too
ReplyDeleteWell I tend to agree with you as housework can wait if I have the chance to go somewhere fun or interesting. If the rugs and floors are clean,the dishes washed and laundry done, I'm good.
ReplyDeleteI was raised with 3 brothers and our house was probably the opposite of yours-sometimes. My mom worked full-time, but my grandmom lived with us (it was half her house). I use to clean and cook to help out when I got a bit older. I remember doing laundry and hanging it out. That was for 6 people.
And your parents are amazing! I wish Brian's dad would have gotten involved with the VFW, but he is says 'charity begins at home'. Terrible.
ReplyDeleteZoey, your mom sounds alot like mine, who at 90 years old still scrubs her floor on her hands and knees every week. I wish I could say the same, but lately I've let my hobbies and passions and gardening get in the way. I used to have such a firm schedule for cleaning and made everyone bow to my strict wishes, but lately I've gotten very lax. Life is too short, and if there's one thing I do know about it, the dirt will always be there when I get home.
ReplyDeleteHaving said all that, I'm congratulating you on your housecleaning ethic. You are my idol!
Growing up, Mom always said, "Your house is only as clean as it dirtiest corner." This haunts me today and though long gone for more than 30 years, I know she's watching from above ... and I'm a fanatic! (Go and enjoy ... I'm trying to too:)
ReplyDeleteI cannot tolerate housework. I would rather pull a mile of weeds than vacuum one room. It is dull and makes me depressed. The constant-ness of it gnaws at me and gets in the way of what I WANT to do! My mom, compared to yours, forced us kids to do the housework. Guess I've done my share!!
ReplyDeleteWhen construction went to heck in a hand basket here in Arizona two years ago, significant other knew his job was on the line, but as men do he took his frustrations out on me. One day after a particularly bad day he came home while I was cleaning and screamed "I'm sick and tired of you cleaning house!" Nuff said, I stopped, significant other is retired now, and he cleans the bathrooms, runs the vacuum, dusts, he makes beds, keeps the master bathroom in tip top shape, cleans mirrors, scrubs our clear glass shower stall, does all the yard work (I used to do it), puts away all the laundry after I wash and fold it, he also rinses dishes and puts them in the dishwasher after every meal, and cleans his media room. I'm so glad he yelled at me!
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