One afternoon, sitting around doing cross-stitch at the in-laws, my Mother-In-Law, and two sisters-in-law (steve's sister, and the brother's wife) and I were chatting:
M.I.L.:
I do iron my bedsheets (among other things, which includes neatly folding plastic grocery bags into perfect little squares)
SISTER-IN-LAW:
I confess I only iron the guest bedsheets (among other things, which includes neatly folding plastic grocery bags into perfect little squares)
THE SISTER:
I wash 'em, but I do not iron bedsheets. (ex-army girl, need i say more?)
(At this point I lay down my imaginary cross-stitch...)
CHESCA:
Alright, I've got to say...when you spend the night at our house, the sheets might be freshly laundered if the person that has spent the night before you is not related to you. Otherwise...
___________________________
I am a pig. I am married to a pig. We have piglets.
There are clothes strewn everywhere.
The pungent odor of tobacco spit mixed with, I don't know, dirty socks and smelly dog permeates the air.
The last time the cable guy was here, he was picking his way through dirty clothes when I attempted a feeble apology:
"Pardon the mess...but ...but this is how we really live."
He let out a hearty laugh and said:
"You know, I've never heard anyone just come out and say that."
I am trying to be the person that can clean up her own mess.
(at least that's my press release, anyway)
Actually, I am downright embarassed about the house's state of disarray, that hiring a cleaning person is out of the question.
Secretly, I fear committing to a regular cleaning person, means that I would have to be on some sort of schedule to pick up around here.
(but that's a different subject)
And, god-forbid I get used to the service and then become no longer able to continue it for whatever reason,
this is a pre-emptive strike against feeling screwed.
And so I try.
I try even harder when I know that my in-laws are coming to visit.
Right now, I am on 'try harder' mode.
Tomorrow, I have jury duty.
His parents are coming on Wednesday.
I have less than 24 hrs. to get a semblance of order around here.