— Email forwards —
This made me smile and remember a little thankfulness and gratefulness… goes a long way.
Dear friends,
It is important for men to remember that as women grow older it becomes harder for them to maintain the same quality of housekeeping as they did when they were younger. When men notice this they should try not to yell.
Let me relate how I handle the situation.
When I got laid off from my consulting job and took early retirement in March, it became necessary for my wife, Nancy, to get a full-time job for extra income and for the health benefits that we need. It was shortly after she started working that I noticed that she was beginning to show her age.
I usually get home from fishing or hunting about the same time she gets home from work. Although she knows how hungry I am, she almost always says that she needs to rest for half an hour before she starts supper. I try not to yell. Instead I tell her take her time and just wake me when she finally gets the supper on the table.
Whereas before, she washed the dishes as soon as we finished eating. Now it is not unusual for them to sit on the table for several hours after supper.
I do what I can by reminding her several times each evening , “The dishes aren’t going to clean themselves.” This seems to help her get them done before bedtime.
Now that she is older, she seems to get tired so much more quickly. Our washer and dryer are in the basement. Sometimes she says “I don’t feel like I can make another trip down those steps.” I don’t make an issue of this. As long as she finishes up the laundry the next evening, I am willing to overlook it.
Not only that, unless I need something ironed to wear to the Monday lodge meeting or to Wednesday’s or Saturday’s poker club or to Tuesday’s or Thursdays bowling, or something like that, I will tell her to wait until the next evening to do the ironing.
This gives her a little more time to do some of those odd things like shampooing the dog, vacuuming or dusting. If I have a good day of fishing, this allows her to gut and scale the fish at a more leisurely pace.
Nancy is starting to complain a little occasionally. For example she will say, “It is really difficult to find time to pay the monthly bills during the lunch hour.” I continue to offer encouragement. I say,” Honey, stretch it out over two or even three days. That way you won’t need to rush so much.” I also remind her “If you missed a lunch now and then it wouldn’t hurt you, if you know what I mean.”
When doing simple jobs, she seems to think she needs more rest periods. She takes a break when she is only half finished mowing the lawn. I try not to embarrass her when she takes these little rest breaks. I tell her, “Fix yourself a nice glass of lemonade and sit for a while. As long as you’re making one glass, make one for me as well and bring it to the hammock so you can talk to me until I fall asleep.”
I know that I probably look like a saint in the way I support Nancy on a daily basis. I’m not saying that the ability to show this much consideration is easy. Many men will find it difficult. No one know better than I do how frustrating women can become as they get older.
Signed,
Bob
Bob’s Funeral was on Saturday, the 26th Nancy was acquitted on Monday the 28th
Who knows? Maybe God’s gonna teach me something. I sure have plenty to learn in this area. I would not call my childhood “normal”… not by a far stretch, but that’s a whole other story. Enough digression, back to the WORD!
