There is a better way to handle it than resorting to violence!

(Posted by Gayle)

It’s the Christmas rush and I have 1 million things on my to-do list today.  I’m pretty sure I was being a bit industrious when I made the list.  I’ll probably only get 999,997 of them done.  Make that 999,996.  Cleaning the fridge wasn’t one of the items on the list.  But as I was putting up groceries (that was on the list), I found the most horrible science experiment of my entire oh so very loooooong life living behind the vegetable keeper under the plastic tubing where the water flows to be chilled.  It had to be taken care of at once.  The miscellaneous lint and dog hair inside the door of the fridge had been ignored for a while, but this was too much even for me.

Ron was wrapping Christmas presents nearby (another item on the list – did I mention it was a shared list?)  I’ve never had surgery (not on the list) but the sounds I was making while cleaning the refrigerated mess were reminiscent of someone being cut on without the benefit of anesthesia.  The more I cleaned the more I moaned and groaned.  No response from Ron.  He was only 6 or so feet away from me on the other side of the bar.

So finally I blurted out “Don’t you hear me over here?  This mess is horrible.”  No response from Ron.  Me – exclaiming loudly “I just want you to feel sorry for me!”  Finally a response from Ron (in a flat and hollow tone):  “oh I’m sorry for you.”  Then more seriously he said “I was just a bit preoccupied.”

Thankfully, I started laughing.  That’s just the way it is isn’t it?  Some days we want pity.  But we want it on our terms.  Most days I would boot someone in the bottom if they took pity on me for any reason, however cleaning a yucky mess in the fridge is NOT one of those times!

Moral of the story?

• He can’t read your mind.  Tell him if you want some validation.
• If she’s doing some wicked nasty chore, tell her it’s an awful job and you are grateful she is there to do it (do not say “but somebody’s got to do it!”)
• You can reverse the genders in the aforementioned items and it’s all still true.
• Clean out the fridge a little more often.
• When you clean the fridge start at the top.

Go to grocery store
Prepare Christmas packages for mailing
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