The really big plus-minus thing, this weekend past

[drwex]

The weekend once again failed to take the shape we expected. Pygment was Not Well off and on through much of it, which nixed our HONK plans. We spent three hours excavating half of Elder Son's room. Yes, 2.5 people for 3 hours got through half of it. At least it was the cruftier half we managed. The other half should go easier. E.S. was a champ, and will be rewarded with more space for games and such - we just need to get him some more shelves. We did make it to the apple tasting party, which was relaxing and tasty - I ate way too much yummy stuff.

LJ people tend to do these plus-minus lists, which is a fun way to synthesize a whole bunch of stuff. I want to take it up a level and note two really big items that are on my mind now.

MINUS: getting to the end of my weekend (two day - I don't have Monday off) and realizing that once again the pile of mundanity has swallowed so much time. The neverending streams of dishes and laundry and shopping and cleaning plus the household projects ate up so much of what I would have liked to have for family and social time. I commented on this to Pygment and she pointed out that this was the stuff she used to do before going back to work full time. We need a housewife.

PLUS: I had to get up early Monday to make the train into Cambridge for a conference. I had to set an alarm and rush out, barely giving my kids a quick hug before I had to leave. No chatting, no breakfast, no taking kids to school or standing with kids at the bus stop. And, looking around the train platform at all the people in suits who - I'm guessing - have to do this rushing-out-of-the-house every day I'm thinking my life is not so bad after all.

Comments

[donnad.livejournal.com]

I agree, the mundania of life that we don't get to during the week takes up way too much weekend time. Between the sweeping and vacuuming and dishes and laundry and (this week for me) the cooking, so much time and energy is eaten up that by the time you get it all done you are either so exhausted all you want to do is fall over on the couch or there is no weekend left.

This weekend I spent cooking up apples, nothing else got done. (If I don't do it, or seriously nag G to do it(Which I hate to do, he works 12 hours a day, 5 days a week, and deserves his weekend time), it doesn't get done.)

For a while now I have been saying I don't know how people who work full-time and have children keep up. I wouldn't be able to. I only work part-time now and I still can't keep up.

[drwex]

I'm not sure how we do it. Part of it is that Pygment doesn't work a full week with a restricted clock - she can set her schedule to do things like pick up the kids, or move her clients to later in the day.

Another part is that we just let some things slide. The lawn got mowed maybe half as often as we probably should have done it. We haven't gotten new things for the kids always right when they needed them.

I dunno. If I could figure this out I'd write a book.

[rdhdsnippet.livejournal.com]

We make it in much the same way. I only work 32 hours in my office a week, but I do the daily kid aquisition and ferrying to activities and most doctor appointments, and grocery shopping, which easily takes up the other 8 hours and then some.

I also agree about letting things slide. Who cares if there's a bit of a pile of laundry as long as everyone has something to wear? Apple picking will make more memories. :)