Let me set the stage:
My husband loves to play golf. He plays every Sat.& Sun. morning, unless the weather is bad, and I mean it has to be REALLY bad. I don't complain because I don't work, as in an outside paying job.
When we were first married, I worked. Once we had kids, I chose to stay home, until the last one started school. Then back to work I went. I was a public school speech pathologist and for the most part(pay not included since I taught in a state that ranked 48th/50th in low paying salary), it was a great job. However, even though I worked outside the home, I still was mostly resposible for what went on inside the home: cooking, cleaning, bill paying, organizing, laundry, and kid entertaining, enrichment, and counseling. I also drove the kids to their activities, and participated in school projects, PTA, parent/teacher conferences, etc.
I had a lot of guilt. I wanted my husband to WANT to help. When it didn't happen, I didn't ask (or demand), as I was a product of a home environment where my mother felt housework & kid raising was the woman's responsibility, especially if the husband was the major breadwinner. I made sacrifices and put up with a lot of BS from my husband, I think due to my guilt of non-paying work.
When we moved to Houston 3 years ago, I finally got a spine and decided that I'd worked enough. We didn't really need my income and I wanted to be able to visit my kids "whenever".
The move has been good that I do indeed, go, whenever and pretty much wherever I want. But so does my husband. Several weekends ago he went to Austin, TX with some friends to play golf. One of the guys he played with invited him to go play a course in Houston that is sponsoring "The Shell Houston Open". It's the last chance to play that course before it closes to prepare for this major event. Did I complain? Absolutely not. They weren't able to play until this afternoon. That meant he would be home this morning: Saturday. Let me remind you: He plays golf EVERY Sat. & Sun. morning that he can.
I usually wake up pretty early, even though it's not my choice. I attribute it to the "I don't sleep well" aging process, as mentioned in prior posts. With the time change, I've still not adjusted and am sometimes sleeping in until 7:30-8:00. This morning was an 8:00 sleep-in. I got up, poured my coffee, and plugged into the TV, where I found the movie, "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" Not even an hour had passed before he walked into the room and said, "Oh, so is this what you do every morning?"
I really should have come up with something clever, but instead, I got peeved and totally flew off the handle. Mind you, I'm not a morning person, and he knows it. I became something similar to the Incredible Hulk when he changed from the regular guy into the Hulk. He was just kidding, but it was not a smart move.
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2 comments:
hmm somehow that guilt/no complaining thing didn't get passed on to me. I'm sure Joey wishes it did.
I think we all have some sort of guilt like this. I feel like I *should* do everything at home since I don't work, but I've also learned I do need help. Not saying I get it... ha!
You sound like my mom about my dad golfing. He was in a tournament up here this weekend and is flying to Pebble Beach on Thursday to play there for the weekend with some guys. Rough life!
Oh and you totally deserve the break of not working!! I hope my mom retires soon!!
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