I will do it MY way

Since the summer heat is in full swing and we are in the middle of the hot and sweaty and sticky days, we devised a plan of action to help mom cope with the hot summer. Since I the mom always complained about the numerous washing that needed to be done and the even more folding of clothes and sometimes the ironing as well. It just never seemed to end.
This was interspersed with cooking and trips to the garden to monitor the growth of the vegetable plants which seemed to grow very well and with no intention of giving any fruit/vegetable.
To help me cope with the relentless summer my family was coaxed into agreeing to help out with some of the chores. Starting of course with the washing and then unloading dishes and a few other around the kitchen like putting away dishes after dinner and washing clothes and then folding them too.
Very soon I observed a trend in this helping out arrangement. Ofcourse anyone smarter than me would have observed this as soon as we set out into this arrangement. What I did observe was that there was not much dent in the washing that needed to be done and after dinner everything still remained on the dining table not as per agreement.
Family Meeting was called in the Hall and everyone attended promptly which was nice for a change I did not have to yell each of their names hundreds of times like sahasranamam before they showed up. Maybe that’s why in olden days God’s names were kept so as to get some benefit if called so many times.. but I digress.
Once family members came to order, I addressed with a strict face questioning why help was not performed as per arrangment. Looking dh straight in the eye without flinching,I accused him of not helping to clear the dishes from dining table and the fact my ds left coffee mug and tumblers around the house. Looking at ds with the withering look I demanded to know why he had not taken clothes to washing as per agreement.
Silence prevailed as they looked back at me as if I was a mongoose or some other earthly rodent which had a big enough shape as I, peeping at them through the cave hole. My fierce voice and withering looks apparently did not make any dent into the two of them. Then my dh spoke. Apparently he was the unspoken spokesperson for their group. And this is what he said and I quote,
“I will do it MY way”.
For a second there I remained speechless. Maybe because I have more hair on my head than him it takes a while for words to seep through and then make some sense. So I dumbly asked “What is this MY way” for which father and son glanced at each other and exchanged a smile which I caught on too!
“Just leave things as they are and we will do it LATER” with a lot of emphasis on the word LATER. Aha I thought to myself. Don’t I know this LATER never comes.. But they were in full swing with their arguments. They both demanded to know why I did not leave things as is????? What if the Kitchen table was crowded and what if dishes were not put away and so what if clothes not washed everyday??????
For which I had a simple reply that we would be overcrowded on the dining table and procrastination was not the keyword here.
They stood their ground so firmly that I had to back off and accept verdict of the majority. So now everything is as before and as I cannot stand by watching the clothes mound I wash them as usual and put away dishes as usual too. They still team up and wonder what went wrong with the arrangement as they agreed to help with all chores, only they wanted to do it their WAY. Now they blame me for not letting them do it their WAY!.. so whose side are you all on? Or should I also just back off and let them do it their way?

Dear Chitra mam,
I congratulate for grouping words in to a pearl like sentences,they proove how frustrated yoru are with dh,ds.Dont worry mam I think You should give them a chance to know about "THEIR WAY" and then You can decide whether to take help or not!!!

Hugs,
dg.

Dear AC,

I was just about to sleep and switch off the PC when i saw your post and decided to read it and boy am i glad? What a hilarious piece. I could actually visualise your round table conference!!Two males V/S one poor female. Im on your side AC

But tell you what, this is expected. You sent Dhs to the kitchen and then cant recognise the kitchen thereafter.You ask them to clean the house and spend the rest two days searching for almost everything since nothing is in place.
So what have I learnt?. Please dont help me!!. Anyway "I will do it my way" is as good as saying I can do just this much!!Period.

Lovely piece AC. Brimming with humour!

Love,
Devika

Dear AC,
Iam happy to know that we are again sailing in the same boat.I think more members will team up &the boat will get overcrowded & we will be .So why not book a cruise&we can resume our journey.

love,
ammu

Originally Posted by dream.girl

Dear Chitra mam,
I congratulate for grouping words in to a pearl like sentences,they proove how frustrated yoru are with dh,ds.Dont worry mam I think You should give them a chance to know about "THEIR WAY" and then You can decide whether to take help or not!!!

Hugs,
dg.

Dg Dear
Glad to hear from you.. I really wish now house members had names of Gods like Muruga, Narayana , Shiva and such so atleast I would get Punyam for the innumerous times I have to ask them to come and eat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi anandchitra

Had a tough time controlling my laughter as I was reading your post in office.


Looks like "I do it my way" syndrome exists for all DHs. Even when my husband volunteers to do cooking on some days when I am tired I would be summoned to the kitchen every few minutes to find out where knife was, dal was, spoon was etc.. Finally I end up thinking I could have done the cooking myself and it would have saved me these trips from hall to the kitchen...

And same things with the dishes. I hate the sight of dirty dishes in the sink. My DH does not like me to wash them. He prefers to load them into the dishwasher the next day. But I hate coming to the kitchen the next day to see a sink full of dirty vessels...

guess its the same story everywhere

Originally Posted by ammukutty

Dear AC,
Iam happy to know that we are again sailing in the same boat.I think more members will team up &the boat will get overcrowded & we will be .So why not book a cruise&we can resume our journey.

love,
ammu

Ammu sweetie
Not sure if I should be happy or sad we are in the same boat.. better to be happy I think.. why would the boat be overcrowded with more members.. just ME alone is enoughto overcrowd your small boat... YES cruise is a great idea..... LETS GOOOOO:)

Originally Posted by Devika Menon

Dear AC,

I was just about to sleep and switch off the PC when i saw your post and decided to read it and boy am i glad? What a hilarious piece. I could actually visualise your round table conference!!Two males V/S one poor female. Im on your side AC

But tell you what, this is expected. You sent Dhs to the kitchen and then cant recognise the kitchen thereafter.You ask them to clean the house and spend the rest two days searching for almost everything since nothing is in place.
So what have I learnt?. Please dont help me!!. Anyway "I will do it my way" is as good as saying I can do just this much!!Period.

Lovely piece AC. Brimming with humour!

Love,
Devika

Devika
You do present a different point of view hitherto unthought of by me,, so o.k. I guess:)

Originally Posted by VLR

Hi anandchitra

Had a tough time controlling my laughter as I was reading your post in office.


Looks like "I do it my way" syndrome exists for all DHs. Even when my husband volunteers to do cooking on some days when I am tired I would be summoned to the kitchen every few minutes to find out where knife was, dal was, spoon was etc.. Finally I end up thinking I could have done the cooking myself and it would have saved me these trips from hall to the kitchen...

And same things with the dishes. I hate the sight of dirty dishes in the sink. My DH does not like me to wash them. He prefers to load them into the dishwasher the next day. But I hate coming to the kitchen the next day to see a sink full of dirty vessels...

guess its the same story everywhere

You are right about it being the same everywhere... also even when spoon and everything is in front of them they still want us to walk back and forth between kitchen.. like you say might as well do the work ourselves.. well said..

Dear AC.. (Really your writings are so coool as AC )

What else I can Say....

Another great piece of writing.. Really it happens in most of the houses.... I have also experienced this with my Darling Hubby,... in lot of things.....

Thanx Dear for posting......