More than a little bit heated in the battle zone, until the fire retardant rescue surfaced in using a Family Council, to get ourselves contented and smoochy again. We were able to agree that we both felt the same areas were bones of contention- simply because we each wanted, passionately, a totally opposite solution.
Truly, I think taste buds change over the years and what once was to your liking is not the same as it was. So yesterday, we worked our way through the challenge of Plain Greek Yogurt vs. Vanilla Jello Instant Pudding and came up with a menu plan and we are both at ease and peace reigns supreme.
Today we tackled the issue of housekeeping. Truly we were cuckoo about it. Dishcloth hanging over faucet vs dishcloth flat in sink. 3 hooks for towels. First hung towel is for hands and can't be a white one like other 2 dish towels vs white dish towels, on all 3 hooks, work fine for hands. Each night spread dishcloth on dryer so it doesn't mold and put out a fresh one vs Each night wad up damp cloth and throw in hamper. Yes. I know. Ridiculous. Questioning ....why don't they get a life etc. etc. Truth of the matter this is our life!! and it's not feeling very Temple like with these barbs.
Terry, on Jan. 2, gifted me with the most unusual gift that brought me instant tremendous joy . A gift for a year!! He announced- he was going to go past just unloading the dishwasher and do ALL the dishes. Yes! All! rinse them, load them, unload, do the pans, wipe the counters, sweep the floors!! He was quite stunned when he heard himself utter those words and I about fainted.
I asked...WHY???!!!
He said....Because I don't like the way you load the dishwasher.
What woman would not break out laughing at that one? Then he said there was one stipulation...straighten the pans. Now that was another laugh as the pans are on 4 shelves and it takes nothing to straighten them.
He then claimed it wasn't his voice speaking but we both agreed it came out of his mouth!! I was admonished to not tell anyone and I didn't UNTIL he announced it in Priesthood to all of his HP comrades. When one of his pals asked if I was a ventriloquist then I figured- well, howdy-do...I'll tell the world also.
Yes, the poor fellow would go back to work if he had better balance, no neuralgia, energy, no hip pain, 10 years or so younger etc. etc. and we'd both be happy for that but in the meantime we are trying to create a pleasant work environment right here, at our little empty nest that just has us two old crows, cawing and jawing over anything we can see to gripe about.
So to end whine time banter battling. And to create a house of order and one that the Spirit would enjoy, today at our Family Council, which Terry headed up, we came up with a chore list. just like your little kiddies have. Who gets to do what and what the what is. some daily. some weekly. some monthly. and rules of no reminding. no checking/critiquing/complaining. We just need a box of gold stars!!
Maybe at some point, this will all change back to the way it has been for dozens of years but for now we are in total agreement on what we are going to eat and who does what and when they do it on cooking and also housekeeping.
Maybe at some point, this will all change back to the way it has been for dozens of years but for now we are in total agreement on what we are going to eat and who does what and when they do it on cooking and also housekeeping.
We went into overtime on our Family Council, making yet one more plan of action and decided to jointly dejunk/downsize/organize the house. We started with a closet where I keep dishes etc. Terry did ask.... what is that thing for? why do you want that thing? who gave you that thing? where did this stuff come from? want to junk that? you'll never use this stuff! .... Then the questions stopped and we peacefully sorted through so much stuff. I was chiding him but inwardly, hypocritical-like, I asked the exact same questions!!
Terry said at the North Slope, where he worked for many years, that they call men who do these household things, BullCooks. I told him that is not in the dictionary but HouseBoy is. And so is Sweetheart.
And my title? Daughter of God.
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Counseling with our Councils
(learning to minister together in the church and in the family)
by M. Russell Ballard
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