Ever have one of those weeks? The past few days have been hot and muggy. I can deal with hot, but Judith does NOT do well with muggy. I prefer cold and wind chill, where I can come inside and be comfortable. But hot and muggy seems to permeate everything, with no escape. Temperatures are steadily in the 90+ degrees and at least 70 percent humidity. Everything outside is heavy with dampness and inside comfort is struggling to maintain. I refuse to push that airconditioner any lower than 77 or 78 and the electricity bill is the best incentive.
DP is finished with summer school, his friends are all in summer program activities, so he's been in the house a lot of the time to escape the heat. The walls are closing in!! Okay, enough complaining about conditions over which I have no control and on to things over which I DO.
Last week, I realized it was time for DP to start doing more with household chores and "yardening." Up until now his responsibilities were simple: clean the cat box, take out the trash, make his bed, and empty the dishwasher. As with people DP's age, every chore request was a major imposition, so rather than keep after him and out of frustration I would just give in and do it myself. The result: most of the things I did not do went undone. Friends and family kept saying he was old enough and capable enough to take on more responsibilities in the house and yard; both daughters kept reminding me that when they were his age, they were helping with the cooking and the cleaning; in other words, I was way too easy on him. I confess I kept seeing him as that three year old on the cover of this blog.
His responsibilities are now stepped up to pulling weeds (big backyard---lots of weeds), vacuuming the livingroom and family room, and picking up his bathroom and bedroom. I am very impressed with the results. To quote Bob Dylan, "The times, they are a changin'." And because I have seen what he is really capable of doing, my expectations are a changin', too. Yaay, DP and yaay, me!
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