Monday, January 25, 2010

Chapter Four-- page 4

I loved that dishwasher. For the first time in my life, dirty dishes could be out of sight somewhere other than under my brother George’s bed.

Shortly after moving into the new house, I got pregnant with our third child, and I started babysitting Holly’s baby. Nonetheless, our home stayed tidy, peaceful and clean most of the time. I had mad skills in housekeeping. My goal was to have myself and the house looking good by 7:00 every morning before Holly arrived. Apart from the occasional untamed diaper explosion, or unexpected yogurt finger paint on the furniture, I was able to do it.

I loved being a housewife, and I worked hard at honing my skills to do a better and better job. I bought and read every organizational book I could find. I was focused, but not obsessive. Anyone walking in at almost any moment would have seen peace and order. That was because I had a dishwasher where dirty dishes could hide… and a shed with a door where storage could hide….and closets for everything else.

I didn’t like messes to be out in the open, but as long as I could keep the door closed so nobody else could see, our closets, pantry, cupboards and dressers were a shambles. As long as everything looked good on the surface, I was happy. My husband, on the other hand, liked to leave stuff out where he could see it.