Do you have a house elf? Oh wait that is me!!!!
By asyria51
@asyria51 (2861)
United States
June 30, 2011 4:29pm CST
My husband had the audacity to ask what I was going to do while our child was napping today. This was right after we made a list of things that have to get done and him implying that I had not done anything today. The house elf must have picked up his dirty clothes, sorted them, washed them, folded them and then put them away, because I certainly didn't do it. Nope not me. Maybe it was the house elf that made breakfast and cleaned up all the dishes that were left out on the table. The house elf must have also loaded the dishwasher, taken our child to the park, watered (every hour) the new trees that we planted and made lunch. It must have been the house elf that went to the post office and picked up groceries. The house elf must have also taken our daughter to the neighbors to play outsides in the water.
All the while, I was just sitting in front of the computer doing nothing. We have a really helpful little house elf.
1 person likes this
8 responses
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
1 Jul 11
I have exactly the opposite problem. I will get everything picked up and put away where it belongs, and then my little house elf ... or should I say house "imp" ... comes along and uses something and does not put it back. When they want to use it again the next time, of course they come looking to me to find out where it is. I say "Did you look where it belongs, because that is where I put it and the last place that I saw it". Nope, it isn't there ... that little house imp must have taken it and hid it again!
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
1 Jul 11
LOL! So are you the reason that my remote keeps ending up in the cushions of the couch rather than back on my stand ... or why I can never find my little one's socks (at least not a matching pair), even though I make sure to put them together right on top of her dresser if they are dirty or inside it if they are clean so that they remain in pairs. Could you please tell me where you put my glasses the last time you borrowed them and didn't put them back?
Could you please tell me where you put my glasses the last time you borrowed them and didn't put them back?1 person likes this
@topffer (42156)
• France
1 Jul 11
You have a point here : my glasses were lost during 2 days last week. It happens twice a year, but we are inseparable, and they always come back on my nose after a run away, like my cat -- but the cat does not stay on my nose --.
And for the socks, as I never learned how to fold them, I always buy 6 pairs of the same model : it is easier to find a matching pair
.1 person likes this
@ShaNichole (66)
• United States
30 Jun 11
I know exactly what you mean. I am stay at home mom to five children and I also work from home, and I often am made to feel like it is not enough. Just because I am home all day does not at all mean that I lounging around all day and twiddling my thumbs,but my hubby sure makes me feel that way. Sometimes WISH i had a house elf. But since i don't guess I will have to continue to feel this way.
1 person likes this
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
30 Jun 11
I am not even a stay at home mom. I am a teacher and spend a ton of time over the summer on seminars, training, and classes. Just because I do not do the BIG things, like fixing the broken boards on the deck, does not mean that I am not doing anything. And right now I am doing the most important thing, raising our child instead of letting the TV be a babysitter (she is currently at the table playing with play doh.)
1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
1 Jul 11
LOL! Asyria, my little one just finished coloring, and now we are getting ready to do play doh in a few minutes, too.
ShaNichole - I am a stay-at-home mom as well, and people think that all I do is lounge around and "play" on the computer. It used to be "expected" for a mom to stay at home, and now it seems that we are looked down upon for doing so.
ShaNichole - I am a stay-at-home mom as well, and people think that all I do is lounge around and "play" on the computer. It used to be "expected" for a mom to stay at home, and now it seems that we are looked down upon for doing so.@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
1 Jul 11
my darling and i just got back from the park. She is sitting on the floor sorting out all of her treasures. I use the term treasures very loosely and think that the treasures are going to end up back outside during nap time. We found some dandelions, and sticks and a few rocks.
I understand the stigma of being a stay at home mom, I just wish that my husband and I could afford for me to stay at home all the time. Not just during the summer.
@irishmist (3814)
• United States
1 Jul 11
I hear what you are saying, that Elf sure does get around to plenty of woman's houses. Guess he is really busy, cause God knows most of the men sure are not lol. Tho they talk a good game. Men are just to funny, they think it all gets done by magic, as they don't pay attention to what is going on around them.
@irishmist (3814)
• United States
1 Jul 11
Oh I hear you on that one. We. Ladies are always the last to be praised, for any jobs done in the home.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
1 Jul 11
I honestly don't mind doing the work. It has to get done, and during the summer he is the one doing the mowing and stuff, but the insinuation that I had not done anything really got to me. I would hate to think of what the house would look like if I was not the busy little bee that I am.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
12 Jul 11
asyria hi oh I love a house elf indeed. My husband never did that so much but he was one to stand there for awhile while I hoisted a double pram two diaper bags and two sleepy and cross little b abies out of the pick up. then had the audacity to say," well really I expected you to wait until I got around to your side honey"Oh yeah did it occur to hin to just step forward and grab one of the two little critters before I dropped one. He did get the hint and took his son while I had the daughter and he did manage the pram out too so it finally worked out.He did finally get the idea I only had two hands. lol lol lol.He just had to have a little training first. lol lol loll
1 person likes this
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
12 Jul 11
We have had a heart to heart since then and have a chore chart, along with obligations outside the home. on my plate today is the dusting along with child care. on his plate is some outdoor work. I also have to finish folding and putting away the last load of laundry that was not dry when i went to bed last night.
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
1 Jul 11
I do not know why, but for some reason I imagine your house to be very tidy and neat. I imagine that everything is put in its place and there is not a lot of clutter. Then again, I could be wrong, especially since you have lost a thing or two along the way. So, would your house elf have an easy job keeping things "status quo" or would your house elf throw up his or her hands in frustration and quit when he or she saw the condition of your house?
So, would your house elf have an easy job keeping things "status quo" or would your house elf throw up his or her hands in frustration and quit when he or she saw the condition of your house?1 person likes this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
1 Jul 11
So your house looks rather like mine then ... cluttered but organized. I don't like it when things are too much of a mess and I can't find anything, but too neat and tidy does not make me comfortable, either. If it is too clean, then I feel like I must not touch anything or I might make a smudge on something or wrinkle something else, and I don't want to move for fear of disturbing things.
I don't like it when things are too much of a mess and I can't find anything, but too neat and tidy does not make me comfortable, either. If it is too clean, then I feel like I must not touch anything or I might make a smudge on something or wrinkle something else, and I don't want to move for fear of disturbing things.1 person likes this
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
1 Jul 11
hi asyria when I look at the list of all the things that you did on that single day I can only say wow, and what did your husband do? If I was in your place I would not say anything to him but next day he can make his breakfast himself, I would only care for the kids and my breakfast. When he asks where his fave shirt is I would say honey its in the washing basket would you please start a round of laundry? When he complains he is hungry for lunch I would point out ingredients are in the fridge and the recipe of his meal is page 345 in the cookbook.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
1 Jul 11
still no rain. I just got back from the park with her, they are going to fill up the baby pool and picnic outside. if it does start to rain, I can lock myself in the computer room, and they can play elsewhere in the house, but I will be more distracted.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
1 Jul 11
Right now he is braving the humidity to mow our lawn. our daughter is coloring at the table. That or running to the window to wave to daddy and then getting mad when he doesnt see her so he doesnt wave back.
Today I have to get some stuff done for work. We have a bunch of trainings that have to be done by the end of the first quarter with the kids, but some of these online trainings are 2 hours worth of videos with breaks to answer questions on said videos. We have to take them until we pass, so it is in my best interest to pay attention the first time. He is going to have to take her to the park or something to keep her out of my hair. I suggested using the survey check I just recieved from another site to go to the Mc Donald's playland if it does start to rain, like the weather is forecasting.
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
1 Jul 11
hi asyria hope it wont rain so its the park and not McD. LOL and hope for sure you will be able to take these tests quickly and have that out of your hair too.
@yoyo1198 (3641)
• United States
1 Jul 11
My place needs and elf and all of its helpers. I am so very limited on what I can do on a daily basis.
Your little elf certainly stays busy. Did you explain all of this to your husband? Give the elf a day off and let him see how much gets done then. Maybe he needs to help a bit more, you think?
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
1 Jul 11
I tried that once ... the whole letting the "house elf" take a break for a day to prove how much I actually do in a day ... and all I got was a "See, I told you that you have been letting things slide around here". The next day when everything was done again there was no comment at all. *sigh*
The next day when everything was done again there was no comment at all. *sigh*@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
4 Jul 11
When I start back to work in the fall semester, i will be teaching full time and I will not be able to keep up with everything without help. I have been doing my best to get the clutter under control and everything organized and put away. One of my pet projects was dry erase boards for each of us including what each is expected to do during the week based on who has what time available. Hopefully seeing it in writing will help both of us.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
1 Jul 11
This elf needs a day or 3 off, that's for sure. I think I may go up to my parents while they are away and get most of my summer mandatory online training done. It sure is not getting done at home. we will see what the house looks like when i get back. I may scream, but that is fine.
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
1 Jul 11
A very diligent house elf you've got there.
Sometimes when our husbands are used to the situation where we do everything for them, they don't consider it a task anymore. So when we put a new task on the list and it hasn't been done, they think we haven't done our part at all. @asyria51 (2861)
• United States
1 Jul 11
My husbands tasks are the "big" ones. you can tell immediately if he did them or not. Mowing the lawn, painting projects etc. It is harder to quantify all the little stuff, especially in a specific amount of time. It is two minutes here, 10 minutes there kind of stuff, but it really adds up especially since i spend a majority of the day with our daughter. I use those other 2 and 5 minutes when my daughter is happily engaged with something to hop on here and do what needs to be done...pay bills, try and make a few extra bucks, check the weather...all those things that only take a minute or two.
