Day #249 - Getting to the Bottom of IT

It has been a rather busy weekend for Trav and I and there are several things to be grateful for. I admit I have become a bit lazy this last month, but I am determined to get back in the saddle and focus on the reason I started this blog in the first place - to remind myself of all the little things there are in life to be grateful for.

1st - Bart keeps having some irregular...um...BM's lately. All of a sudden he will just have diarrhea for a day and then he will be regular again. I am so GRATEFUL that we think we have figured out what is going on.

When we sit out on the Breakfast Deck Bart will often lick the bottom self of the grill we have out there. Travis is a master griller and we use it often. Bart likes to lick any grease that may escape. Travis tried to clean it off the other day, but there is charcoal bits stuck fast that he couldn't get up with soap and water. We think Bart has been licking his belly sick in the evenings we spend out there...silly dog.

The UN-Silly part is he tends to leave presents on the carpet by the sliding glass door - not just one, but multiples. Lately Travis has been the "finder" and therefore the lucky "cleaner". On Saturday he woke up at 5:30 a.m. and yelled up the stairs that it was my turn and he wasn't going to do it. He is right, I have not had the pleasure for quite some time, so I got up and handled it.

While on my knees cleaning up spot 4 of 6 I started to feel a bit snarky...when I was done I wrote a list of the Saturday chores I normally handle while Travis is out doing a bike ride to train for his big 80 mile mountain bike race in September. It was a full 8x10 page looking sort of like this:

KITCHEN:
Empty and load dishwasher
clean fridge (in and out)
clean oven (pull apart all burners and wash underneath)
vacuum and mop floor
clean sink

MAIN BATH:
Sink
Mirror
toilet
floor

That sort of thing for every room in the house...Then I went back up to bed and very nonchalantly said something like, "Ya know, I am glad you woke me up to give me my turn to clean up Bart's mistake, you are absolutely right that it was my turn; it got me thinking that, since you can't ride today, maybe you can take a turn at cleaning the house."

Travis "What?" confused look on face

HB "You know, so we can keep it even"

He informed me, after I mentioned I had left a list for him on the kitchen table, that "the jerk store just called...they are out of you!!" I told him I thought he might take the idea well, but my point was made...LOUDLY, although in a quiet voice, and not without consequences in a less then peaceful morning.

Travis did clean with me on Saturday and the whole house got cleaned in 2 hours instead of 4 and it was REALLY nice to have the help. I have to say, I don't mind doing the weekly chores because I usually take my time and listen to a book on tape while I do it and actually enjoy my "alone" time. Besides that Travis doesn't expect me to do it. If I don't feel like doing it, I don't, and I very rarely get grounded for not doing my chores :)

Travis helps out plenty, but I was actually irritated on the "equality" thing. Are things ever REALLY equal in life? I don't think so and I don't pretend that they should be; why waste the energy on believing something that is not real and will only disappoint you?

I hope we have resolved Bart's "issues" and we will not find those lovely gifts anymore...I still laid out 8 pee pads tonight just in case.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Always forgive your enemy's - nothing annoys them so much." Oscar Wilde