Why is it that during deployment, we handle all the household responsibilities, but when they are home, they assume we are helpless?
During deployments, underways, work ups, or any other time when he won't be home for awhile, I have no problem remembering about trash day. I cheat and have a reminder pop up on my phone to remind me to put the trash out and which night is recycle night.
Its simple really, I gather up the trash from the bedroom and bathrooms. Then I go into the kitchen and determine what in the fridge needs to get thrown out. I gather up all the bags, take them out to the can, put the can on the curb. Then on Thursdays, I put the can back up beside the house. Simple really.
However, when it is a simple duty day, the world must stop.
He's home, so he must gather the trash. Even though I have no problem doing it when he is gone, he is home, so the trash becomes his domain. Honestly, it is fine with me because I would rather not have to deal with hauling the trash and the recycles. So trust me, I don't get upset that I can't do it right when he is home. So he gathers the trash and recycles and places them on the curb.
Now, duty day is trash day. So he has placed his trash perfectly on the curb. Now, I have the very difficult responsibility of rolling the can back to the side of the house when I get home from work. Yet again this is something that I handle when he is gone with no problem. But since he is on duty, he feels the need to remind me.
Well honey, I think I can remember to roll the trash cans up. First, its Thursday, trash day is always Thursday, so I am already in the routine of putting the cans back on Thursdays. Second, the cans were sitting on the curb when I left the house this morning. So seeing the cans is a reminder that when I get home, I will need to put the cans up. Third, when I get home and go to pull into the driveway, I will see the cans.
I am fully capable of seeing the cans, knowing that I need to roll them up by the house, and then actually doing it.
Thanks for the vote of confidence honey that I need to be reminded to take care of the trash.
Most of our sailors seem to think that we are wonder woman when they are deployed. We handle everything, the bills, the house, the yard, the pets, the cars, everything.
But somehow they want to take over when they come home.
Well honey, if you must take over trash duty when you are home to make yourself feel better, I will let you. I'm sure the trash is such a complicated thing, I can't do it right anyways.
