The bare minimum

I do a lot in a day. I struggle with sleep, and it is fair to say I’m most often in a constant state of tired. Why? Because I do things for pretty much everyone but myself, and just doing the bare minimum isn’t something that sits right with me. I’m actually starting to think this is generational.

As you can imagine, laundry is never ending here. I’ve done 86 loads in the last 30 days. I was gone for about ten of those days, doing laundry, off site. 258 loads in the last 90 days, and gone a total of three weeks or so in that period, and again, doing laundry off site. I don’t want other people touching my washer and dryer. That’s on me and a decision I’m happy with. 

In exchange for my glamorous role as laundry fairy, all I ask is that you get your own clothes and put them away. What seems to be tricky here is what one should do with the towels. To me, this seems obvious, and frankly, the easiest of the laundry tasks. Cohort thinks she should only be required to put away the towels she has used. So today there were four towels to be put away. I see her with two and tell her she’s missed two and to please put away the towels. I am near certain that Cohorts first language is indeed English, so I can’t process why she’s looking at me like I just barked a series of requests in French. Furthermore, being I just carried up all sorts of laundry, all day, that has yet to belong to me, I’m confused by the look of contempt splashed across her face. An argument ensues, she disparages me under her breath the entire time she puts away those two extra towels, (in the linen closet she was passing anyway), you know, just loud enough that I can hear her. I want so badly to point out that I too talk to myself during the day, just because I crave intelligent conversation. Then I thought better of it and bit my tongue. 

Then, because she can’t believe she was made to do more than the bare minimum to be helpful, she needs to go for a walk, to calm herself. Ummm. Ok. I can see how all of this is outrageous. By all means, take some time to self soothe. I’ll just be here cleaning up after you while you’re away. You know, like I do every single day. (I wonder if you can over develop the muscles used to roll your eyes?)

I don’t dish out chores. I ask on occasion that they find something to do to be helpful. Run the vacuum or empty the dishwasher would be a typical task. There is nothing regular outside of making their beds and picking up their rooms. The bedrooms are actually cleaned for them, twice a week. So, asking for those extra two towels to be put away, well, I can see how that set Cohort over the edge.

Now that I know the bare minimum is what is actually expected, I plan to try it out for the rest of the day. First stop on the bare minimum train, refusal to cook and serve the typical three to four course dinner. I mean, there is bread and lunch meat at everyone’s disposal. Why put for the extra effort? How unnecessary that sounds. Yeesh.