Entropy is pulling ahead

[pegkerr]

I usually consider myself, in my own home, to be fighting a losing battle with entropy. Still, it was striking to see how, when I get sick and am not up to my usual, how much I really do most of the time. I realize that lately I have been losing at a faster rate than normal.

This past week, I have felt like a marionette with all of my strings cut. I have felt listless, unenergetic and ineffectual, too busy trying to breathe to get much done. As a result, the house has fallen apart to an astounding degree. This was not helped by the fact that Rob was sick during the same week. I have not been exercising because of the allergies, and now feel overtaken by torpor.

This is immensely depressing. I look at the mess, and I know I should gird my loins to engage in battle again, but when I look at the mess in the bedrooms and the mail table and the dining room table and the kitchen, and see how much has piled up, and look at the mess in the yard--weeds everywhere, grass too long--I want to burst into tears. And I feel that there is no one to pick up the slack for me. Cleaning is alien to Rob's nature, and the girls have grasshopper minds that do not even notice the mess. Nor does it occur to them for a moment to DO anything about it. But I look around and . . . urgh.

*Feeling the urge to cry again.*

No, I am not asking for advice. I am just venting.

Comments

[redbird]

Would a *hug* and some virtual tea be welcome?

[cynthia1960.livejournal.com]

And another dose of tea and hugs from here?

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

Poor Peg. it sucks when you have to catch up (on work, housework, whatever) but you're still limited on time or energy.

[aome.livejournal.com]

I think it's been a year since any filing got done; we're so far just piling up paid bills and reviewed statements and such in our guest room to tottering stacks. And why? Because I'm the only one who will ever do anything about it. Or engineer any other cleaning project. I'm having a couple of kids/parents over on Friday evening and got myself depressed today by realizing how much cleaning I need to do before then. So - absolutely no advice from me, just complete sympathy. Or empathy? Whichever.

[bordergold.livejournal.com]

well, I don't know if this will make you feel any better, but I was a total slob when I was a kid, and by the time I was fifteen or sixteen I started doing chores without being asked, cleaning things up, the like. I actually like cleaning now because I pop in a book on tape and just do mindless tasks like sweeping the floor and sorting through papers while listening to Harry defeat Voldemort. Over and over again.

Anyway, it's almost summer. *massive hugs* I'd come help you weed the garden if I could get away from school :)

[baldanders.livejournal.com]

Cleaning is alien to my nature too, but.... well. It's a household partnership. I clean.

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

I never know how useful I am until I get up out of a sickbed. Even though my husband does all the cooking, I'm still vital to keeping the clothes washed, the dishwasher unloaded and reloaded...

[jemyl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, allergies will do that to you. They have done it to me for the last five years as well. I feel accomplished if I get to clean off one one foot by two foot space and get the garbage out. The wash and the cat litter call for a gold star. LOL I hope you feel better soon. Hugz

[sociofemme.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. *sends virtual chocolates and fluffy penguin hugs*

[hobbitbabe.livejournal.com]

I hope your recovery is speedy and complete and whatever allergens are in your air will disperse harmlessly into Manitoba or somewhere like that

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

*Hugs*

*hugs*

*Hugs*

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

That is SO frustrating. I'm not much of a housekeeper by any means, though my house is always sanitary. But cleaning has to happen and I have to do it since I'm the only one here. I know Delia and Fiona are young still, but you're instilling good habits into them.

[resqdog51.livejournal.com]

[kiwiria.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Unfortunately, I know the feeling.

[porcinea.livejournal.com]

Really, it's enough to send one back to bed with the covers over one's head. (If that didn't remind one that one really ought to change the sheets, that is.)

Trying to kick my own ass into gear today. Not easy.

[snippy]

--pat, pat-- That's a horrible way to feel. And I know, because sinanju and I were sick the whole first week of April and our house is still a wreck, and we don't even have kids living with us to make it worse!

For me the hardest part is starting, because it looks like an impossible job.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Come over to the dark side... :)

When I moved from a three bedroom house to a two-bedroom duplex apartment I had to either give up a great deal of stuff that mattered to me - or learn to make my peace with clutter and disarray. I'm not completely resigned to it, but living with it allows me a lot more time and energy for creative pursuits. Hail Eris!

[castiron.livejournal.com]

Much sympathies. It's amazing how just a few days can result in the Pile of Stuff That Ate Cincinnati. (In my case, alas, I'm the only one to blame....)

[genealogygirl.livejournal.com]

I can soooooo relate!

It's amazing how fast things can degenerate if the primary home-keeper slacks up even the slightest bit (say, to read a magazine and read LJ for the first time in over a month instead of putting in a load of kid laundry and cleaning up the kitchen and packing up tomorrow's lunches and picking up the family room with toys strewn about and paying the bills from having been gone for 5 days and .........). :)