Outsource your Home Work
I know people think we’re very excessive having a cleaner in eight hours a week, a gardener and a pool cleaner, but you see, it’s like this. I bloody hate doing housework. Steve hates gardening (it’s a childhood thing) and would rather not clean the pool. Not to mention that he won’t even consider wearing a thong when he does clean the pool, so wot’s the point huh? Seriously though, nothing on this planet will make me more depressed than feeling like a housewife and I reckon my time is better spent being with my husband, my kids or using my brain, so I say NO to housework, although I do like a clean house!
Obviously, having had the glorious benefit of Vick in our lives for the final two years in Singapore (+ great cleaners coming in a couple of times a week before that), we did enjoy having a cook, cleaner and baby sitter – but I’m proud to say we never ever abused that time or took advantage of Vick. If anything, we should have used her more, but we’re OK with that.
Anyhoo, adjusting back to “normal” life was something a lot of people asked us about when we returned to Australia. Absolutely we missed Vick, because she was an awesome person in our lives, but we’ve been totally cool with the new challenges that life offers us. We’d just rather not spend our time on thankless shit.
Continuing to be able to spend time with each other and the boys is still an absolute priority for us, so when we set up shop in Noosa we decided on a couple of things. No matter how low the cash resources were, we will afford a cleaner, a gardener and a pool cleaner (but they don’t wear thongs either). Steve and I both needed this to be happy and it was more important to be happy and together, with loads of time over for the boys, than to be running around sweating cleaning up shite. In the few times in my life since joining the family world where we haven’t had a cleaner, I’ve found myself getting really pissed off with anyone who made a mess – and with a two and a three year old that is guaranteed, not to forget a 40 year old addicted to baby power!
So we took away the stress and frustration and brought in Anne – she’s not the best, but I don’t have to worry about the floors, the bathrooms, ironing, or the toilets! The toy room gets cleaned up twice a week so I ignore it and all I have to do is put clean clothes away. It’s bloody great by Australian standards.
In the meantime, I’ve noticed that Australians seem a bit averse to this type of attitude and are rather shocked at our apparent excess. What I don’t get is why Australians think that punishing themselves with manic lives, full of many aspects of which make them unhappy, is the right way to be?
A mind set change needs to happen in this country. Life is hard and frantic for most people and many can’t afford any extras, but what’s the priority in your life? If it’s living, then get a cleaner in at least once a week to do the big stuff, and then you can have sex more, play more, relax more. I don’t think life needs to be as hard as people make it, and these things don’t have to cost the earth, it’s just another monthly bill that makes life easier.
Oh and for those with husbands that absolutely will not even consider the additional cost of a cleaner (tight bastards) tell them they’ll have a lot more sex – that usually sways them! And if they don’t get more sex, they’’ definitely have a happier wife – that’s worth a fortune surely?
Now, don’t get me wrong, I know this is not affordable for many, but if you do have a bit of extra cash left over, why not give someone who needs a job a job, but more importantly, increase the joy in your life?
I really think it’s important that we all stop doing things that make us miserable when ever possible, or at least minimize the miserable aspects, because life is a lot better without chores in it trust me.
Yours, without the bollocks
Andrea
Obviously, having had the glorious benefit of Vick in our lives for the final two years in Singapore (+ great cleaners coming in a couple of times a week before that), we did enjoy having a cook, cleaner and baby sitter – but I’m proud to say we never ever abused that time or took advantage of Vick. If anything, we should have used her more, but we’re OK with that.
Anyhoo, adjusting back to “normal” life was something a lot of people asked us about when we returned to Australia. Absolutely we missed Vick, because she was an awesome person in our lives, but we’ve been totally cool with the new challenges that life offers us. We’d just rather not spend our time on thankless shit.
Continuing to be able to spend time with each other and the boys is still an absolute priority for us, so when we set up shop in Noosa we decided on a couple of things. No matter how low the cash resources were, we will afford a cleaner, a gardener and a pool cleaner (but they don’t wear thongs either). Steve and I both needed this to be happy and it was more important to be happy and together, with loads of time over for the boys, than to be running around sweating cleaning up shite. In the few times in my life since joining the family world where we haven’t had a cleaner, I’ve found myself getting really pissed off with anyone who made a mess – and with a two and a three year old that is guaranteed, not to forget a 40 year old addicted to baby power!
So we took away the stress and frustration and brought in Anne – she’s not the best, but I don’t have to worry about the floors, the bathrooms, ironing, or the toilets! The toy room gets cleaned up twice a week so I ignore it and all I have to do is put clean clothes away. It’s bloody great by Australian standards.
In the meantime, I’ve noticed that Australians seem a bit averse to this type of attitude and are rather shocked at our apparent excess. What I don’t get is why Australians think that punishing themselves with manic lives, full of many aspects of which make them unhappy, is the right way to be?
A mind set change needs to happen in this country. Life is hard and frantic for most people and many can’t afford any extras, but what’s the priority in your life? If it’s living, then get a cleaner in at least once a week to do the big stuff, and then you can have sex more, play more, relax more. I don’t think life needs to be as hard as people make it, and these things don’t have to cost the earth, it’s just another monthly bill that makes life easier.
Oh and for those with husbands that absolutely will not even consider the additional cost of a cleaner (tight bastards) tell them they’ll have a lot more sex – that usually sways them! And if they don’t get more sex, they’’ definitely have a happier wife – that’s worth a fortune surely?
Now, don’t get me wrong, I know this is not affordable for many, but if you do have a bit of extra cash left over, why not give someone who needs a job a job, but more importantly, increase the joy in your life?
I really think it’s important that we all stop doing things that make us miserable when ever possible, or at least minimize the miserable aspects, because life is a lot better without chores in it trust me.
Yours, without the bollocks
Andrea
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