3:14: dishwasher emptying. How exciting.

Sunday, June 12, at 3:14 I had just finished vacuuming up lots of dog hair that somebody had left lying around and had started emptying the dishwasher. I think this is the first time – no, the second time – that I've emptied the dishwasher since my husband left for Europe a little over a week ago. Ever since he retired, he's thrown himself into being what he calls my "wife", by which he means taking care of most of the household chores.

In fact, he just called me today (the 19th) to say he's staying with his friend -- the former Army buddy who is now a German monk, you know how that goes.  They're in a "Vacation monastery" in Copenhagen, and my husband is cooking for the two of them, then letting Brother Cliff head out to do his monk work (helping, via telephone, with computer glitches back at the main monastery), while he (my husband) cleans up the after-dinner mess.  Just like at home . . . when he's home.

For so many years of my career, I was the primary parent and household keeper, since we both had jobs, but mine was two blocks from our house and his was an hour away by train. People talked a lot about the difficulties holding down a career while being a mother, and I thought to myself, "it's challenging, but it's doable. After all I do it!"

Then my husband retired and took things over, and I realized, "Oh! That is what they meant." I started publishing like crazy, even came out with my second book. Nowadays I come home and my husband makes dinner while I read the paper or finish up from work, then we eat dinner together and go for a walk, and then he does the dishes while I do my last little bits of email. So this isn't just the first or second time I've emptied the dishwasher since he left for Europe --- it's probably the first or second time I've emptied the dishwasher since he came back from his last trip. Try not to feel too sorry for me.

p.s.  See my home-made, wooden canning lid rack?  It's working great.  I love that thing!