I've become my Mother!

Housework is a waste of time. You do it, then you have to do it again.

Yes, I am turning into my mother, I've married a man just like my father in his ways! Everything she went through with him I now find myself going through. The only difference is, my mother never drove so every where she went he would go too, I at least could drive up until now with the virus.
She was; house proud, put others before herself, loved gardening, knitting,reading, baking and adored her grandchildren. I am the same. She died in bed at home peacefully in the night alongside her husband, I hope I can do the same.

Oldwoman.
It is Overkill.
Pull the sheets back and let bed air of all day.

I used to change my bed once a week but since getting a rescue greyhound who sleeps on the bottom of the bed I’ve taken to washing every couple of days! And hoover all the time now!! I think tho that we make too much work for ourselves and in the current climate is highlighted that we need to slow down and enjoy what we have when we have it!!! (She says as she’s changing the bed again ????)

I have absolutely no routine and do stuff as it needs done.
That means bathroom and kitchen done every day. Everything else as and when.
This morning I've put a wash on. The Sunnis shining so might also change the bed and get the linen on the line.
I have over ripe bananas so might bake a banana loaf. Also bought lovely rhubarb yesterday so may make an upside down cake. On the other hand perhaps not bake at all. Throw the bananas into the freezer and stew the rhubarb

I never felt that I was like my mother at all. She was very creative and made dolls houses and she was also very political and became a potential libdem candidate. My only similarity is an interest in interior design and colour so similar to her I do a lot of the painting and decorating in the house.

I promised myself that I wouldn't be a slave to my home. My husband and I are relaxed have a lot of hobbies and undertake tasks when they need doing. Our home is clean enough, doesn't smell and hygienic in the kitchen and bathroom. That'll do!

I decided many many years ago not to become my mother. I have not had a Sundsy dinner dince 1976

To be honest I do not know where people find time to do all the housework they seem to do. I just have so much else happening in life, even when housebound, as now, that housework has to fit into the interstices of life.

And what is the point, a house has to be pretty filthy to be a danger to the health of the occupants. I am just very tidy, and tidiness is a very efficient way of making a house look clean, even if it isn't. That is why we talk of houses being clean and tidy.

I've never liked routines and I haven't changed at all. I have more time, though, to notice things that need doing (like windows and tiles) but that doesn't mean they'll get done any time soon!

I would love clean sheets every day or even twice a week, but think of all the precious water that is being used and the extra detergent being pumped out, even hotels nowadays are trying to cut down on their washing by get guests to use towels more than once.

lol I love this thread
as I am recently widowed, and first time ever on my own, yes, never ever lived on my own.. I am struggling
always been "doing" something. and the impetus isn`t there, I want to! I have lots of things I can get on with,,but somehow..
anyone know how I can break through and be the busy bee I used to be

YES, MY MUM!
even memories, I can`t get out of recent memories when dh was ill and died.. I can`t get into the happy times/memories

but I swear my mum is here with me, though she died oh, nearly 50 years ago now

one thing. as I dry the cutlery, I dry and put straight into the cutlery drawer,, as I dry... don`t anyone tell me that is wrong
cos my mum used to tell me NO! and each time I do it.. and yes, I do it quite frequently.... I can hear her say.. DO NOT DO THAT. put them on the counter first..

and spreading butter, well it was marjerine.. (is that a g or a j?) back in the day.. to spread the crusts.

it is amazing how many people do not put the butter or marj
on the crusts.

so thank you for this thread,

and clean knickers every day!! even though we didn`t have dozens of them as we have now! my eyes just ventured up to the above post.. too long a name for me to try to write!

Now we’re on lockdown we decided to do weekend things as a weekday rota. What happened turned out to be washing Sunday evening, vacuum downstairs Monday + kitchen extra clean, vacuum upstairs Tuesday + bathroom extra clean. Rest of the week relax, though the kitchen always gets a wipe. So the weekend just moved to Monday/Tuesday. We enjoy a really restful weekend!

Just between us... When we moved house I knew I could not cope doing it all on my own (and why should we? My time has equal value to anyone else). So we divided the tasks and both work at it - at the same time. I am careful not to do 'mine' at different time otherwise it bleeds out back to it's all 'my' job. But set time and set areas work mean we both know the system. He knows what's expected and between us the house is generally good. Of course when busy, ill or exceptional reason we skip a week or nudge the time, but we understand the basic aim.

Do you find you're using the same 'language' as your mum ? I do....her long forgotten phrases keep coming our of my mouth ? & when I look at recent photos of me I can see my mum.... Spooky isn't it?

I don't love housework (who does?) but I like the result and am doing a bit of spring cleaning at the moment.
Mum had a routine and you could tell which day of the week it was by our meals which was often the case with her generation who'd had rationing and shortages.
She'd often say, "Look what you've done to my nice clean draining board!" - not in a nasty way, if you put something on it. I find myself giving it a good wipe down with the sponge to make it nice. When I leave the house (the regulation once a day) I like to leave it in a fairly tidy state so that nothing nasty awaits me on my return.

Oldwoman70 Calendargirl I can assure you that changing my sheets so often ISN'T overkill. I have menopausal night sweats (lovely). Didn't stop having periods until 18 months ago.

Oldwoman70 and Calendargirl.

I do all that housework because there are 3 of us adults here, one cat (which moults a lot). I don't think it's excessive. I do other things usually, so I'm not usually this bored!

My daughter always said she would not say the same things to her children as I said to her.
When she had her own children she said " I heard your words coming out of my mouth Mother "

I don’t look like my mother when I look in the mirror I look like my gran- very disconcerting! Until all this ramped up I worked still two days a week so did, and still do, a clean right through of my one bed flat on a Friday. I have hard floors and sweep those daily and vacuum and wash once a week. Bed changing and bathroom cleaned well once a week, kitchen cleaned daily. I put a wash on when I have a full load plus towels and bedding are other loads. Surfaces and handles are washed more regularly now with Milton but otherwise still the same as usual. I am enjoying more time for reading, tele, and knitting . Got to see some positives!

I love routine.
Monday and Friday i do the shopping.
On Saturdays i vac the stairs.
And dh does the rest of the housework.
It works for us.

When I worked hoovering, washing floors etc were always done on Thursday evening to leave the weekend free.

Now that I am retired and quite honestly don't have the energy to do it all in one go, I do tend to wash clothes on Mondays, iron on Tuesdays, hoover and wash floors on Fridays.

I’ve suddenly got two adult children who are phoning and checking up on us daily! This is wonderful, especially our son who we didn’t speak to very often, he was always at work, just so busy. The only problem is I’ve got nothing to tell them, been nowhere except a dog walk, seen no one but we’re ok. I expect the novelty might soon wear off.

Oh yes Terri the role reversal! I have 3 DDs all organising my life & behaviour and making sensible suggestions albeit from afar. It’s wonderful to be so loved ❤️

I wish I could turn into my mother - she had a ‘woman wot did’, the lovely Kitty (although every time I look in the mirror, there she is looking back at me)
I quite like allocating time slots especially for jobs I hate. It makes me do them. Kitty taught me well although my expertise in polishing the doorstep with red Cardinal polish is somewhat outdated now!