Thursday, December 20, 2007

A resolution

Somewhere on the Internet recently, I read a fellow man's declaration that a man's Wife should never have to clean their toilet.

I realized that for all the years that I have been married, I have left that to my Sweetie, though She has never complained.

I hasten to add that I do the outside work, help with laundry and do the cooking and vacuuming, for reasons that are specific to us.

But She watches over and carefully pays the bills and does many other important chores. And up until now, She has cleaned the toilet.

I told Her tonight that She will never clean the toilet again. She laughed at me. She said I was silly. I said I was serious.

And so, under Her watchful eye, following Her instructions -- for She is utterly meticulous -- I took up this unpleasant chore for the first time in our life together ... and survived.

15 comments:

StayAtHomeKat said...

I love that you had this epiphany!

Eastcoastdweller said...

I wish that I had had it years ago, Kat. A Woman's hands belong wrapped around a baseball bat or a wrench, or digging in the soil, or being traditional, stirring a stew pot or such, if these are things that She likes -- but no Woman likes to clean toilets, and so that is one place Her hands do not belong.

Rebecca said...

ECD, I remember reading that post, too, but for the life of me cannot remember where...Though it is an odious chore, cleaning the bathroom and/or toilet is just a chore among many. And if labor is fairly divided, you've one up on many! But that's just my opinion :)

BraveHeart said...

You are exaggerate a bit Mister..
as much as this is a great thing you are doing, cleaning the toilet!

It is great to hear that Women are the best and the most worthy, but I still think we should kind of equal the man at least to a capital letter.
Without you world would not continue. Without us the world would end as we know it.
That does make sense?

Eastcoastdweller said...

There are indeed some great, heroic men in the world, Ela.

And men and Women do need each other, to keep the world going.

I'm not so much concerned with declaring Women to be superior, as I am with battling misogyny.

And I firmly, absolutely believe that a Woman can do anything in the world that a man can do (except in certain matters of, ahem, reproductive biology) and should not have any artificial obstacles pur in Her way because of Her gender.

StayAtHomeKat said...

We all have to do things at times we might not like and it is ok, no big deal, such as clean a toilet ....
but ECD, if you have now found it objectionable for your sweetie to do it and want to take it on yourself then I say :-) more power to you .....

I do not mind chivalry.
I do not 'need' a man to lay down his cloak in a mud puddle for me but if he himselfs wants to make the gesture and insists, then I say Go ahead and Thank you!.

It does not threaten my powers or my self-esteem or my sense of equality if a man wants to open a door or pull out a chair for me .....

It is gracious to allow another to give of themselves to us even as we give in turn.

It is a pleasure to give and we should allow others the pleasure of that as well and as they see fit :-)

BraveHeart said...

agreed, the hatry in general isn't helpful in any way.

Do you have a name?
because I see a bungalow dwelling in the east coast, but can not envision a person.

AKA perhaps?
:)

I totally envision your sweety though.

Janice Thomson said...

What a wonderful treat for your wife ECD! I also love the fact you wanted to do this for her. When people can give like this the true meaning of Christmas really shines.

Rebecca said...

Here's to the invention of a self cleaning toilet that truly works. That way neither Man nor Woman need dirty their hands with this chore.

Lone Grey Squirrel said...

Dagnabit, ECD! You are setting a very high standard for your brothers! ...and just before Christmas too! ;)

Diane Dehler said...

I have never heard a guy address this issue before. Congratulations to you on being so fair minded.

Eastcoastdweller said...

I deserve no congratulations. Someone else had to make me aware of the idea or I would probably have continued in my errant ways, letting my Sweetie dip Her hands into nasty toilet bowl water week after week.

It is a high bar, LGS, I agree. But the Women we love are totally worth it.

Ladybird said...

I haven't heard anything sweeter for a long, long time...

Cristina said...

Ah, big deal, cleaning the toilet. It's not like we don't have special brushes and rubber gloves, you don't have to actually touch anything.

What I really hate is unclogging the sink. Now that's nasty business.

It was really nice of you anyway.

Amar Mandair said...

...and so how has it been, cleaning toilets? Whether it is a man or woman cleaning them, it's just unpleasant like most other chores.

The promise you made your wife is actually really nice.