Life's Adventures: In Domesticity (Confessions of an Ex-Domestic Goddess)

Many moons ago, when I was first married, my husband told people we lived in a hospital. He’s prone to exaggeration, but I was kind of fanatical. I was raised by a stay-at-home mom who bought into the whole 1950s feminine persona. So, I cleaned the house every day, sweeping and dusting. I did all the grocery shopping and cooking. My first cookbook was a paperback entitled The I Hate to Cook Book given to me by my mother-in-law. I now think she was a visionary and knew how my house-wifey days would evolve. 

Fast forward a few years. Once I learned playing house got tedious, my love of shiny floors and squeaky-clean sinks died. I worked outside the house at a 9 to 5 job just like FDW. No way was I putting in 9 to 5 on the weekends inside the house. I luckily drew a mate who enjoys cooking. And he cooks good food from scratch. We lapsed into a nice routine of whoever got home first cooked. Whoever didn’t cook, cleaned up. We shared laundry and other details around the house so we could get out to fish, ride bikes, hike, or party with the Parrotheads. 

Then I found out I loved writing books. Now fast forward a few decades. Who the heck has time to do much of anything if you’re a self-taskmaster writing and promoting? Not this lady. I’m just very glad FDW still loves to cook, grocery shop, and a few other domestic shores I’ve pawned off on him. 

But once in a while, I like to step out of my self-imposed writing cave. Yesterday, while FDW vegged in front of sports on TV, I went grocery shopping…all by myself. When I hopped out of the car, I paused a moment. The carts were lined up on the sidewalk. People were rushing in and out of the automatic door. Could I do this on my own? I go with FDW once every couple of months just to see if there are new things I might want. Plus, he’s a very linear shopper…list in hand, in and out…same stuff every week. I might want to try that oddball fruit on sale or see if they’re carrying Peach Brandy yet. But I hadn’t walked those aisles alone in ages. Just inside the door is a Starbucks, so with a caffeine jolt, I did the deed. 

Costco was on the schedule for today. Naw, I’ve had enough of the grocery experience for now. FDW is there as I type. Yay, for him!