The Perfect Homemaker...

I once was lent a very traditional book from my grandmother in which each short chapter was filled with thoughts and memories of the wonderfulness homemaking, and childrearing, made. None of it really made that much sense to me as I was a career woman (punch the air!), newly married to a career oriented man, and spring cleaning (and childrearing) was the furthest from my mind.

But there was one chapter that tickled my heart, and makes me forever want to find and keep that book (even if I toss out the rest as hooey). It was a story of a man who felt under the weather, and stayed home from work. He had high hopes of being doted on by his loving wife, who stayed at home everyday. Slowly his hopes are dashed as he realizes his wife is a busy lady... and none of it having to do with dusting and laundry. She was busy donating things for others, painting pieces of furniture, fixing a toaster, digging in the garden, etc. The story ends after his nap: he wanders to the kitchen hoping for a big, warm meal, and finds a note that a sandwich is waiting for him in the fridge (actually I think he may have to make it for himself). His wife is out with a neighbor to cut down an old tree for firewood. He proudly makes sandwiches for the two of them and heads off to meet her for a surprise picnic. When he finally sees her, he is surprised. She is working hard, physically, and enjoying herself. Seeing her steadily piling wood with a kerchief over her hair, after all the painting and other activities she had done that day, he is left feeling sheepish that he thought she sat at home all day waiting for him to come home.

So despite the idea that his wife may have been expected to stay home while her husband was at work, she enjoys it, makes that her job, and works hard at it. Independence within dependence. She was smart enough to fix a toaster, creative enough to do some painting, and not afraid to exert herself! And I love the idea of impressing her husband!

So whenever I think of that story, I shovel one or two wheelbarrow-fulls of topsoil, paint some wood trim, or pull out the sewing machine. I have been given the opportunity to work from home, and although spring cleaning is the furthest thing from my mind (but not childrearing anymore), it is nice to show off should Mr. Man happen to come home sick!