One Different Saturday Morning!

I spent Saturday morning differently.

My girlfriend slept over.

I didn’t get through my routine Saturday chores the same way.

I started with the ward robe, pruning it for clothes that needed to go to the washers and those that needed to be folded or hung away. I need to do this every 3 weeks or so; that’s how long it takes for some stray clothes to seat on boxes not inside them anymore.

I took down the stack of boxes and some clothes disappeared into them. Then I separated the ones that needed washing into a big bag. A few minutes later, like God during the seven days of creation, I looked at the wardrobe and saw it was good.

My friend had watched me turn the mattress over, change the sheets and coordinate some help to get the water containers filled in between stuffing mouthfuls and running commentary about the movie we fell asleep watching. With hunger pangs quietened she wanted to do something with me too.

What can I do for you? She asked

There was the centre rug that had come in from the washers that I needed to spread on the rugged floor and there was the kitchen I needed to straighten out too but I couldn’t think of anything she could do.

I was used to doing it all.

Could she do the dishes?

I didn’t see the point. Maybe because my kitchen is tiny and I always worry for anyone else working in it. You can only go 2-5 small paces in any direction while dodging sharp knives that can come crashing down off the shelf, avoiding the sharp jutting edge of the unforgiving metal sink and preparing for the disgruntled grunt of the gas cooker before it belches fire taking the unsuspecting by surprise.

Maybe the centre rug. I would need to lift up a two seater to lay it later, she could give me a hand then besides she was doing plenty just talking with me.

It worked only for a few minutes before she realised she was still doing nothing.

The dishes?

“Have a bath” I said gently nudging her away from the want to help. Maybe I understood the programming that was playing out- “When you are in somebody’s house, earn your keep”.
But I didn’t want her to worry just content to chitchat through the chores. To build my case, I tossed in a reminder that she would be late if she didn't get ready. She reluctantly agreed putting up in the bathroom while I got some more work in.

By the time I got to the dishes, she quickly finished off her bath and darted out of the bathroom with determined steps toward me.

She wasn’t asking this time.

“Erm how about ironing my shirt”, I said catching a view of it across the bed.  I remembered to mention it was not a favourite chore and she acquiesced to the trade.

Soon enough between both of us the dishes were done, the kitchen floor mopped, my shirt ironed, the chair lifted, the rug laid, valentine flowers watered and bodies bathed and dressed with several miles of catching up covered.

So that was how I spent Saturday morning differently.

My girlfriend slept over!