Man-Cleaned.

My goodness! Has it been a whole week since I last posted? My poor followers - all 5 of you- I do apologize!

It has been an incredibly hectic week for me though. Unrealistic deadlines at work have me a bit frazzled and I worked way too many hours this week as a result. My schoolwork has been neglected, my family has been neglected, and I am afraid that I have neglected myself too and each of you. Isn't that how it is with women? Trying to juggle everything and when one thing needs your full attention for a while, everything else just sort of falls apart!

While I was out, slaying dragons and dealing with drastic program replan #16 (don't ask), my home was certainly not added to the list of things falling apart this week...because I have a husband who "man-cleans"

Man-cleaned. (adj.) : Some cleaning, as performed by a well-intentioned and everso thoughtful domesticated male.

Man cleaning is not like woman cleaning. It is more like "picking up" and "clearing the surface" type cleaning. Not a lot of attention to detail is required- just enough "scruba" to dub it "done".

You can tell that something has been man cleaned when:

1. Dirty dishes have been strategically packed into a very full dishwasher which has not been turned on.


2. The sink is empty, except for a thin, slimy residue and small bits of food particles that remained after the dishes were removed and the water drained out.


3. The countertops are clear, but littered with crumbs and dried spills.


4. The washing machine has been run, but is overfull with a mix of towels, jeans and your favorite wool "dry clean only" sweater.


5. The living room is picked up, but all of your plants are dead.

I am not complaining- God knows, when you are a working girl, you don't look at any "picked up" room with contempt.

No doubt he will just apologize for the sweater - say "well, I didnt know!"- and buy me a new one soon (and the vicious cycle will be repeated again next week when he forgets again that I banned him from the laundry room...) The way I figure it, every little bit helps.

We have a saying in our house (well, I say it anyway) "Nothing is ever where I put it, but always where it belongs" The shoes I left under the table can be found moments later in the closet. My keys...left on the table...somehow get placed in "key basket" next to the phone. So if I have to clean the sink and turn on the dishwasher, I do not complain. I sincerely appreciate that I have a man who believes in sharing the housework and keeping my crazy life in order. I am a lucky girl to have a man who man-cleans!