Domestic drudgery

This is what my bedside lamp looks like without it's usual covering of dust. Surprisingly shiny!

I cleaned my house today. Not my usual, pick up a few toys, hide stuff in cupboards, put paperwork in a pile cleaning. Actual cleaning. With hoovering, mopping, dusting and furniture polish involved. As my husband is more than happy to tell anyone, this does not happen often. When I decided to give up work to stay at home with the kids, I think he was under the somewhat optimistic impression that I would transform into a 1950's housewife: we'd have gleaming windows, a dustless telly, beautifully ironed laundry, tea on the table when he gets in and myself and the children all lined up with ribbons in our hair to greet him as he returns from work. What he has got is a permanently messy house, dust everywhere, windows covered in greasy hand and face prints, he has to do his own ironing, and at least one of the children (and sometimes me!) will be screaming as he walks through the door.

My justification is that I didn't give up my career to stay at home and clean the house, I did it to spend quality time with my children. Nonetheless, occasionally I have a pang of guilt at my somewhat lacking housewife skills while he's selling his soul in the office - so today I cleaned everything. Properly. It was dull as hell, and he didn't even notice. Normal service will resume tomorrow...