AJ, you are a real Renaissance woman! And you DESERVE to be tired.

Don't have any advice per se, just an affirmation of what you're feelin' ;)

Just saying, somethin's gotta give! Yesterday was a "lazy" day, no construction, finishing, or housework (other than dishes), but just running errands, taking care of the flowerbeds, and having the kids on vacation was busy enough. Today's the really busy day, I noticed that the kitchen, mudroom need to be vac'd and mopped, the FR and LR plus all the upstairs need vac'd, and even though I cleaned bathrooms Sat they need it again.

In DH's defense, he works an office job all day, then comes home and waters, weeds the veggie garden, 1x/2x per week mows the lawn (and it's a big lawn) and often is working on our old commuter car (176,000 miles and I don't know how much longer it will last). Tonight he and DS have Scouts. On weekends DH tends the lawn and garden *and* usually is doing something in the fields or woods (though I question whether we really need a path cleared to the creek right now, but since he did it now I want him to cut out the old barbed wire so the kids don't get hurt). Next nice w/e we have hay to get in (if my dad cuts and bales it), and one of these days we're going to build a barn and then there will be more work to do with cows. I just tell him "Let me finish the house first!"

Took a walk with DH down by the creek this Sat night (then made him take me out to Chinese since I didn't have time to make the stuffed peppers I had planned on). He found more blueberry bushes, the ones deep in the woods have more berries, maybe b/c they were more sheltered from the late frost we had. Dad mowed down a lot of the blackberries last year (I was mad!) but we still have canes bearing so even if it's not a good year for blueberries we should have decent amount of blackberries. I'm going to try my hand at jam.

OK, off too clean b4 CIL gets here (except MBR, I'm still sanding in there so dusting and vacuuming will have to wait). Wish I had a dust-free climate-controlled workshop.

I feel your pain. I still can't figure out how I do everything I do and work 40 hours outside the home, to boot! A woman's work is never ever ever done.

Wow. Sounds like my week. I too, had a day off from my 40 hour job and ran like that. One day off now and then, is just not enough is it?

Red

I think I work harder now than I did when I worked outside the home. Of course, that house didn't need the work that this one does, so just cooking and cleaning plus 40-50 hrs/wk wasn't too hard to handle - esp. since DH helped with cleaning back then.

But the porch ceiling is done! CIL came around 3pm while I was cleaning the upstairs bathroom (after vac'ing the DR, stairs and bathrooms, mopping mudroom & kitchen, sanding the door to 120 with sander and tacking it), he cut the rest of the ceiling material and I put it up (DH cooked burgers and I took a break to eat), he started on soffits and got 20ft done, will finish in the AM. He just left, came in to grab and soda and some books DD was handing down to his DS, saw my finished basement door and asked who did it. I said me, he asked how long, I said a month but there were periods of a week here, a few days there that I didn't touch it b/c of working on the porch. Then he had to go around inspecting all the woodwork, asked if John had done any finishing, I said no, only carpentry, I did all the finishing, he told me I was crazy putting an "automotive" $300 finish on a $100 door. But it's my house, if I want that kind of finish that's what I'll do. We can't afford to pay someone to do it, so I have to do it myself. Actually prefer to (well, sometimes I wish someone would do it for me).

NOW I'm going to go take a shower and maybe vacuum the carpeted rooms. Thanks for letting me vent (my mom decided to take DD overnight, she told me she has more turkey than they'll use so I'll get some from her tomorrow).

Your posting has made me tired. I'm going to take a nap!

You do more in one day than I do all week (ok, i don't have kids, just a pup). Your house is gonna be great when all is done!

"I think I work harder now than I did when I worked outside the home."

I just wanted to say that I envy you...I wish I could stay home, at least during the summer months. I'm a civil servant and work as a Principal's Secretary all year. DH and I discussed it and my next step will be going to a 10-month Typist position when (and if) one comes available. How I would love to have 2 months off in the warmer months! I get a ton done now, but my dream is working from sun-up to dusk around the house. Crazy, I know LOL.

Whew!!!

Just sending along a virtual hug .... and a large glass of your favorite beverage! :)

Jan at Rosemary Cottage (where very few things ever get finished! sigh)

CIL came around 9am, thought we'd be finished with the beam (underside only, 5 pieces out of 6 left and they were pre-cut) and the soffit. Well, he hasn't started the soffit yet, 1st piece he thought was too short, so put the gap at the garage where he could hide it under Jchannel and siding. Next piece OK, piece over stairs was too long - b/c it was the piece that was supposed to go by the garage! Got all the other pieces in (with me holding 1 end as he tried to fit it b/t the front and back pieces, get the reveal consistent), now spent over 30 min trimming out the garage end with J channel and putting 2 pieces of siding back on, the beam (not his fault, the original beam was out) is 1/4" off level over 8" front to back so the J channel looks crooked. Sent him home for lunch, he can re-cut J and reinstall siding (then do the soffit!) when he gets back. I'm going to post finished porch on front-porch-ideas-and-more, so please be nice if you comment over there, I hope he can get some work from it (and he does work til it's right, but paying by the hour is adding up!).

Maybe I'm just too picky. But I do need a large glass of something!

Oh, and when I took that shower last night - found that DH had left a sliver of soap the size and thickness of a rose petal! (DD uses liquid soap so I didn't notice when I cleaned her up yesterday, though I knew from Sunday we were getting low, I should have just grabbed a new bar from under the sink b4 I hopped in last night. But this is the sort of thoughtlessness I live with - DD is the only one who will put out hand towels if I've just grabbed ones to wash, or replace TP on the holder when she uses the last - and new rolls are stored just underneath the in-use roll, in a stand/holder!)