Soooo...

[altivo]

The holidays (and 2006) are finally winding down. Busy decluttering and dusting because my mate's mom is coming for New Year's weekend, as she has done every year since Y2K when he was sure the lights would go out and leave her alone in her house in Chicago. Not that I mind, she's an easy guest to have. I do feel some obligation to make the house look a little less "bachelor-like", even though she's not nearly as bad about that as my own mother would have been. My Mom wouldn't have said a word about dust or clutter, but would have insisted on grabbing the vacuum and duster and doing it FOR us. That I couldn't tolerate and we'd have had a "discussion." Gary's Mom isn't as particular about housekeeping, and she loves the animals so she takes the rest of it in stride even when she sits down and two dogs and a cat immediately try to climb into her lap. She carries a photo of our dogs around and shows it to people, telling them that they are her "grand-dogs" which, I guess, gets her a few weird looks.

Anyway, Gary is going to make his famous spaghetti and meatballs on Saturday. I'll probably roast the turkey the city gave me for Christmas on Monday. We'll send home leftovers with his mom so she isn't living on frozen dinners for the next few days at least.

Hopefully tomorrow will be quiet at work, and then another four days off. I could get to like this too much, but alas, no more holidays now for quite a while.

Comments

[darkhorseman.livejournal.com]

My mom is the same way. Shes always lived in the city and dont understand that a farm house is dirty... you never get it completly clean. When she visits she cleans and cleans and cleans and cleans and recleans and cleans.. and it dont help.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Oddly enough, it's the opposite for us. Gary's mom has always lived in the city, and in fact at only three addresses during her entire 75 years. (His godmother lived in the same house for 82 years, only leaving it when she had to go to a nursing home.) My mom was born on the farm and only moved to the city later. I suspect her fixation on absolute cleanliness grew out of a perception that it was a social step upward when you no longer had anyone tracking manure into the kitchen.

On the other hand, the total city types are often fascinated by elements of our more rural existence, such as fresh veggies from the garden and horses staring in the window at you when you sit down to eat.

[octatonic.livejournal.com]

Do you have a mud room? I've always wanted a mud room.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Not a real one, no. We enter and leave the house through the attached garage though, which serves as one. Boots and stuff stay out there.

[vimsig.livejournal.com]

have a lovely weekend

Peace from vimsig and bonnie_tiler

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Thanks, and a bright New Year to both of you. I hope to try that pepparkakor recipe this weekend too. I'll let you know how it turns out. ;)

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Quick hide the dirty magazines XD

Why do people immediately associate bachelor with being untidy *humphs*

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Dirty magazines? Huh?

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

If you're a bachelor you're supposed to have dirty magazines Gawd!

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I keep my magazines on a shelf so they don't get dirty.

[octatonic.livejournal.com]

Indeed, those Omni's should be kept in the plastic wrap.

I had this joke about Hustler and no amount of plastic
keeping the dirt in but...

Okay, I'll go make sure the mud room is muddy.

XD

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, THAT kind of dirty magazine. I think there are one or two in a drawer somewhere. Actually I have a lot of furry stuff out on open shelves, things like Kyell Gold's very sexy and risqué novels, Bad Dog's Fang, and Sofawolf's Heat but for the most part, no one is likely to even pick one of those up, let alone look at it long enough to realize what it is about.

[octatonic.livejournal.com]

If I was single...

*sighs and puts his stuff back where it once
stayed for years*

^_^

[octatonic.livejournal.com]

'sketti is a goodly "company" dinner.

You know, I never thought of that, but a gay male couple
prolly could easily live with and deal with lots more
"bachelor like" living conditions than either a hetero or
lesbian couple. A perk for you (paints the air with
a finger) XD. As for moms, I recognize your mom. Mine
always insisted on doing it for me. A detriment I
think to a guy. I've insisted on my son learning to
wash clothes and fold and make at least hot dogs
and mac and cheese for himself. I tell him that "It
drives the chicks wiiiild when a man can cook!" But
Gary's mom seems easier to have as a guest.

Enjoy your new year. I know I'll enjoy mine.

*sits and sees the meter running at work as he
gets lots of OT*

^.~

[altivo.livejournal.com]

You're right, of course. Both women and other guys are impressed by men who cook reasonably well. That's something we both do. We also do laundry, sew, and the other domestic stuff, but are lazy about clutter and dusting. He's a serious collector of stuff, but I'm a pretty advanced amateur myself. Things do pile up.

Spaghetti is one of his best productions, even though it makes way too much and makes a mess. Yummy.