We have very specific specialities in our house. I guess most couples do.
My speciality is writing and desk top publishing (very handy in a missionary household as I get to do the monthly prayer/newsletters).
My husband's is also a handy missionary skill - packin
g. Very soon now we are going to enter the ZONE. My husband loves the challenge of fitting odd shaped articles into containers and he is very good at it. The challenge of fitting our entire household into boxes is one that he relishes. The zone is when he gets into packing and the momentum builds. He is not blonde, but can need, on occasion, reminders to breathe!
On Saturday we had a removalist come to give us a quote. When we accepted the quote he gave us some fresh boxes (you can see them in the first picture). My husband was almost salivating.
He said, "The challenge now is to resist the temptation to repack the boxes I've already packed, just so they're all in matching boxes." We laughed but he was partly serious.
The problem with this is that the other person is not only not a specialist in these, but is really quite bad. I am bad at packing. This means that at times like this when packing is the main thing that needs doing, I feel a bit at a loss as to how to help. If I help him it is like a 2 yo helping hang the washing out. More of a liability than a real help. When I talk to people about this, they find it hard to believe. It is awkward. Because I am at home during the day and my husband is working, people expect that I'd be doing the packing...but I'm not. I'm sorting, throwing, organising, making piles for him to pack, but I'm not actually putting things into boxes.
So there you go, that's today's confession. I'm not lazy, I'm just a bad packer, married to one who borders on genius at packing. Why should I intervene?
g. Very soon now we are going to enter the ZONE. My husband loves the challenge of fitting odd shaped articles into containers and he is very good at it. The challenge of fitting our entire household into boxes is one that he relishes. The zone is when he gets into packing and the momentum builds. He is not blonde, but can need, on occasion, reminders to breathe!
On Saturday we had a removalist come to give us a quote. When we accepted the quote he gave us some fresh boxes (you can see them in the first picture). My husband was almost salivating.
He said, "The challenge now is to resist the temptation to repack the boxes I've already packed, just so they're all in matching boxes." We laughed but he was partly serious.
The problem with this is that the other person is not only not a specialist in these, but is really quite bad. I am bad at packing. This means that at times like this when packing is the main thing that needs doing, I feel a bit at a loss as to how to help. If I help him it is like a 2 yo helping hang the washing out. More of a liability than a real help. When I talk to people about this, they find it hard to believe. It is awkward. Because I am at home during the day and my husband is working, people expect that I'd be doing the packing...but I'm not. I'm sorting, throwing, organising, making piles for him to pack, but I'm not actually putting things into boxes.
So there you go, that's today's confession. I'm not lazy, I'm just a bad packer, married to one who borders on genius at packing. Why should I intervene?
5 comments:
I loved this since I am preparing to pack, too. Fortunately, since I am single, I like to pack and enjoy trying to get as much packed into a box as I can-I think this annoys the Japanese movers since the boxes end up super heavy! But, I always use fewer boxes than they think it will take.
Happy sorting while your husband packs!
Shan, I'm glad you were not bothered by it. I was single once too and managed packing back there. Somehow the task is bigger and more complicated for a family of 5! Also, my husband doesn't just 'manage' he loves it and I am grateful.
You're lucky you don't have to move those super heavy boxes yourself! I think this will only be the third time in eight moves since we've been married, that we've used removalists. Phew!
It would be wrong for you to intervene. Morally wrong. Keep your hands off!
Simone, we're laughing. Thanks - we need that at this time :-)
Oh dear...this post made me laugh. It's like this so many times with something or other that my Mum is doing - I have absolutely no hope of doing whatever it is to the same standard and I annoy her if I participate, so I run away and read to take my mind of my guilty incompetence.
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