Housework Blues

My maid left for home on Saturday morning. Not for good (thank goodness!) but for a well-deserved break. So for the next 2 weeks or so, I have to be a full-time employee as well as part-time housekeeper and dog-sitter, not to mention computer doctor as well.

I must admit : I suck at housework. That's the result of having a maid all your life. The only time I actually did some form of housework was when I moved into NUS's Eusoff Hall and NTU's Hall 13. That was when I had to do my own laundry, folding, ironing, sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, bed-making and occasional cooking. I actually enjoyed every moment of it as it was a sign of liberty for me, away from my parents, no curfew and restrictions, living a life of my own.

My mum delegated tasks for us. I have to sweep and mop the entire upstairs, while my brother has to do the same for the entire downstairs. He actually has it easier, considering there is only the living room, dining room and kitchen downstairs, whereas there are my bedroom, bathroom, parents' room, study room, brothers' room and hallway upstairs. I had to do the back-breaking task of mopping the entire upstairs. And by upstairs, I mean just the second floor, it does not include the attic room on the third floor. By downstairs, I mean areas in the house, not the garden and driveway outside. This is one of those times I really really wish that my maid need not go back afterall.

Come to think of it, it may not be that hard to adjust afterall. I do not have to make any major changes to my schedule. I just have to walk my dog daily as usual and feed him. However, I had to wake up earlier to give him a bath. As for our eating habits, my family members and I will each settle our own meals. The problem is my grandmother, but I guess any of us can just buy food back for her.

My mum takes care of the laundry. Everything is just thrown into the washing machine for ease of cleaning. The only problem is that the clothes, especially my executive suits, will become very crumpled, so I have to do the dreaded task of ironing my own clothes. (I leave my other family members to their own ironing.) Perhaps I can do what my friend does - have a movie marathon while ironing. Only thing is I may get too engrossed in the movie and risk burning my clothes.

All in all, I believe it is very good training especially for a domestically-impaired person like myself. But I really can't wait for my maid to come back so I can relinquish all back to her. Which got me thinking - if I do get married in the future, either I be a full-time homemaker and work part-time or work full-time and get a maid, or else my future partner has to help out with half the housework. I realise I cannot cope with being both. I really take my hats off those women who can hold a full-time job, go home do the housework, and take care of elders and kids all at the same time, yet without complaining. So guys out there, better treasure these type of women as they are really great!