Wednesday, May 18, 2011

blue collar, warm heart

there are some chores i hate. chiefly, scrubbing bathrooms. but there are some that for whatever reason, be it the repetitive motion or the solitude and reflection they provide, are not too bad. i feel this way about dishes and laundry. when warm water is running between my fingers and the hundredth plastic cup fills the drying rack, there are no stresses. for ten minutes, there are no worries, and no tasks that need to be accomplished sans these dishes. and i love it.

last night was laundry night. with robert and pablo watching television in the dark living room, i snuck out to the mud room. the unheated one with brick interior walls. with the three big windows and screen door leading out to the  blueberry bush. and i filled the machine with robert's plumbing clothes. cornflower blue work shirt and navy work pants. with a logo sewn on by his grandmother. they are dirty, yes. but they are my husband's.

one day, he might work in an office. and he'll re-wear the same variation of a suit and tie every day, and the laundry basket will be exponentially lighter. he'll dab on the gray flannel and tuck the handkerchief.

but for now, i'll buy the extra strength detergent and check his pockets every evening. and i'll breathe in deep the smell of pipes. the scent cemented in my memory along with mama's clove cookies and pablo's soft, downy fur. and i'll complain about the loads of wash sitting in the basin, but really cherish that time. in the little cottage by the woods, where work is shed at the threshold, and real life, real love begins after five.

16 comments:

Stephanie said...

Your perspective is a blessed one for sure. I love your blog.

Unknown said...

you are gifted for turning ordinary moments into beautiful ones.
i've decided i want to have coffee with you one day.

Brenna [fabuleuxdestin] said...

i love the title of this post. so fun to read!

charla beth said...

the way you love your husband is breath-taking. you set a lovely example for the rest of us and how to love deeply and truly, even in the unseen moments.

beautifully written.

Ren- Lady Of The Arts said...

I love doing dirty monkey laundry- there is ALWAYS something interesting in little boy pockets- I will miss the time when I have no more little boy laundry to do.

When my husband was a resident I used to wash his blue scrubs- they would smell like a hospital- or when he was a student and worked with a cadaver- well it smelled of death.
Now I enjoy checking the pants and shirts he inevitably hangs up in his closet, taking them to the dry cleaners and then remembering to pick them up.

the southern hostess said...

Love this! So sweetly and beautifully written.

DaisyGirl said...

wow....great post. Great thoughts and GREAT things for us all to remember. Your house just sounds so homey. And I really appreciate your thoughts about doing dishes. I'm going to remember them tonight! Thanks!!

Shay said...

Beautiful! Your way with words gets me everytime, even making the most mundane of tasks seem wonderful! Hope you are doing well!

Unknown said...

As much as my husband can really stink up some clothes, I love doing his laundry. Which is great because he hates it. And he cooks for me. So it works out.

Dee Paulino said...

you can turn any ordinary story into a magical one. what a gift, what a positive-beautiful perspective.

Southhamsdarling said...

What a beautiful photo of your gorgeous Robert! That blue shirt certainly suits him! I love it how you see good in everything that you do, and I loved it how Robert's grandma sewed the logo onto his work shirt!

Amber said...

you always manage to find the beauty in everyday life. I hope one day I can be more like you in that manner :)

Anonymous said...

The way that you write is beautiful! I definitely agree that seemingly little things in my life that we get to share with our loving ones are actually not so little.
Your blog and your writing inspires me.
Thank you for sharing.
-Anna

Katie Marie said...

this is sweet. :)

kmhaskin.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Oh sweetheart - the way you express your feelings for your husband (and his laundry) is the exact same way I feel for my husband (and his laundry, respectively). Your words touch my heart every single time; in so many ways we think and do alike. :)
Great post!

erika said...

I just love the way you love him.

Post a Comment

thank you for stopping by! have a blessed day:)