by Douglas Dunn

Created on: May 31, 2008

My wife recently had surgery on her right wrist which is her dominant hand. For two days, during and after the insertion of 3 pins in her wrist, I was in total control of the household. Not that I'm power tripping or anything, but I never realized how much work it is to manage a household.
You have groceries to buy, laundry to get done, preparing and cooking of three square meals a day, and the endless cleaning of the kitchen, not to mention caring for the sick and wounded. The next day it starts all over again. It has been three days now and I am starting to get used to the routine. It has helped that I have been off work. Next week will be the true test when I return to work in addition to my new duties. She is going to be in a cast for up to six weeks or longer so I better get used to all this extra work.

While cleaning the dishes from breakfast this morning, it occurred to me how blessed I have been to have so many examples in my life growing up. I think it was the work, the smells, and the sounds I made in the kitchen that brought back a flood of memories. I was reminded of my Grandma, also known as MaMa, working in the kitchen early in the morning getting breakfast ready for everyone. The sounds of the AM radio playing gospel music, the aroma of bacon and eggs filling the room, bluejays outside sounding out their noisy chatter, and of course the sweet sound of the old coffee pot percolating another brew of caffeine.
Never did I realize in those younger years how much work my grandmother was going through. In addition to those sounds and smells, I remember her being in the kitchen for several hours in the morning, some more time in the afternoon, and again after the evening meal washing the pots, pans and dishes by hand. The feeding of the dogs the table scraps, drying off the dishes and the sound of them clanking as they went back to their places in the cupboard and the rinsing of the suds from the sink and then sitting down to read or engage in conversation. When I was fortunate enough to get to spend the entire week, I saw the whole process start over again every day.
I think back to how this process played out with my mother when she stayed home from to work to care for me during those formative years. The same process of trips to the grocery store, cooking and cleaning and cleaning and cooking, noises of the washing machine churning the dirt from my clothes, getting the table ready for when Dad came home from work, and of course the sound of the cookie jar opening when I had been a good boy.
When Mother decided to go back to work when I was older, I had a babysitter that also did this process over and again everyday. She would always have me a treat when I got to her house from school. The house would always smell of some kind of food, sometimes smelling really bad if she was making sauerkraut or broccoli. She would always be busy doing something in the kitchen, taking time out every once in awhile to check on me or what was showing on the television.
Yes, I have been blessed to have these ladies in my life showing me what it is like to manage a household. They probably didn't realize at the time they would have an influence on me later in life but I am truly grateful for the example they showed, never complaining about the work, and doing what needed to be done to take care of the family. The sounds, smells and memories are just a by product of the love and devotion they all showed to their families.

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