A Change

Let me first start by saying "Mom, how did you stand me when I was growing up and a huge old slob?!" When I moved into my first apartment at 19 in Downtown Chicago it didn't take long for me to realize that making a mess is not okay if I have to clean it :)

I would say I go through times where messy doesn't bother me because I am so busy, but for the

most part, I am kind of a clean freak. I wake up early on Saturday mornings just to clean. I mean deep deep clean. Our TINY little place usually takes me a good 3 hours to clean, so its probably a good thing we don't have more space otherwise it would take me all day! And while I love my boyfriend very much, he has never been one for cleaning. Before I moved in with him I was the one who would do dishes, vacuum and dust oh and do his laundry! So I am not sure why I thought that would change once I moved in, foolish of me I suppose. But because it doesn't bother him if there is dust, or the carpet is messy, or clothes aren't folded etc, I don't really expect him to go crazy cleaning on his days off like I do.

For the past 4 months I have been the primary housekeeper and he is the cook. And I would gladly do all these chores in order to not cook, but sometimes a little help would be nice. I have been warned by many that you can't change your man and to not hold my breath that he will change but I am gladly here to say that he is improving!

The past couple of weeks have been insane and I haven't had any time so things have been changing. Typically when I get back from a weekend in LA I walk into a room with dirty dishes, beer bottles around, clothes all over the floor, and Paul fast asleep with the TV and lights on. This week was

different though and it was the complete opposite. He even did Laundry 2 weeks in a row (well washed it, which is a challenge when I have very strict rules on what gets washed with what, what air dries, and what kind of water you use!)

Tuesday night I got home before him (he had pool league and I only stayed for his first 2 out of 4 games) to find a very Paul note, a clean coffee table and no clothes on the chair (which I think he often mistakes for the laundry hamper...cause they look so similar!)

I am proud to say though that Paul is learning and I am no longer the

my face turned bright red...how long could that brush been there. I mean it had to be over a year, but my guess is more like 2 or 3 years...eek! So apparently my cleaning still does need some help huh? only one with chores. We help each other, take turns and both equally enjoy the clean room now!

And just to share, and prove that he really did clean clean and not just surface clean, there was a random hair brush on the coffee table and I asked him where it came from. I mean the unrealistic me was like "What girl did you have here and WHY did she need a hair brush!" Foolish, I know, he calmly said "umm...When I was cleaning I found that brush in the chair." I did recognize it, and it did have hair ties around it like I use to do when I needed a hairbrush, about 3 years ago...so my only conclusion is that that hair brush had been suck in the chair for a good 3 year yeas...yikes... embarrassing!