I am a terrible wife but I still can't resist!
You may have remembered I wrote one entire post about "how to get the furnace going, at the end of summer, or when the pilot light blows out" ... thinking ahead, that one day I may actually have to do that dreaded, most detestable, but very important job. "Dreaded, most detestable job" are the words my DH would use. Frankly, I never DID the job but thought I ought to be educated in case of emergency. In western Nebraska, there ARE mornings when it's 30 below zero, unfortunately!
Well, we had the emergency the other morning. Our nights have been frosty, and about 4:00 am I woke to a very cold nose. Oh my, please, let that NOT be the problem ...well, OK, the pilot light had indeed gone out and now we/I was going to have to face this dreaded job. "Dreaded" is the term from DH mouth, not mine. A lot of OTHER terms spew from his mouth when this happens and I WAS not looking forward to hearing them. I gently and lovingly (uh hemmmm) woke 'the man.'
OK, being the devoted and dutiful wife and partner, I'll try first, as I shuffle downstairs, push open the utility room door, get a chair (MUCH easier than crawling on the floor), put a rug down on the floor (bare feet), open front of furnace, stick head in boiler while butt is on chair(yep, pilot light is out) light match, hold the red button in and whoooosh - it lit. That's all. No swearing, no major problems, no hollering - this "dreaded" job took all of 4 minutes, from start to finish.
So gals, .... what am I missing here? It was almost a letdown to find the job was totally 'do-able' ... a piece of cake ... OK you women with psychology background, what's the deal? There's a lesson here and I'm not sure what it is, nor how to bring the subject up with uhhhh, 'you know who' who was still upstairs, trying to become awake.
When you find out let me know!
ReplyDeleteI love this story! Alas I have no answer but I have experienced similar episodes. :) blessings, marlene
ReplyDeleteIf you can do a task he should do for you,,,must mean he is highly capable of doing a task you always have to do>>??? I bet the bed was nice and warm and didn't want to get cold feet on the floor. So in return put those cold feet against him, and next time he will get up to light the pilot.
ReplyDeletedeb };o
What you are missing is the manly man, ego thing! LOL! It's making a mountain out of a mole hill syndrome, to make the job look oh, so tough. This way you feel sorry that he has all the miserable jobs in life! It's worked all these years. ACK! Don't let him know you found him out!!!! It could be devestating to that manly man ego!!!!!! LOLOLOL!!!
ReplyDeleteI think they just like being the hero in our eyes. :)
ReplyDeletedawn
I have often said that doing it again, I'd complain more. If you just do things quietly people think it's easy for you. They make a fuss so people with think they are really working hard. Hence, phrases like "puttering around in the kitchen" instead of slaving over a hot stove or washing mountains of dishes.
ReplyDeleteComplaining and making a fuss gets more attention. Don't let on how easy it was because you will have to do the chore from now on. Don't ask me how I know this.
ReplyDeleteI think I agree with Paula. If we find out how easy something is they feel we will not need them!
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing Helen Reddy sing "I Am Woman" - you go girl!
ReplyDeleteYep, it's the ego thing. I have learned, thanks to two husbands, that the quickest way to get something done is to express GREAT doubt that it can really be done. (Reverse psych.) You could have said, "Oh, NO! The pilot light is out! Since it's so hard to re-light, I guess we'll have to call a repairman." Or whatever it would take to get his oppositional male ego to say, "Are you CRAZY? Why, I can do that in about 4 minutes!" They have to think it's their idea. (Remember to praise him and tell him how smart he is to have saved you all that money.)
ReplyDeleteWe are speaking of the same creatures who make such good patients when they are ill. Is it any wonder? I read an article one time about how women just do jobs and men have to be waited on (as in having a waitress)when they work, someone to bring the tools, etc. We've had a hum on our phone and yesterday I called the phone company who recommended unplugging all electronics one at a time. I told my husband (who is a retired telephone man) and he said maybe "we" should do that. I asked him why it was we when he's the man, and a telephone man to boot. How often do we tell our husbands we should cook supper, or we need to polish the furniture? It's a good thing they kill bugs.
ReplyDeleteYou've got me chuckling Elaine. Apparently we are of a close enough similar age to have similar opinions and reactions about such as lighting the furnace. I think you did GOOD!!! Let's just leave it there. Hope this finds you well. Hugs, Finn
ReplyDeleteI am loving all the comments on your post. I agree with everybody!
ReplyDeletefrom experience I would not admit to having done it. Things get more action if I let him think I am going to mess up.
ReplyDeleteDoes it really get THAT cold.
Now you know you can do it and that's half the battle. God is good.
ReplyDeleteIt is a male thing
ReplyDeleteIt involves being forced to do something they do not want to do.
This is the drama.
I agree with all others, the male ego must be stroked. Remember, men are from Venus, and women are from Earth (or is it Mars?).
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