Ironing and it's place in my life.

As I was ironing Bart's shirts tonight and bemoaning my lot in that task, I realized there is hope for the future. Because I would rather clean our toilets than stand around and iron.

A little history: When we got married, Bart would be ironing his shirt for work and occasionally say "I thought the wife gets to iron the shirts?" Hahahahahahahaha I would reply. We were both working full time at different CPA firms and I wasn't about to spend what little free time I had ironing shirts. It was bad enough I had to iron my own.

I would also say "The day I quit working is the day I'll start ironing your shirts."

After Baby #2, I wasn't officially "working" anymore and he'd joke about me started to iron his shirts. I didn't even laugh anymore - a sideways death-stare was enough.

Then we moved to Switzerland and although he doesn't travel as often, the man sure works a lot. And I started taking on more of " his " chores - including ironing his shirts. Granted, sometimes he has asked if he could have a shirt because apparently most were hanging on the "to be ironed" rack. I do it but it doesn't rate high on my priority list - like I said, I'd rather clean the toilets.

No, I don't want to take them to the dry cleaners. I would have to remember to take them and pick them up and I don't like the dry cleaning smell at all - ick. Plus, it's about 4 chf per shirt and that's highway robbery.

Update: Iron only is 4chf - per the flyer I received today, a wash & iron for a shirt is only 9.50 chf on sale, 12chf normal price.

Back to my hope for the future.

I was standing there ironing, thinking about how I dislike the dry cleaners and try to avoid them and how people used to hire laundresses or get their ironing done as part of their housekeeping service. I started wondering if anyone ever hires out ironing anymore and when I move back, could I hire someone?

And then Kendra walked into the room. I remembered what children were for. To help me iron! Kidding. Sort-of.

I involve the girls in a lot of household chores - some for pay, some because they are part of the family and need to chip in. Someday they will be big enough to iron for me. And I will pay them big bucks!

I started thinking I wished my dad had needed shirts ironed so I could have made some $$$ in high school (yeah, it's still ironing, I would have still hated it). Then I remembered: I did make money doing stuff for my dad.

He was an electrician and welder. Hence the lack of pressed dress shirts as he took off for work at 5am. But - the man could burn holes through his coveralls like you wouldn't believe. Unless you have a family member who welds. Or he'd tear his jeans on something. So I was paid for patching up his work clothes. One year I was paid to sew up 'deer bags.' Deer bags were canvas and used for carrying the meat on the horses on hunting trips.

So while my girls won't need to patch up Bart's suits or sew up hunting supplies, my hope is - that at least one of them would like to iron their dad's shirts!