Ahhhh so many possible posts and yet I'll never actually put any of them in any kind of print.
A person learns many things when they have a house guest(s). Well...I have.
I've learned a little about myself.
Firstly, I'm no fan of small talk. I really find it physically exhausting. It's probably the reason why I so often put my foot in my mouth. When I SHOULD be making polite, universal chit-chat I'm already bored and I've moved on to just my regular old blethering. You would imagine that I might have a fair bit to talk about with people who've been staying with me for 7 weeks but nope...mostly small talk and I'm pooped!
Secondly, I'm no Suzy homemaker. (Definition: n: A housewife who manages a household with enthusiasm) Now, by this I do not mean I am unclean or even untidy, although with two very small children untidy is sometimes unavoidable. I do an average of two loads of washing a day, the dishwasher goes on at least once. I get elbow deep in bleach, disinfectant and or boiling water several times a week. You get the idea. My point is. I don't love it. I get it done and I move on. I can't talk about it. No, I can talk about it. I can't discuss it. In depth. All day. Every day. Yawn! My mother-in-law can. She can talk about colours, whites, washing powder, water temp, hanging technique, peg preference, cloths, rubber gloves, stains, gardening, leaves...
Now, I don't mean for this to be one sided so it has of course crossed my mind that MIL feels exactly the same way about me and that she's desperately grasping to find something we might be able to have a great big gossip about. Alas, the holy grail of conversations was not to be found in the topic of domesticity. My standard response was "uh huh." At first I could do a little more but I only have so much to say about my washing machine.
So.....
I got to thinking. If I didn't like any of the conversation topics on offer I should start one where I could make an interesting contribution. It's taken me 7 weeks to reach the conclusion that I have NOTHING to talk about. NOTHING!
Of course I can talk about my children but that doesn't count. I could also talk about being pregnant until I bore the belly button off you. However, I'm just still clued in enough to know that these are not acceptable conversation topics unless the other person is in exactly the same situation and is just as eager as you are to discuss Thomas the Tank Engine and pelvic floor muscles.
I need a hobby or a job. With an ever expanding preggy belly and the prospect of 3 children under 3years old to manage I don't see either on my horizon for a while.
So, I'm either going to have to learn to talk about cleaning or future house guests will have to make do with my chat about epidurals and cracked nipples.
Gx
3 comments:
i'd love to be coming to stay. those conversation topics are right up my alley. along with poop. texture, frequency. you know. and when yours get bigger, farts, penises, etc. there is no dignity. when you're done with the up the duff business, i'm seriously planning a reunion for you and me.
Funny, I have the same response when I call my parents and they insist on updating me on their chore list...."did the laundry, mopped the floor." At least I can hang up the phone when I'm done with the pleasantries and uh-huh's. :)
And when it comes down to the small talk topics, I always go straight to reality television. "So did you watch The Bachelor last night?" I'm clearly worthless when it comes to conversations related to domesticity. And no one really wants to hear me blather on about my job, our dogs, etc. Mindless tv shows seem to do the trick. :)
Talk to me Gilly, you know I love those babycentric convos ;-).
Until I spoke to you the other day, I hadn't realised just how bad those 7 weeks were. Next time they come, you are invited to spend every day at my house so you don't have to talk about mopping the floor again!
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