HUSBANDS WHO DO HOUSEWORK

Paradoxes unite!!

This morning my husband did some housework.


This is something which happens once or twice a year when he thinks that I am about to leave on a 5 star spa mini-break with his credit card because I simply cannot take anymore of doing everything...yes,EVERYTHING!


He cleaned his bathroom and vacuumed the stairs...
and he did this naked.


Getting my husband to do housework has become somewhat of an ordeal. A case of - he doesn't like doing it, he doesn't feel like it, therefore, he won't do any. 


The nude carry-on this morning came as a surprise. I wondered whether it was provocation - reverse psychology designed to make me remark ( in my insidious female way!!) and for him to turn around, throw in the sponge etc etc. 


But after all these years I have learnt something...don't say anything. I just let him get along with his pantomime....and meantime I had cleaned all the loos, the other bathroom,bedrooms, kitchen, living rooms, office, ironed, washed etc etc. And all, fully dressed.


I started looking up articles on the web about this situation with chaps who just don't pull their weight around the house. I thought it was maybe just a "french male" thing. Again. 
My search came up with 1 350 000 results. Having spent the last 3 hours reading through articles and opinion polls I can now officially say....I am NOT alone!


One of the most interesting articles from USA Today reported that regardless of the fact that women work, men are not doing more housework. And often in countries where more women work, for example France, men are doing even less than before. It appears to be very much related to gender-specific ideas about marriage. Sadly the figures show that defacto couples share the housework more than married couples.
Here are the statistics of "how much is done by whom" from 8 of the 28 countries studied:

Men Women Australia 39.1 70.3 Czech Republic 32.2 28.6 France 30.9 78.3 Israel 29.7 75.1 Mexico 36.2 70.4 Russia 35.8 68.6 Sweden 36.3 67.3 United States 37.3 70.6 Source: Journal of Family Issues; data self-reported, not always equaling 100%

To conclude I can say that I have learnt alot from reading others' comments...the key is not to get aggressive or mouthy but apparently to "butter him up." As one women wrote,

"I never moan. I just say, very sweetly and politely, 'Honey, I know you are busy' or 'Honey, I know it's your day off, but can you help me here? I really need a strong pair of arms like yours.  My grandmother said to all of us, 'You get more bees with honey than vinegar.' Boy, ain't that the truth!"

My grandmother used to say, " Whatever gets the job done..." and frankly if that means my husband strutting around the house butt-naked with the vacuum cleaner, so be it!!


Spring is here. Time for some fresh chilled soups to clear the head.
Here's one of my favourites. A tangy, spicey chilled cucumber soup which is easy to make and lasts 2 days in the refrigerater.


Chilled Cucumber Coriander Soup

2 kg cucumbers – peeled and roughly cubed

1 medium red onion – peeled and roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon green Tabasco

Chopped fresh coriander (2 – 3 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon liquid honey

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Juice of one lemon

1 teaspoon Malden salt

200ml natural yogurt

½ cup water

Throw all the ingredients into food processor and blend until smooth.Chill minimum 3 hours or, even better, overnight.

Serve in glasses with a swizzle of good quality olive oil,a dash of lime zest and a flake or two of Malden salt.