Bin Night

Eight years ago, due to geographical separation, S attended Marriage Preparation classes alone - to the suspicion of the rest of the class, who thought she was a sad and lonely fantasist.

On the subject of household tasks, the class leader said many couples instinctively split them according to how things were done by THEIR parents, because that seems normal and 'right', if old-fashioned.

What patriarchal 1950s rubbish, thought S at that pre-marital moment. We will of course act according to strict equality of the sexes and share everything fairly.

However, once actually in the house, it suddenly seemed right that B should be responsible for the following:

- killing all bugs, spiders, mice etc
- cleaning blocked plugholes
- maintaining everything with wires, which frighten S
- emptying the bins
- anything else gross, that Ladies should not have to do.



You may think B got a raw deal, and that S's principles evidently do not stretch very far.

However, B always seems to have the remote control.

And S is generally in charge of :

- all shopping
- cooking
- laundry
- cleaning
- babycare M-F 9-5

So, it is all rather 1950s after all.



But you will notice the above division of labour is unclear on one point which has now been the subject of seven years' debate.

Does cleaning the toilet fit into B's job description, or S's?

It's definitely cleaning, but on the other hand.... it IS gross and not fitting for a Lady.

S's instinctive sense of family heritage is no help, as the cleaner did it.

So S does it until she throws a strop, then B does it.

Anyway Tuesday nights are Bins Night, but B got stuck in the lab until midnight.

So tonight, S not only cooked dinner, she ALSO took out the bin-bags.

Marriage is all about the gracious art of compromise.

And so B will be cleaning the toilet next time.