A Resolution Worth Keeping
It’s not even Christmas and I’m thinking about New Year’s resolutions.
While most people make resolutions to get more organized, lose weight or break a bad habit, my resolution this year is much more practical.
As the author of several books on home management, most people have the impression that I must be highly organized and delightfully domestic. A Midwestern version of the unsinkable Martha Stewart. This year, I resolve to smash this myth to smithereens. Read on…
1. I have never made a radish “rose” or dressed a strawberry in a chocolate “tuxedo.”
2. I am hopeless when it comes to craft projects. In fact, I have an acute fear of glue guns after an unfortunate incident involving dried flowers and raffia.
3. There are plastic containers in my cupboards without lids—and lids without containers.
4. Each fall I plan to plant spring bulbs in my garden but have yet to actually do it. More than one box of bulbs, intended for planting, has rotted in my garage.
5. I have never had my air ducts professionally cleaned. (Please do not e-mail me about what is likely living in the ductwork. As the mother of three teenagers, I have enough to keep me awake at night.)
6. I once created a toxic cloud in my home by mixing up a cleaning solution of ammonia and chlorine bleach—prompting a trip to the emergency room.
7. I despise doing laundry and sometimes surreptitiously raid my husband’s underwear drawer in a desperate search for clean lingerie. Can a pair of men’s briefs even be considered lingerie?
Yes, it’s true. A Domestic Diva I will never be. However, I am convinced that shedding this image provides a wonderful opportunity for all of us.
This year, join me in throwing off pretense. Celebrate being REAL women—without perfect cupboards and pedicures! Women who would love to serve their families Osso Bucco with Roasted Seasonal Vegetables, but realistically reach for the Hamburger Helper! Women who love their families, but sometimes need their own space!
By the way, this is the first New Year’s resolution I am confident of keeping.
