Wifely Duty....the rest of the story

I finished chapter two this morning at 4 am.....

You know, I'm all for equality, women's rights and such but she does make a good point when she says that we have almost lost ourselves as women. That we are overworked now that we are working outside the home and trying to keep things going within the home. Trying to keep our kids busy with outside activities, feed, clothe, shop for them and then you have that pesky thing called a husband who sometimes wants to help but just doesn't understand how. Don't get me wrong, I adore my husband but come on, can you not see the dirty clothes you just stepped out of and take them to the laundry room!?!?!?!?

Think back, family vacations meant mom and dad went away for a week and the kids got to stay with the grandparents. Everyone had a great time and life was good! Now take a look at television and you will see where the advertisements lead. You MUST take this or that trip to make you child a happy, well adjusted adult. Forget the fact that you can't financially make it work or that you will be spending a week with the family in a small motel room. The important fact is that you can tell everyone where you took your kids on vacation when we all can see by the look on your face that you are so happy to be back at work you could just scream!!

Well, this summer, my husband and I are going to do the old fashioned vacation. One cruise, two adults, no kids!!! We are so looking forward to it!

The Wifely Duty

Well, chapter two is proving to be just as enlightening as chapter one.

This chapter is dealing with our "duty" to provide sexual antics for our husbands. The author quotes statistics that prove less married couples have sex now than 30 years ago before the "sexual revolution" which she believes has made us not more sexual just more exhausted from the empowerment that working and providing equally with men! She compared our lives of running to those of June Cleaver and Lucy.....

A therapist that Caitlin spoke with said that she told women in her counseling group to make it a point to initiate sex with their husbands instead of waiting for him or succumbing to the desire to sleep. All of the women reported that they were much happier in their marriage and felt better.

I was only able to read half of the chapter due to life and interruptions so I'll let you know tomorrow what else she says. Should be rather comically as I can remember a little of the hippie days when love was "free" and women were fighting for the right to go out into the world and work along with being at home and working too!!!

To Hell With All That

Well, I've started a new book called "To Hell With All That, Loving and Loathing Our Inner Housewife" by Caitlin Flanagan. I admit the title caught my eye but the price swayed me into buying it....$3 at Big Lots on sale for $2. I figured if it's really bad I'm only out a couple of bucks. Anyway the first chapter is title Virgin Bride. Caitlin is not opposed to marriage or womens rights but she is thinking that with our new found freedoms as women, we are starting to relish the past more such as the white wedding. Her writing is comical in that she proposes that it's rather absurd that brides now are looking for the perfect wedding with the white dress which would indicate a pure woman when in fact we have gone through a sexual revolution where it is pretty much unheard of to be a virgin. Have you watched "Say Yes to the Dress"? What is up with a $5000 dress. Crap, whats up with a dress over $500! Mine cost less than that and worked just great. We've been married 25 years so either he REALLY liked the dress or he wasn't lying when he said he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. She makes fun of the bride who spends half a years salary on a five hour party and points out that weddings, like Christmas and every other holiday, have become commercialized and big business! What she says is relevant in that my daughter is of marrying age and I have one going in that direction. Luckily both have said they want beach weddings. I was one who had a big wedding but not one who relishes the thought of planning one for my daughters. Call me a bad mother but get real, I'm watching two of my friends going through it now and it ain't pretty from my vantage point. Anyway, I'm anxious to continue my reading. The table of contents at least promises more comic relief!

Speaking of weddings, the two I referred to earlier. One is an only child whose parents have been looking forward to this day for many years. The wedding will be a beautiful one with nothing held back. The reception is at the parents home which was built in the 1800's and has been restored with a beautiful yard which will be decked out. The other is from a divorced family, nothing wrong with that but mom really can't afford an expensive wedding. This one will be smaller than the first but no less pricey as the bride wants it all. Again, I'm a bad mother but I hope I have the guts to put my foot down at some point.

Another thought, why do we watch a show about four brides rating each others wedding! It's the bride and grooms special day so who cares what other people think. If a bride wants to serve pizza at her wedding (they didn't give her a good rating for that) then she should be able to! What we do to please others!

Well, gotta go satisfy my inner housewife and warm up leftovers!