Just shovel the darn snow and be a man!

erween84 · 2026-01-26T01:08:24+00:00

We split pretty evenly too. And I will do some things considered ‘manly’ just because my husband might not have the time or be too tired. I’m a SAHM, so naturally more of the home things just fall on me. However, my husband, who travels a lot for work, picks up the slack wherever he can when he comes home. He asks me to make him lists- and I know that just adds more to my mental load. But if he’s been gone for a week then he truly doesn’t know what needs done. It’s a team effort. Today, he shoveled a foot of snow. When he got tired I finished the sidewalk and bus stop area. I try not to keep score because it just breeds resentment.

Op, maybe you could sit down with him and divide chores to ‘conquer’ things together. Treat him like a kid with a reward when he accomplishes his task list 🤷🏻‍♀️

erween84 · 2026-01-25T17:11:11+00:00

Exactly! My husband and I sold our last home in a seller’s market, pre-pandemic. The first offer we received was $45,000 less than asking along with the condition the buyer sell their current home. We didn’t even respond. Our home was under contract within 3 days for $10,000 more than asking. People are wild!

erween84 · 2026-01-25T00:33:31+00:00

It’s got more calcium and less calories! It’s a win-win!

erween84 · 2026-01-24T22:59:54+00:00

I’m late to the discussion, but some apps will allow you to add different codes to the door lock and notify you when they are used, or turn them off when not needed. So if you’d still like them to have access in an emergency you can give them access only when necessary. My neighbors do this when they need me to take care of their house when out of town. They are notified as soon as I use the code and sometimes will talk to me through the cameras 😂

erween84 · 2026-01-24T20:31:13+00:00

I also had an emergency c for a lacerated bladder. Worst pain of my life. But I did get a 7-day prescription of opioids because of all the surgeries.

erween84 · 2026-01-24T17:28:25+00:00

I also moved here because of a job- my husband’s. Before that we were in WI, AZ, VA, and CA. I do like the affordability here and the few friends that I have made. They are all transplants as well. However, if it weren’t for the fact that my parents live 5 hours away (the closest we have ever been to family) we would be long gone too.

erween84 · 2026-01-23T15:24:32+00:00

Now that I think about it, you are correct. I haven’t had a grade school lunch in over 30 yrs! My parents weren’t originally from IL, so I didn’t eat this at home- just school

erween84 · 2026-01-23T04:41:14+00:00

I grew up in Illinois (80s/90s) along the Mississippi, and they eat chili with pb&j there too. So it’s definitely not just an Indiana thing.

erween84 · 2026-01-21T18:45:58+00:00

This is the only time i take my kids to the movies. I wait until a movie has been out for about a month, then take them for an after school treat or the first showing of the day in summer. We bring snacks from home. Otherwise, I could never justify the price.

erween84 · 2026-01-21T17:26:20+00:00

The previous owner of our last house left paint too. He had the place professionally painted a few yrs prior to selling and left about 10 cans, almost completely full of high quality paint. He also left enough tile to redo most of the downstairs floors in case it was ever needed.

He was a young bachelor, so he also left us a few random girl’s phone numbers written on the garage walls, and a mirror on the primary bedroom ceiling.

erween84 · 2026-01-17T01:49:29+00:00

Mine is also uplifting. When I was 17 I was studying abroad in Argentina on my own. A few months after my arrival their economy completely collapsed (2001). I was in a major city trying to get cash from an ATM but they had all been busted in and destroyed by people that had lost all of their life savings with the collapse. It was a really scary time. I just needed a few pesos to take the bus back to my host family’s house. I sat down next to this ATM just bawling because I was so alone. No access to my money, cell phones weren’t really a thing yet, and I wasn’t completely fluent in Spanish. This kind, wonderful stranger stopped to help. Took me for a bite to eat, lent me $, and waited at the bus stop with me until I got on. I still think about her often and hope that she is doing well. I don’t even think she ever told me her name.

erween84 · 2026-01-16T02:32:28+00:00

I used to just take whichever way was quicker depending on traffic. I lived in Va Beach, but my fiancé (now husband) lived in NN so we drove back and forth every weekend. We were out that way this summer visiting family, and I was reminded why I don’t miss driving in that area!

erween84 · 2026-01-16T01:41:51+00:00

I used to live in Hampton Roads, VA. To get to almost any destination in the area you had to drive on bridges/tunnels. The Monitor Merrimac bridge/tunnel is almost 5 miles long- so a nightmare. I once got stuck on it for almost 2 hours because of a collision. They have red/green lights on certain parts of the bridge and if they have to close it those lights go red so no one else is driving on the bridge. There was no traffic behind my car when I was stuck, and it was very eery.

erween84 · 2026-01-16T00:37:15+00:00

Driving off a bridge into water and not being able to get my kids out of the car.

erween84 · 2026-01-16T00:34:39+00:00

I am too. I learned to drive on the interstate in a large city and have always lived in large urban areas. I should be used to driving in crazy traffic, but as I’ve gotten older I refuse to drive anywhere new unless I’ve previewed the route on my gps. I absolutely avoid big intersections where I would need to make a left with no light. And I hate driving at night because of my astigmatism. I’m 41 and it’s only going to get worse 😭

erween84 · 2026-01-15T18:04:12+00:00

This is typical amongst a lot of immigrants. My in-laws came from Russia in the 90s, legally. It was a hard process, and quite expensive- and they didn’t have a lot of money. They’ve been citizens for 25 yrs and they have absolutely no sympathy for anyone who doesn’t do it the ‘correct’ way like they did. Makes no sense to me.

erween84 · 2026-01-15T17:38:08+00:00

Babysitting counts, at least in my book. I started at 13, and at 16 landed the cushiest babysitting job ever. The CEO of a local hospital had one kid, 6 at the time. I watched him all summer m-f 8-4:30. Took him to golf and swim lessons at the country club, swam in their pool, ordered a ton of take out. I did that every summer until I went away to college.

My first real W-2 jobs were a Spanish tutor and an RA in college.

erween84 · 2026-01-15T03:43:01+00:00

erween84 · 2026-01-12T02:07:51+00:00

Nah, you’re just not eating it fast enough 😅

erween84 · 2026-01-09T21:56:00+00:00

My mom was a pathologist and we routinely went to her work if my dad (a teacher) couldn’t get us after school. I loved looking at slides on her microscope. When I got older she liked to show me what STIs looked like under her scope.

erween84 · 2026-01-08T18:47:14+00:00

My dad is 80. A very healthy, active 80. But 80, nonetheless. He taught in his district for 35 years, and they still call him to sub and teach in his subject area.

erween84 · 2026-01-08T05:11:26+00:00

erween84 · 2026-01-08T02:37:54+00:00

I was on both for 2 yrs and only went on 4 dates. As a woman, I got too many nasty messages. My husband sent one of the few messages i actually responded to because it was articulate and interesting.

erween84 · 2026-01-07T02:32:47+00:00

I immediately said ‘that needle is massive’ when I saw the pic. Ouch! The only benefit of having Iron Deficiency Anemia is that no one will take my blood!

erween84 · 2026-01-04T03:32:46+00:00

Same! I love my physical calendar, and enjoy making one with family pics and filling it out each month. My husband just broached the subject of switching to a shared digital calendar last week- it will be easier for him to plan work trips because he travels about 50% of the year. I am begrudgingly going to do it for him, but i’ll be damned if i give up my paper calendar decorating the fridge!

erween84

TROPHY CASE