I was thinking more about the dishwasher problem and I remembered a few things. 

It's true that we always had a dishwasher growing up, but there was also plenty of work to be done.  My Mom made dinner for an army every day but she didn't clean up.  Not back then.  We had to help with before dinner; that included emptying the dishwasher, setting the table, taking out the trash, making salad and any other food related jobs Mom trusted us with. 

After dinner, there was putting away the food, clearing off the table, clearing the counters and washing them down, filling the dishwasher, washing pots and pans, sweeping the floor and for a few horrible years, making milk.

At the end of each dinner, whoever hadn't helped before dinner got to pick their jobs by yelling out what they would do.  Jay was there plenty of times when the chorus of "Table dash food", "counters", "floor dash nothin" rang out.  Invariably after each meal, Jay would yell "Nothin dash nothin" and saunter off to the tv room with my Dad.  Jay got away with it because he was just a little bit older than my older brothers and a whole lot cooler.

Every one of my five brothers grew up cleaning the kitchen.  This may come as a shock to their wives.

Meanwhile, when we used to eat at Jay's folks' house on Sunday evenings when the whole Pivec clan used to gather, it was a different story.  Jay's parents would cook and after dinner Jay and his five brothers sat around like house plants while his lone sister, Patty, and  the sisters in law did all the work.  This routine only varied when the women rebelled on special occasions like Mother's Day.

So who's spoiled?

Well, that would still be me.

Jay still doesn't do dishes very often (and I only do them under duress) but he does cook.  He's the best cook I know, in fact.  If he could make soup like my Mom, I wouldn't hesitate to call him one of the best cooks in the world. 

He also does floors, windows and laundry.  He's the only one who ever cleans our bedroom, but he leaves making the bed to me.

I say "Thank you" all the time. 

I may still be spoiled, but at least I'm not stupid anymore.

 

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