Smallsteps and I haven't had an Adventure Friday trip for a very long time, because she had activities on Friday evening, making it impossible. We did a few other day adventures, but it just wasn't the same. However, after she finished school today and arrived home, I took her on an "adventure" to a carwash, which is something I haven't used in years. I normally handwash our car, or at the most, take it to one of the self-washing places at the local supermarket if need of just a spray down. The carwash prices here are crazy.
However, I saw a deal through the supermarket app for three "best" car washes for the price of one, and decided to pick it up. So, we went to the carwash and it took thirteen minutes to wash the car. I think I could have done it at home in less time than that, but of course, I would have had to actually do it, plus get all the equipment out and put it all away again. Still, was it worth it?
Not really.
But, since I don't care that much about cars, a pretty good wash is close enough in my books, and since I also did a whole lot of other things today, it was okay to spend the time with Smallsteps, shouting over the carwash machine. As you can see from the picture, she is not a fan of the noise. But, it was a bit of fun and we discussed the different bits of the machine and how they might have designed it and had some interesting conversations, and laughs.
In this way, it was definitely worth it.
Since I am not working that much, I have turned into an unappreciated errand boy around the house, doing the shopping and some cooking, and cleaning the house, laundry, the garden and whatever else has to be done. I am now a househusband. Yet, I am still working daily, just not as much as before. I was doing all of these house things before too and was working very long hours, now, it is just normal hours. It isn't bad, but it is definitely a lot of work that is taken for granted.
In a couple weeks I am booked to have surgery (fasciotomy) on both of my legs, which I am not looking forward to. I have never had surgery before, but they aren't even putting me out for this - it will be an epidural. It gives me shivers. However, I am hoping that once recovered, the pain in my legs will at least subside, and I will be able to walk faster than a snail, and perhaps start jogging and running again. I want to be more mobile and dynamic in my movements, yet my body is holding me back.
My mind too.
I was talking to a friend who is struggling and how everything just kind of hit at the same time, with her being made redundant, her cat being killed by a neighbour's dog, and her struggling to find her place in the world. She doesn't have children, but probably wanted them, but now it is too late. I think she is going through an existential mid-life crisis.
Sometimes, the things we thought we wanted in life, don't suit us at all.
As I said to her; a lot of the challenges we have with work is that we expect it to deliver more than just a job for money. If money is our goal, we likely have to expect that the job isn't going to deliver life value directly. If we are looking for a job that does, we probably have to accept that there might not be a lot of money in it. Often, we expect results that just aren't possible given the conditions.
I don't know if the surgery is going to help, but everything else I have tried over the years to correct the problem haven't helped either. Yet, if I am to live a few decades more, I want it to be spent being able to at least work normally. And, if I do survive and want my older age to be healthy, I can't wait until then to start getting healthy. Let's say I want to be ably to lift up a grandchild when I am seventy five, what do I have to be able to do now? And in ten years from now. and in another ten?
Quality of life doesn't just happen.
There is a whole lot of errands that need to be run in order to build it, develop it, and maintain it. The longer we put tasks off, the more potential gets taken off the table.
Taraz
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Car wash places are super expensive here too and they do a piss poor job. You pay $20 and your car is still dirty. It's annoying. I know how you feel being an errand boy. In the summer when my wife is at home she usually has be do stuff on my way home from work. I've gotten used to it, but I'd still rather just come home after working all day!
$20 = 17€
Full price for this wash was 30€ each!! I paid 10€ for it.
Sounds familiar from when I was working. However, it does reciprocate now :D
Wow, yeah, that is very bad. Do they do a yearly subscription over there? They do those here where you can get unlimited washes, but you have to pay like a couple hundred a year or so.
We just had a discussion with my wife, I noticed that our car is getting dirty, she says: "But we are going to the farm tomorrow. And then we are flying to Bay Area, and then we are driving to Mount Rainier" She is right, no point in washing car the next couple weeks... and then rain starts also no point as car will get dirty in a day... Hmm...
Our daughter was actually diagnosed with extreme sensitivity to loud sounds and bright lights, so no automated carwashes for her. She does like to use my pressure washer on our car though :)
I used to love the dry season in the tropics. Wash the car once, and it was good for a month at least.
Does it affect her in other ways? I think my daughter has a sensitivity to loud sounds. I should shout more to help her get over it.
Mine is scared of using it :D
It sounds like you and Smallsteps had a fun little adventure, even if it wasn’t the most exciting trip. Sometimes it’s not about what you do but about spending time together, and making memories is what really matters as it builds bond between you two
I can understand how you feel about doing so many house chores, and it is going unnoticed that can be frustrating. I hope your surgery goes well and helps you get back to moving freely again. You can only try your best, and I hope the surgery is helpful in the long run.
Concerning your friend, I can say life happens to everybody. Each and every one of us has something we are dealing with. It is just that we don't all have same experience with life. I hope everything works out well for her.
It is funny, as while not exciting, she was referencing the trip all night.
Everyone is damaged in some way through life. Yet, some people become incapable, even if the damage isn't too bad.
I hope the surgery goes well. Walking is very useful at our age.
I started buying HIVE, it's a nice feeling when my upvote goes up half a cent :)
Yeah, I know you walk a lot. I push myself but it is painful and slow.
half a cent is more than a quarter of a cent :)
Seems the carwash trip was more than just getting the car cleaned. You turned it into a great opportunity for bonding and having a laugh with Smallsteps :)
I think we need to appreciate those moments, even if they feel tiny ;)
Life is full of tiny moments that create most of our life - we only focus on the big things though, because we are not very bright :)
Life seems to be imbalance and challenging when you don't have things around that seems important whereas the people who have the important things you need might not know the value except they lose them. The lady going through that kind of struggle doesn't seem to be an easy one where she don't have children of her own which would have given her joy and happiness.
As expensive as children are, they are a good source of happiness.
Since you haven't been able to do an adventure with Smallsteps for a long time, taking your car to a car wash may have served your purpose to some extent. Car wash centers are suitable for doing it better in less time than washing it at home. But in our country, they charge a fair amount for it.
Since I am involved in a full-time job, I have very little work to do from home like you. Most of the time, if I do any work, it is only on a holiday or on a Sunday. I quickly give up because doing housework for too long brings me mental stress. In fact, the quality of life is something that we must decide for ourselves. Every person should have the right to decide what he considers quality.
I did all this work before too - but it was more appreciated then. Now, it is expected. Everyone should do things around the house. As I see it, a real man does housework.
Am sure Smallsteps must have been happy spending time with you in such adventure manner even with all the noises.
I hope and pray your surgery goes very well, so that you will get yourself back and walk as much as you want.
I hope it goes well too.
It sure will, and I will be here to read about it and rejoice with you 🤗
When you run errands and they're not been appreciated it discourages you to continue but if the reverse is the case, you keep doing it with love not minding how enormous they are.
Life has a way of taking troll on us. I hope the surgery be successful, and you get back on your feet doing those things you love doing. As they also help elongate one's life span.
But then, why not go organic? It takes a gradual healing process but lasting solution.
I don't like surgeries, infact I'm usually scared when I hear people say they're going for it.
You friend's story is quite touchy. I hope she finds meaning to life and have the most of it.
I appreciate you for being a good househusband.. Definitely small things you did in the house like doing household chores sometimes things were being neglected and often not appreciated.So I appreciate you for that...
That's true. People choose professions that will earn more money. But they risk unhappiness. Many teachers today continue to do so despite not loving their profession. This creates a generation that is uneducated and uninformed.
People should pursue professions they love. It's okay if they earn less. At least they won't lose their mental health. At the same time, they won't harm others.
It's come up often enough that one of my slogans around work is "if we were doing this for money we wouldn't be here" XD
the pay rate is actually great, the hours less so but that's a time and space constraint
One of the gymblings is playfully called the "group mum" (specifically the group mum not the group dad XD) as he's the other main organiser of all their hangouts and because he had his license first was also everyone's rides for a while, and apparently one time the group he had picked up (including my two) were play fighting/being noisy in the car and joining in on the antics he playfully threatened them with "no car wash ride" if they didn't behave XD
I had to look up what a fasciotomy was and if you're getting it done with an epi I guess it's not major major but O_O hope it helps!
makes me think of the movie with the carwash part..