DW and I recently took a two-week vacation. MIL (reitired) and SIL came over to visit for a week before and after, and to watch the house and dogs while we were away.
WOW!!!
DW and I both work, and have both worked since our marriage, in fairly demanding careers. We come home after a hard days w*rk, cooking/cleaning/miscellaneous life tasks like taking the car in for inspection are not high on the list. As a dedicated LBYMer, I'm ashamed to admit that sometimes bills don't get paid on time simply because the paperwork gets (physically) buried, and we have to pay fees.
Come home from w*rk, the house is clean and non-cluttered, delicious smells coming from the kitchen, MIL mentions "Oh, I weeded part of the natural area and planted some flowers". But she's doing it as part of her normal day, puttering around, doing things at a comfortable pace.
Oh, and the dogs were THRILLED at all the attention.
Last year, for the first time, I hired a lawn mowing service. I was travelling every week for almost a year, Sunday through Friday, and the last thing I wanted to do with my day-and-a-half home was mow the lawn.
Maybe down-shifting and delaying ER is the right move for us - or DW could quit now and handle those things, while I continue on the same career path (DW enthusiastically endorses this plan! ) - or - well, I don't know - but I DO know that the grind is wearing us thin.
WOW!!!
DW and I both work, and have both worked since our marriage, in fairly demanding careers. We come home after a hard days w*rk, cooking/cleaning/miscellaneous life tasks like taking the car in for inspection are not high on the list. As a dedicated LBYMer, I'm ashamed to admit that sometimes bills don't get paid on time simply because the paperwork gets (physically) buried, and we have to pay fees.
Come home from w*rk, the house is clean and non-cluttered, delicious smells coming from the kitchen, MIL mentions "Oh, I weeded part of the natural area and planted some flowers". But she's doing it as part of her normal day, puttering around, doing things at a comfortable pace.
Oh, and the dogs were THRILLED at all the attention.
Last year, for the first time, I hired a lawn mowing service. I was travelling every week for almost a year, Sunday through Friday, and the last thing I wanted to do with my day-and-a-half home was mow the lawn.
Maybe down-shifting and delaying ER is the right move for us - or DW could quit now and handle those things, while I continue on the same career path (DW enthusiastically endorses this plan! ) - or - well, I don't know - but I DO know that the grind is wearing us thin.