Today started out like any normal day. I dropped Gregoire off at daycare, ran at the park, then returned home. Unlike my normal days, bonne maman was at the house waiting for me. I was getting ready to hop in the shower when she came to make a few complaints. 'This is the dirtiest house I have ever seen. No one cleans it!' and immediately, I was pissed off. I was cheery after my run like I always am but her comment really just rubbed me the wrong way. Excuse me, no one cleans the house? I wonder what she thinks I do everyday. I immediately sent Didier a text about it and he obviously called Céline who begged me to tell her what was wrong. I explained to maman that the comment irritated me because I'm the one that cleans the house everyday even when no one asks me to do it. Yes, I vacuum, mop the floors, do the laundry and iron for every member of the family, wash dishes, clean bedrooms, etc. I even give lice treatments on a regular basis, drive the kids to and from school, to and from lessons, and make dinner every once in awhile. I do it all purely because I care for my family and I want them to be well taken care of. Plus, it's my house too and I want it to look the best it can. I can't even count on one hand any other domestic laborer that does the same amount of work that I do without compensation. I get paid 300 euros a month with a car and free room and board. I'm obviously not doing it for the money. Gee...I'm sorry I don't have enough time in my day to enjoy it AND keep a three-floor, fifteen-room house with four kids spotless. MERDE!!!
I didn't say anything to her as usual because I didn't want to be disrespectful, so I just stayed as far away from her as possible for the rest of the morning. Around lunch time, she asked me to drop her off in centre ville so that she could go to the market and have lunch with Céline. I gladly did so. When I picked her up from lunch, she handed me a gift bag that was filled with a huge canister of tea. Céline must've suggested it because she is one person who knows about my obsession with tea. I asked maman to keep all of my thoughts in confidence but I knew she would end up dishing to her mother. All bonne maman said was 'Melinda, this is a gift for you. I'm sorry for my comments earlier but please know that they weren't directed at you.' The tea was a nice gesture but it really wasn't necessary. I was over it as soon as I cleared the air with maman and papa D. I know that bonne maman's complaints weren't against me but they still bothered me due to all of the time and work I put into keeping this house in habitable conditions. She's never spent more than a few days with us so she's also never seen what the house looks like when I'm gone. If she had seen the house when I came back from my week in Morocco she wouldn't ever make any comments again.
Things were a bit awkward between us for the rest of the afternoon. She read a book on the terrace while I tried to clean up all of the areas she brought to my attention. We basically stayed out of each others' hair for the rest of the day. I didn't say anything to her when I went to go pick up the children even though she normally comes with me. I just showed up at 18h30 with the triplets and Gregoire. By the time maman got home, I was heading out the door. After the morning's events Maman told me that I could spend the night with Andréa. Thank goodness my host mom is so cool and understanding!
Andréa knew I was stressed from the day so he decided to make us a lovely, romantic dinner. It's super sweet because he had worked all day. I knew he had to have been exhausted! He made steak, green salad with a ham/cheese roll-up with balsamic vinaigrette. For dessert, he made strawberry lychee pana cotta. Like I said in the post about La Tasca, if he is successful, then I will marry him...It just so happens that the pana cotta was perfect! Now, where's my ring?! Just kidding ;-) Seriously though, it's great to have a man that can do everything in the kitchen! The dinner was a great de-stressor. I'm so lucky :-P
I didn't say anything to her as usual because I didn't want to be disrespectful, so I just stayed as far away from her as possible for the rest of the morning. Around lunch time, she asked me to drop her off in centre ville so that she could go to the market and have lunch with Céline. I gladly did so. When I picked her up from lunch, she handed me a gift bag that was filled with a huge canister of tea. Céline must've suggested it because she is one person who knows about my obsession with tea. I asked maman to keep all of my thoughts in confidence but I knew she would end up dishing to her mother. All bonne maman said was 'Melinda, this is a gift for you. I'm sorry for my comments earlier but please know that they weren't directed at you.' The tea was a nice gesture but it really wasn't necessary. I was over it as soon as I cleared the air with maman and papa D. I know that bonne maman's complaints weren't against me but they still bothered me due to all of the time and work I put into keeping this house in habitable conditions. She's never spent more than a few days with us so she's also never seen what the house looks like when I'm gone. If she had seen the house when I came back from my week in Morocco she wouldn't ever make any comments again.
Things were a bit awkward between us for the rest of the afternoon. She read a book on the terrace while I tried to clean up all of the areas she brought to my attention. We basically stayed out of each others' hair for the rest of the day. I didn't say anything to her when I went to go pick up the children even though she normally comes with me. I just showed up at 18h30 with the triplets and Gregoire. By the time maman got home, I was heading out the door. After the morning's events Maman told me that I could spend the night with Andréa. Thank goodness my host mom is so cool and understanding!
Andréa knew I was stressed from the day so he decided to make us a lovely, romantic dinner. It's super sweet because he had worked all day. I knew he had to have been exhausted! He made steak, green salad with a ham/cheese roll-up with balsamic vinaigrette. For dessert, he made strawberry lychee pana cotta. Like I said in the post about La Tasca, if he is successful, then I will marry him...It just so happens that the pana cotta was perfect! Now, where's my ring?! Just kidding ;-) Seriously though, it's great to have a man that can do everything in the kitchen! The dinner was a great de-stressor. I'm so lucky :-P
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