oooo grog - Sounds like you live at my house. Love the cartoon!! I have a very close girlfriend whose floors you could eat off of. Our kids used to say on visits "Mom, why does her house smell so new?" (Hmmm what did ours smell like?)

My son, when he was in Gr. 8, wanted to know where his martial arts ghee was. I said I didn't know. He says (brace yourself)" I expect it to be clean, and folded and in my drawer." (the rage!!!!!) I have no idea where he heard that, but it was a BIG mistake. I proceeded to take all of his clothes out of the laundry hamper, threw them into his room and on the floor and told him that from now on, he was responsible for his laundry. He'll be heading off to university this year at least with laundry, ironing and some mediocre scrubbing skills.

Housework is probably the most frequent item my DH and I have fought about over the years. He always challenged me "why do you think your way is right?" "Because I have been doing it since I was 13...etc" I would say. (I still think I have the upper hand here, really hard to let that one go)

I, as Grog has suggested, have had to let go. Not to sweat the small stuff. It is really hard to do, but time for my training is way more important than an immaculate house that promises to get dirty again. I tell my kids, once a week, everything off the floor, dusted and vacuumed. If they insist on keeping their rooms a mess, the door stays shut so I don't have to look at it. And I've told my DH that my standards are as low as they are going to go; that he needs to raise his.

MIL -delicate situation that needs a family meeting on who does what, when. I'd work an overtime shift to get a cleaning lady....

I'll shut up now!