RUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

[Amy_and_Victor 159]

says she does not like to wash dishes, but she washes the dishes instead of putting them in the dishwasher.??????

Well, you know, I have no idea how to explain it, but some Russians have really hard time with getting used to any domestic appliances they're not really used to. It's more about older generation, starting from people who grew up un USSR (so they're like 40+ now), and it less common with younger people who getting now smartphone before they even learn to read well. It's also more common with people who grew up in kinda poor environment like little Shitvilles, etc. I don't know how to explain it, but for me it's nothing unusual that some Russian women will wash dishes complaining about how hard it is and will use a dishwasher as a cabinet for some flower vase, because I've seen plenty examples of this "modern appliances avoidance" while being in Russia. There something like a dishwasher still considered by many people as a luxury item for spoiled people, and it's not like nobody can afford them - many people spend more money on every year vacation than simple dishwasher would cost, but they still wouldn't buy it because "I've been living ** years without it, why would I change it now? And by the way, I'm sure this stupid box will not wash dishes as good as I can do with my dishsponge, and our plates will be dirty. And overall, it will take space on kitchen I need for... I don't even know for what, but I don't need this dishwasher. And at the last, if I will use it, I will have one less reason to complain about" - something you probably could hear from some RUB women who avoid using dishwasher.

- Victor from Russia

[TBoneTX 47,952]

Interesting and insightful, Victor, as always.

I find that Mrs. T-B. will use "modern contraptions," but she often neglects key details. One, as Slim noted, is the lint trap in the dryer. When she uses the dishwasher, she'll often forget to check whether something on the bottom rack is so tall that it interferes with the spinning of the middle cleaner-arm. I've heard whacking and thudding, and I've feared that the machine will break. Fortunately (sigh, man), she leaves most of the dishes for me.

Several pages above, we had a lively discussion about (not) cleaning silverware. I have begged Mrs. T-B. to drop EVERY used utensil into the water-filled bucket (in the sink) that's designated for the purpose. This enables me to scrape off most of the crud from the utensils without needing a blowtorch. However, half the time she forgets to (or simply doesn't) drop the silverware in the bucket; the other half of the time, the bucket is filled with coffee cups or non-silverware items. Go figure, sigh man.

[TBoneTX 47,952]

Bump for cause, si man.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Bump for cause, si man.

OK, OK.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

I got to clean the garage today. Just a bit. More of a reorganizing, but it was nice to be out there amongst all that manly stuff. She poked her head in to see what I was doing and to tell me how to do it better, but I shooed her away and finished the job. Can't wait till it cools down a bit more so I can spend more time out there doing nothing.

Lint trap is "man's job".

So is cleanng the garage, she will not even enter the big shed where the tractor is (dirty, smelly machine)

She does not clean her own rifle (thoroughly) she WILL wipe it down with oil before putting it away (she gives good care to her firle and pistol) but she does not like the smell of Hoppe's. On the other hand, I think of Hoppe's as perfume and love the smell.

No "swiffer" here and no "rag on a stick". Alla uses a "wet fabric" (OK, same thing as a "rag") and does all the floor cleaning by hand on her hands and knees. If I clean the floors using a regular mop, water and wringer I am accused of being "lazy" and "only cleaning the middle part" She also uses only clear water, no soap or cleaner (chemicals which will poison her family!)

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Interesting and insightful, Victor, as always.

I find that Mrs. T-B. will use "modern contraptions," but she often neglects key details. One, as Slim noted, is the lint trap in the dryer. When she uses the dishwasher, she'll often forget to check whether something on the bottom rack is so tall that it interferes with the spinning of the middle cleaner-arm. I've heard whacking and thudding, and I've feared that the machine will break. Fortunately (sigh, man), she leaves most of the dishes for me.

Several pages above, we had a lively discussion about (not) cleaning silverware. I have begged Mrs. T-B. to drop EVERY used utensil into the water-filled bucket (in the sink) that's designated for the purpose. This enables me to scrape off most of the crud from the utensils without needing a blowtorch. However, half the time she forgets to (or simply doesn't) drop the silverware in the bucket; the other half of the time, the bucket is filled with coffee cups or non-silverware items. Go figure, sigh man.

Alla prefers not to use machines. She DOES like the "machine for drying clothes" but will not clean the aforementioned (she uses the word "aforementioned" often in conversation) lint trap. She will NOT start the dishwasher but she will empty it and load it. When it is full she calls me to "start the machine"

Why?

When we first got this house she thought it would be OK to use the "Dawn" dishwashing liquid for the dishwasher. Um...it isn't.

Thanks to ceramic tile, a bog kitchen and a total absence of carpet in our home the result was like an epsiode of "I Love Lucy" with no lasting damage, and consumed every towel, sheet, quilt and pillowcase in the house trying to wipe up the suds! Since then...starting the machine is a "man's job"

When Alla does her "big cooking" it is my job to wash dishes as she goes along. She has a way of using EVERY bowl, plate, cup, spoon, baking pan and knife.

FWIW, Pasha did the same thing with the dishwasher.

[TBoneTX 47,952]

I almost certainly mentioned earlier herein that Mrs. T-B. merely LOOKS at a spoon and it becomes dirty and requires washing. When asked to explain, she said, "I have a trauma." When she was young, the family had just one spoon and had to pass it around and wipe it off between everybody, sigh man.

And, I have a more-than-full dishwarsher (Texas spelling) to unload (from her efforts), reload properly, soap, start, and empty, si man.

[baron555 934]

We don't have a dishwasher (yet) and Alla appreciates when I help with the dishes but usually wants me to work on something else and she does them (yes she also uses tons of dishes, etc when cooking).

She used to use the gas clothes dryer but now doesn't use it and has one of those folding drying racks onto which she places all the clothes and lets them air dry. And, she cleaned the lint trap (its in the front and only needs a quick swipe of the fingers to clean) when she used the dryer.

Edited December 23, 2013 by baron555

[BatmanUSA 105]

Elena does all the housework... or maybe 80%...

I vacuum the house, start laundry... I do little things when she isn't looking. Her thoughts are that the wife must take care of all housework.

[TBoneTX 47,952]

And, she cleaned the lint trap (its in the front and only needs a quick swipe of the fingers to clean) when she used the dryer.

She ought to be fast-tracked to naturalization, si man!

Edited December 24, 2013 by TBoneTX

[TBoneTX 47,952]

I vacuum the house, start laundry... I do little things when she isn't looking. Her thoughts are that the wife must take care of all housework.

Mrs. T-B.'s thoughts are that the husband should hire a maid! Pre-Mini-Bone, she would always saucily say, "The maid has left," when I said something.

She left the kitchen an absolute disaster today, as usual. However, she repaired a lamp, uninstalled a huge mirror from a dresser, reorganized the living room & den, hauled an irretrievably cat-scratched stuffed chair to the curb, and probably other stuff that I'm afraid to discover.

At least she doesn't arise from bed at 2 a.m. to rearrange all the furniture, as too many Americanas allegedly do.

[*Snowdrop* 604]

We bought a Swiffer recently - we have all wood floors in the cabin and I like using the wet cloths on it. Then I realised it's a lot cheaper to buy a set of microfiber cloths and wet those, attach to the Swiffer and use, then throw in the washing machine afterwards.

As I was using it today I thought "Ah - I've created TBone's "rag-on-a-stick" and it's actually really effective

[Hollyday 122]

Mrs. T-B.'s thoughts are that the husband should hire a maid!

Lol, well i hire one in Russia. I hope i can keep it up in the US as well.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Elena does all the housework... or maybe 80%...

I vacuum the house, start laundry... I do little things when she isn't looking. Her thoughts are that the wife must take care of all housework.

See...difference. No vacuum here because no carpet allowed and vacuums make dust blow around the house....ues wet fabric to clean!

Dishes and stuff...OMG! I thought I had everything. I did not. I had NO idea I "needed" THREE huge covered frying pans (for Kotleti) stacks of mxing bowls, more and more knives which all must be taken to Ukraine to "make them normal" Translation..."sharpen them".More and more "bedclothes...I love bedclothes"

Her frst time in "Bed, Bath and Beyond" they could not get her out. And I am not kidding. They turned off the lights and she was hiding from the employees trying to make her leave! She was calling from behind stacks of stuff in the aisles...

"Please, 10 more minutes, I am new to this country! I need these things! I will by lots of things"

Ma'am, come out, you can come back tomorrow it will all be here tomorrow.

"Just 10 minutes please"

Sir, can you help us find your wife?

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Lol, well i hire one in Russia. I hope i can keep it up in the US as well.

Alla had a woman that helped her mother clean her house. The problem is that no maids would stay very long because Alla was too demanding about how they clean. The whole wet fabric and hands and knees thing wasn't well received.

I think you will find services like maid service much more expensive here. Clothes and shoes are "almost free" but manual labor is expensive. Let us know how that works out. Alla has/had a husband and one (sometimes two) boys in the house to help clean. Now both the biys are gone but so is a lot of the "mess"