Housecleaning

There seem to be two different philosophies on housecleaning: the “ongoing” philosophy and the “event” philosophy. Since opposites seem to attract, most households have one person in each philosophical camp. I can still hear my mother saying, “Pick it up!” (that thing, whatever it was, that always escaped the notice of my youthful eyes). I remember my father saying, “Put it back where it belongs.” Clearly, my parents beat the odds; they both lived in the same camp. I’m in the “ongoing” camp now, too.My husband … not so much. For him, ...