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Original poster

Can you 'see' mess?

54 replies

UnquietDad · 19/07/2007 00:33

Supposedly we can't, according to a lot of the "aren't men crap./my DH is a lazy sod" discussions on here.

Some people have suggested it is a Mars/Venus thing - that we genuinely look at it from different perspectives and have different needs when it comes to "tidying up". Others think we just don't "perceive" mess, as if it is at the infra-red end of the spectrum.

I make a distinction between dirt/dust and clutter. I hate the latter - am always moving piles of cups, papers, children's abandoned shoes, etc. - but I'm less likely than DW to clean cobwebs, brush up dust, hoover etc. as i don't think it matters as much.

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Kewcumber · 19/07/2007 11:40

he's so funny at the moment , fox - has just started running. His favorite thing at the mometn is running on the stop, he thinks its hilarious. Never seen such a tiny toddler do it and be so amused by it (note to self - you will forget this soon - go home and video it!)

BigGitDad · 19/07/2007 11:40

Tickets here; www.ticketmaster.co.uk/promo/i30zrg?CAMEFROM=CFC_UK_SP0052_WEBLINK

harleyd · 19/07/2007 11:42

bgd - come the day and come the hour...

Kewcumber · 19/07/2007 11:43

bolleaux - you ar going to get soundly thrashed. Sorry, thats not an opinion it is factual, I read it on the internet...

Kewcumber · 19/07/2007 11:43

running on the spot spot spot!

Gee72 · 19/07/2007 11:46

I don't so much see mess, as trip over it when I get in from work. I ususally arrive back as DS (9 months) is being bathed/fed before bedtime so my job when I get in is to clear the carnage he's created during the day. I have no probs with this - I've spent days alone with him and can see the absolute impossiblity of keeping the place tidy while he's awake.

I've got a bit of weird attitude to cleaning. I like to have a bit of a sit down and read the paper first, but when I do get going I get a bit OCD about it. My wife has always claimed to be unable to clean as she ends up just moving the muck around.

harleyd · 19/07/2007 11:47

the cup is won already

shoulder to shoulder

BigGitDad · 19/07/2007 11:52

I have got every one's names in my little black book ready for the day. It will be on a par with that Norwegian sports commontator when England lost to Norway!!I'll have to start up a sports thread on this soon.

BigGitDad · 19/07/2007 11:53

Commontator? I mean Commentator!

Meeely2 · 19/07/2007 11:58

my dh must be a freak then - he see's what i don't....i have NEVER seen him leave clothes on the floor, washing up is done the minute i put my fork down after dinner, BUT he is EXTREMELY anal about how the dishwasher is loaded......

harleyd · 19/07/2007 11:59

your spelling is as good as your rubgy team lol

(all jesting in good fun, dont strop anybody!)

BigGitDad · 19/07/2007 12:17

Meeely2, MrsBGD hardly touches the dishwasher as it my domain too as is the lawnmower..
Harleyd, what you have said is tame compared to some of the stuff on here. My daughters godfather is devoutly Welsh and I will be getting so much stick from him. I am looking forward to a cracking tournament with plenty of banter.

harleyd · 19/07/2007 12:28

bgd - i said something similar to an englishman in the bar last week - he slammed his pint down and stormed out lol. cant wait for it to start

foxinsocks · 19/07/2007 12:33

aww bless him kew - you MUST video it. There are so many things my kids did as toddlers that I didn't video and now they are getting so big so quickly (cue the violins).

Ds (who loves corn) used to flick his corn on the floor and squeal at the top of his voice 'corn on the floor, corn on the floor' and we turned it into a song (rather unwisely - our floor was never clean after that ). He can still remember doing it now!

can just picture mini Kewcumber in his little Welsh shirt charging about (incidentally, though I know I am WAY ahead of myself here, London Welsh is famed for its brilliant kids' rugby and it's only round the corner from you!).

meandmyflyingmachine · 19/07/2007 12:34

"I make a distinction between dirt/dust and clutter. I hate the latter - am always moving piles of cups, papers, children's abandoned shoes, etc. - but I'm less likely than DW to clean cobwebs, brush up dust, hoover etc. as i don't think it matters as much."

Now that is like me and my dh. He hates clutter,but is oblivious to actual dirt. I like a bit of clutter around the place, but also like things reasonably clean.

Jack and Mrs Sprat I suppose.

BigGitDad · 19/07/2007 12:35

If you had known he was going to walk out then you should have said something really offensive!
Do you have that effect on all Englishmen There willl be lots of Welsh and Scottish people very jealous of your talent..

harleyd · 19/07/2007 12:37

ok so in fairness it might have been the "i would rather wear a turban than a rose" song that did it but he had a complete sense of humour bypass

BigGitDad · 19/07/2007 12:39

Singing as well? Pmsl! I remember on the video of the Lions Tour to South Africa the Lions fans singing I'd rather be a Lion than a Bok!

harleyd · 19/07/2007 12:44

you know concept then lol
nothing beats a night out with several pints and singing at random strangers

BigGitDad · 19/07/2007 12:47

You are going the get yourself in trouble on this thread soon harleyd. I am pmsl though at the thought of those poor strangers...

harleyd · 19/07/2007 12:54
Kewcumber · 19/07/2007 13:23

no not getting ahead of yourself fox, but apparently london welsh expect them to be 5 or 6 before playing mini rugby how unreasonable . He already does a pretty good rugby tackle and head butted me hard enough in the mouth to leave a bruise (he was kissing me btw am hoping his skills will improve or he's in BIG trouble in a few years.)

OrmIrian · 19/07/2007 13:27

Well now... you see I think that seeing mess is an aquired skill. When I was little and at my granny's she used to get me to help her clean the house. Dusting was my favourite - I sort of flicked the duster at things and because I couldn't see the dust thought it was OK. She used to get cross and I never knew how she knew I hadn't done it.

Now I think that some people (male and female) never develop an eye for mess. Sadly I did. Wish I didn't as life would be so much easier. DH didn't.

GooseyLoosey · 19/07/2007 13:36

I think that dh does not perceive "mess" in the same way as I do and he agrees - we discuss it often (or rather I do).

For instance, I got home from work around 10pm last night (many hours after dcs in bed). We were going away very early this morning. Do I arrive home to packed cases for the dcs and a clean house? No, I arrive home to a clothes mountain in the hall - he has done washing be cannot see that it is a big step from there to it being folded in cases and to a nice dinner (albeit I had said not to bother)together with an accompanying mountain of washing up which dh had no intention of doing before we went away.

I got to bed after 1.00am. Irony is that dh helped and had no problems with doing so he just woundn't do it on his own.

Pan · 20/07/2007 22:51

"Can you 'see' mess?"

What mess?