Pop and his chores: Vacuuming

"Is there anything I can do?" is one of Pop's most infamous questions. Sometimes he is sincerely wanting to help. Other times the question is asked out of boredom. And lastly, sometimes he asks out of a feeling of obligation. When it is out of obligation and I say, "Not right now." I can tell he is relieved and settles into his nice comfy chair. But when I do say, "Yes, you can vacuum," this affirmative is usually met with a positive reaction.

I don't know if it is the cords, hoses, noise, all that good stuff that taps into his machismo or just the fact that he is able to see instant results. Whatever it is vacuuming is another way that Pop likes to "help."

Getting the project started often presents some problems, though. He is sometimes not sure how to get the electricity from the wall to the machine. I've seen him holding the electrical cord in one hand and with the other flipping wall switches that turn lights on but not vacuums. Hmmmmmm. This requires me to get involved, get the cord plugged into the wall socket and get the project launched. Now that the power is connected the next trick is for him to remember how to get the machine started. Sometimes he remembers that there is a button on the box that you can touch with your toe and other times I find him flipping switches on the handle of the hose which is NOT how to get the motor started. Enter Judy and I step on the button getting the power from the wall into the machine. At this point I am wondering if I should have just done the job myself.

Once the machine is running he tears into the chore with pains taking accuracy! He moves methodically across the carpet, turns around and re-vacuums the same area all over again ... and then again and again and again. Because his memory does cooperate on exactly where he has vacuumed, the end result is multiple strokes over and over again, back and forth, back around to the same area that he started from, over and over and over again. The end result? A very, very clean carpet!

Pop and His Chores: Sweeping

Not liking disorder, I often find my dad stacking piles of junk mail, pushing itmes around on the counter tops lining them up in neat little rows and inspecting the floor. Slightly hunched over he scans the wooden planks below seeking out the pesky intruders on tidiness. Soon I hear, "Where is the broom and dust pan?" They are where they always are. I never move them. Always in the same place. But the question never ceases to be asked.

If I leave him to his own devices, soon I see him telescoping the kitchen and eventually his eyes will fall on the pantry. I can almost read his mind, “Ah ha! I think they are behind THIS door.” Bingo!

Sweeping is a great way to keep him occupied for a while but the down side is that he always wants his work inispected. "I'm not sure I did a very good job. Would you come and look at my work?" comes his question. Often sweeping is the chore I've given him to busy him and keep him out of my hair for about 10 minutes. In response to his question I usually say, "You always do a great job, Pop so I am sure that it turned out fine. I'll look at it later."

In a couple of hours all of the above will be repeated again and from his perspective it will have been the first time of that day.