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This could be good for a laugh, so share in some stress relief.


I am exasperated going around behind a spouse who cannot put things away after using, can’t close a refrigerator or freezer door tightly, can’t put a twist tie back on a loaf of bread, can’t turn off a light, can’t close and lock a door. You guys get it, I’m sure! Tight senior budget here, so tired of trying to stretch it, with all the wastefulness, running up utility bills for refusing to put on long sleeves, long pants in the house, jacking up the thermostat. I’m the one trying to keep the bills paid, and the lack of care and cooperation is sabotaging me. I’ve had mostly LED light fixtures installed, motion detector fixtures outside, things like that. Refrigerator replacement not in the budget, so I find freezer open in the morning, after his nocturnal ice cream snacking. Just dumped the ice maker ice cube blob. Once again. Woke up to freezer door hanging open. I’m sure there’s others here living with someone who cannot put toothpaste caps back on, stupidly drying out whatever, or rinsing a cutting board instead of using soap, putting it back dirty...if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry. I gotta sleep sometime, can’t be walking behind him every minute....


What things are driving you guys nuts-maybe small things, but all adding up to a big picture? I’m having a day so not full of grace here. Make me laugh, please.

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Childproofing is your friend. We had to put locks on the fridge and freezer when we had a toddler who would open them and put the things he took out into the oven. One day I got up to a dozen eggs neatly arranged on the two oven racks. I am amazed he did not break any of them.

You may find the childproofing options for appliances are too tricky for him to figure out.

A locking cover on the thermostat if you have central heating, if you have baseboard heat, use the breakers on the electrical panel to shut off rooms that do not need heat.

Pack up the summer clothes, so he has to put on warmer clothes.
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OldSailor Mar 2019
It is cold outside and I am wearing lounge pants, briefs and house shoes. DW is wearing disposable underwear , a t-shirt and a Lamaze cotton bra.
Stat is set at 76 degrees F. This is our norm.
Our utiliy companies have a program called Equal Payment Plan. We pay an averaged payment year round. No seasonal increases or decreases.
It may be a personal condition. and why s.hould I wear clothes I don't want to wear?
Look into having thermostatic controlled registers or dampers installed on seldom used areas.
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Girlsaylor, I had to chuckle because what you described is my sig-other. According to his family, he's been that way since he was child. Just an absent-minded professor type of person.

Oh how I remember coming home from work and finding the freezer door wide opened. Eventually I had to put a note on the door to the garage to remind him, on his way out to work, to make sure the freezer door was shut.

The pantry door is constantly left wide opened. Leaves the lights on in the living room, and never remembers to lock the doors at night. Yet, he closes the lid on the empty washer when it should stay open to air out... [sigh].

Oh, as for the LED lights. A few years ago my Dad was thinking about all the money he was going to save by replacing all the old fashioned light bulbs with LED. Well, Mom sat at her reading chair and was mentioning how cold she felt. Well, of course, there is no heat from the LED bulbs but there was heat from the old fashioned bulbs. Well, Dad had to raise the thermostat to get the house warmer... there went his savings !!

Wonder if a handyman could put some type of "spring" on the freezer door so the door would close automatically? A spring similar to what use to be used on old screen doors.
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Girlsaylor Mar 2019
Well now, why didn’t I think of that?! For some reason, this refrigerator has issues with both doors not completely closing. I guess I should start saving up for the eventual replacement, as somehow, I think I will outlast this one.
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My mother has been in 2 different facilities. Naturally there was passing over the time of some residents as there still is. Last month my mother said that the problem with such facilities (as well as some friends) is that people tend to die at this stage!
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Girlsaylor Mar 2019
Oh my, quite an observation. Poor thing.
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People think we take care of our parents the way they took care of us. HOWEVER, mine reprimanded, punished, warned, etc to teach. I find myself biting my tongue daily. I want to scream (but don’t) “clean up your mess!”, “get a tissue and blow your nose!”, “quit slurping your food!” I have a newly found aversion to sounds. Moaning, sniffing, shuffling of shoes, but the slurping is the worst. Yesterday, she took a pot from the stove and set it on my brand new countertop. I wanted to cry. Anyway, she has no mental impairment (at 92). If/when she does, I will hopefully be less resentful. Ps. I was the unwanted “oops” child. The golden child lives 3 doors down and stays away. Thanks for the vent!
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Girlsaylor Mar 2019
Oh no! And we wait so long to get things like countertops replaced. I’d be probably silently crying. Nobody can think of every little mishap that might happen, not to mention the costly mistakes. I feel ya.
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Girlsaylor - Oh boy, I feel your pain! My SO is forgetful too - not to the extent of yours.......yet, lol. Me: "is that light on for any particular reason?" - SO: "no, I just forgot to turn it off"; Me: "what are you getting from the fridge?" - SO:"nothing, I forgot to close it"; Me:"what's your glass of juice doing in the pantry?" - SO: "*&$#, that's where I set that". I also follow behind him after he showers, makes a snack, etc. to make sure stuff is closed/off/where it should be. Please try to laugh, not cry, at all the craziness! At least we're getting plenty of exercise, right?! Hope this finds you on a much better day!!
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Girlsaylor Mar 2019
Oh yes, the things we find in not-so-obvious, unusual places! Today I had to hunt down a printer cable he carried through the house. Turns out he put it on top of my cell phone, because it was ringing, and he had to snoop to see who was calling me. So rude. If you have to go see, just answer the dang thing and I’ll get me another phone. Nothing is sacred with this man. Not that I have anything to hide, but really. If ya got that kind of time to snoop, how about lending a hand with some of the work around here. Blimey!
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Mad sad. Google misophonia. It's a real thing actually.
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