topic Re: DH: Helpful or Useless? in Kitchen

DH: Helpful or Useless?

HonnyBrown — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 19:59:29 GMT

DH pleasantly surprised me! He came in and cleaned up the dishes every few hours while dinner was being prepared. He put the leftovers in Tupperware and in the refrigerator and then cleaned the kitchen and took out the trash a few times.

He annoyed me when he stayed in the kitchen with me and questioned what I was doing: why are you using that pasta or why do you have the cider in the freezer or blah blah blah. I could have done without that.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

Tinkrbl44 — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:02:58 GMT

Who is DH ?

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

flickerbulb — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:05:34 GMT

Dan Hughes?

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

MarieIG — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:06:41 GMT

Helpful.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

Mominohio — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:09:37 GMT

For Thanksgiving day, mostly useless. Works the night before, gets home at about 4 am and pretty much just eats and sleeps if we don't keep him entertained.

As to that same question directed to life with him in general, depends on the day, and my mood!

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

RedTop — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:12:01 GMT

My DH is usually underfoot when I am cooking, which drives me crazy. Our galley kitchen does not accommodate multiple people, so I usually ban him from that area while I am busy prepping. Once dinner was over, he cleaned the kitchen, and put the food away as usual, but he cannot seem to stay out of the way when I am cooking.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

bonnielu — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:12:19 GMT

If DH is an abbreviation for dear heart meaning HUSBAND.... I am envious. I would love the help and concern in my house. It would seem that it is MY JOB. Count your blessings.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

house_cat — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:13:35 GMT

Mine is a gem. I don't like him in the kitchen, but he's always ready to run out for things I need or may have forgotten.

In addition, he spent his Thanksgiving morning, 8 am - 2 pm, delivering meals to shut-ins. He delivers for the Meals program in our neighborhood daily, but TG Day was an extra day - he had 68 delivers all over our valley. One lady hugged him and said, "You are a lifesaver". He really is.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

ValuSkr — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:16:21 GMT

Sounds like he's a keeper.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

chickenbutt — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:23:09 GMT

Well, he is useful in many many many OTHER ways but I don't want him in the kitchen. I really don't want him coming out every few minutes, as he tends to do, asking me 'how's it going'. I know he means well so I just respond.

But one thing with me now is that I get confused a lot and I have to maintain a train of thought. Every time he breaks in to my train of thought I lose what I'm doing and have to figure it out again. I'm getting used to this, but it sure does go a lot better without the well-meaning interruptions.

As for doing stuff in the kitchen - I'll pass. I have very precise ways that I want things prepared and cooked. In my head, I'm the only one who could/would do them that way, so I don't want the 'help'.

I have let him help me with dishes in the past but I do work pretty hard to 'clean as I go' so there's never that much at the end and I'll just go ahead and do them. Hey, I don't work outside the house anymore and he works long days almost every day so I figure there are some things that I'll handle around here - as long as I can, anyway.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

HonnyBrown — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:25:58 GMT

On 11/28/2014 RedTop said: My DH is usually underfoot when I am cooking, which drives me crazy. Our galley kitchen does not accommodate multiple people, so I usually ban him from that area while I am busy prepping. Once dinner was over, he cleaned the kitchen, and put the food away as usual, but he cannot seem to stay out of the way when I am cooking.

Red, if I ban him, his feelings are hurt! He is asking questions about dishes that I have made before; why now?

When I realized that he was actually curious about some things, I was patient. He didn't grow up with things made from scratch, so he was genuinely fascinated at seeing meals being created.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

HonnyBrown — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:28:41 GMT

On 11/28/2014 bonnielu said:
If DH is an abbreviation for dear heart meaning HUSBAND.... I am envious. I would love the help and concern in my house. It would seem that it is MY JOB. Count your blessings.

Yes, DH is a husband. I thought that was widely known.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

IControlMyHappiness — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:28:45 GMT

Remember, every one is not blessed to have a husband that is still living, be thankful....

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

HonnyBrown — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:31:00 GMT

On 11/28/2014 house_cat said:
Mine is a gem. I don't like him in the kitchen, but he's always ready to run out for things I need or may have forgotten.

In addition, he spent his Thanksgiving morning, 8 am - 2 pm, delivering meals to shut-ins. He delivers for the Meals program in our neighborhood daily, but TG Day was an extra day - he had 68 delivers all over our valley. One lady hugged him and said, "You are a lifesaver". He really is.

((( Mr. & Mrs. house cat )))

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

Used2Shop — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:33:48 GMT

My husband is best at being a critic. Before company came, he napped. After they left he sat in the lounge chair and watched TV. Showed up again about the time I had finished the cleanup. This morning, while I put things away, he went to the gym.

The D in DH stands for something different to me. Not a winner.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

depglass — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:35:21 GMT

The last time I let him cook he mixed a can of pork and beans into the meatloaf. That was 10 years ago. Now I let him microwave leftovers and that's it. He has an annoying habit of walking through the kitchen to get to the far wastebasket, even though there is one at the close end under the counter. He would have to slide that one out, that cabinet is on a rolling mechanism. Then he chews me out for leaving the dishwasher open. Its either being loaded, unloaded, or air drying. I'm thinking of putting up a red plastic chain.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

HonnyBrown — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:39:50 GMT

On 11/28/2014 chickenbutt said:
Well, he is useful in many many many OTHER ways but I don't want him in the kitchen. I really don't want him coming out every few minutes, as he tends to do, asking me 'how's it going'. I know he means well so I just respond.

But one thing with me now is that I get confused a lot and I have to maintain a train of thought. Every time he breaks in to my train of thought I lose what I'm doing and have to figure it out again. I'm getting used to this, but it sure does go a lot better without the well-meaning interruptions.

As for doing stuff in the kitchen - I'll pass. I have very precise ways that I want things prepared and cooked. In my head, I'm the only one who could/would do them that way, so I don't want the 'help'.

I have let him help me with dishes in the past but I do work pretty hard to 'clean as I go' so there's never that much at the end and I'll just go ahead and do them. Hey, I don't work outside the house anymore and he works long days almost every day so I figure there are some things that I'll handle around here - as long as I can, anyway.

Wow, chickenb, you are like a well oiled machine in the kitchen! My Mom is like that; it's better if she does the whole thing herself.

My turkey wasn't done when I put it on the cutting board. I called Mom-911 and she told me what to do. DH stepped right in and did what needed to be done. A wrench was in the cog and I lost focus, but he saved the day. Dinner was on the table by 5!

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

HonnyBrown — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:42:37 GMT

On 11/28/2014 sunshine3215 said:
Remember, every one is not blessed to have a husband that is still living, be thankful....

I didn't forget. Not everyone is blessed to have a living husband or a husband/significant other, or wants the ones they have. Not everyone was blessed to be able to spend Thanksgiving the way they wanted.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

viva923 — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:52:32 GMT

I would have found that helpful, I help my dh when he is cooking, he is so much better than I am in the cooking . I do the clean up and dishes (wash by hand) empty trash if need be.

Re: DH: Helpful or Useless?

paShar — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 20:52:46 GMT

To the OP: I don't understand why you are so upset that he asked a few questions. He asked because he wanted to know! Your post seems to indicate that you think he asked just to annoy you. I don't think he was questioning your methods, he just was curious.

Instead of being annoyed, you should be grateful that he did all the things you mentioned in the first paragraph of your post.

Sorry if this sounds harsh, it's my opinion.