Friday Flash 55 - "Responsibility"

Courtesy of Google images
I've often said to my husband, "I want to teach our kids responsibility.
For them to appreciate hard work and a job well done.  
To give equally in return for what they receive."

Next week I give up my cleaning lady.

So we can lease a pony and clean stalls.

Whose lesson is this?


The G-Man hosts Friday Flash 55.  Tell a story in 55 words or less.  (This story is not fiction - I haven't been without a cleaning lady in... over 14 years!!  And for what?  A barn shovel?  I think I'll forget my spring manicure too...  This farm is in our backyard - just cross the street and walk right on over!  They have all kinds of animals...  here are a few:








Comments

Anonymous said…
It's a trade off that will bring a whole lotta lifetime memories. A clean house is awesome, but I'd trade it any day for some time in the saddle (or mucking out a barn).

Great shots of the next door neighbors, too!
April 14, 2011 at 6:35 PM
dustus said…
Whose lesson is it? Everyone's. Such is life and how absolutely cool to live next door to all them critters. Excellent, as is your 55 and photos. Have fun.
April 14, 2011 at 6:39 PM
Lisa Ricard Claro said…
Love the menagerie. Cool that they're neighbors. :) If I read your post correctly, you have been fortunate to have a cleaning lady for 14+ years. To say I'm envious doesn't even begin to cover it. I'd love to have a cleaning lady. My kids helped (and the one left at home, age 17, has her share of household chores), but I'm so type A I prefer to do most things myself. I'm my own worst enemy sometimes!
April 14, 2011 at 6:42 PM
Margaret said…
:) Yes, Lisa. 14 years. There is life after the cleaning lady... Right?
April 14, 2011 at 7:03 PM
Brian Miller said…
i would love it...so would my boys...my wife, maybe...smiles. my youngest wants to grow up to be a farmer
April 14, 2011 at 7:16 PM
Monkey Man said…
Responsibility is learning to use a shovel. I like it.
April 14, 2011 at 8:44 PM
Stranger said…
Wow, I'd love to have a cleaning lady! I think I'd only agree to the pony only on the condition that I get to hire someone to clean my house.

Seriously though, I think you're onto something. I think it's going to be a lot of work but it's going to be fun.

Now the photos - beautiful. I am especially fond of that goat that looks happy and friendly to me - that goat makes me feel giddy! And I love the cat in black and white. That cat looks like a good ol' Tom who knows its the real boss of the place. I love it!
April 14, 2011 at 10:23 PM
Shanae Branham said…
Being a mother...I would say it is your lesson. Fun 55...I love the pictures. If you want to check mine out:

Click here to check my 55 out
April 15, 2011 at 12:28 AM
Belinda Munoz said…
Thqt actually looks like it would be fun! But to your point, some lessons backfire, i suppose, when the student, or the teacher, isn't ready.
Great 55 and i love the photos.
April 15, 2011 at 10:02 AM
Olivia said…
That's wise indeed!

Thanks a ton for posting those images.. I love birds n cats n beautiful images..

I love the pony too.. grinnn

Memento

Weekend Hugs xx
April 15, 2011 at 11:05 AM
Anonymous said…
How do you get the animals to pose so well?

- Alice
April 15, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Jannie Funster said…
I just fell in love with that donkey! What a cute, cute guy.

I've never had a cleaning lady. I make my one kid do it all. Just kidding.

Yes, it's a tradeoff, I hope they are pitching in!

xoxo
April 15, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Steve Isaak said…
Enjoyed this, related to it (though I'm no longer technically the kid's stepdad).

Quick nit: in the end-line, "Who's" should be "Whose".

Good read!
April 15, 2011 at 4:37 PM
Dutchbaby said…
My cleaning lady is out of the country for three weeks and I feel like I'm roughing it. I can't imagine giving her up permanently. I could, of course, but I'd rather not. I like to think that I'm helping out the economy by giving someone a job. Convenient justification, don't you think?

Every one of your farm photos is fantastic.
April 15, 2011 at 4:56 PM
Me said…
Aww...wonderful story. I think you made the right choice - neither you nor your kids will look back and wish that the house had been cleaner. You will all have fabulous memories of ponies and such...priceless.

PS - my 55s are rarely fiction, either. I think Galen figures the "55" part is more important than the "fiction" part, because he's always let me slide. :)
April 15, 2011 at 7:46 PM
Margaret said…
We walked over today and got rained on!! We strolled through the barns and inhaled the straw and horse sent. The tack room leather smell was to die for. My girls are eager to see the pony that we will lease, but we had to put it off until later today or tomorrow due to the rain. They are very excited. Can't wait until I give them the list of "household chores"! But right now, their excited energy will see them through... Let's see how a few months of this goes!
April 16, 2011 at 11:13 AM
Helen said…
Loved this Margaret! Definitely not shitty!
April 16, 2011 at 11:35 AM
Margaret said…
Steve - I had caught the "who's" mistake and changed it on my other blog, but forgot this one (Actually, my grammar-head husband found the mistake... but thanks for letting me know, too! :)
April 16, 2011 at 2:30 PM
Snowbrush said…
"Next week I give up my cleaning lady. So we can lease a pony..."

Babe, keep the cleaning lady. She would have to be inept indeed not to do a better job than the pony, which would almost certainly make more of a mess than it cleans up.
May 2, 2011 at 11:19 PM
Snowbrush said…
P.S. As a small boy, I was attacked by a mother guinea, which was clawing my scalp as I ran screaming across the yard, when the door of the house suddenly burst open, and my elderly granny came sprinting across the yard with a broom in her hand and blood in her eye. It was truly a clash of two maternal instincts, and I'll never forget it.
May 2, 2011 at 11:22 PM
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