Toothbrushes Are Herd Animals

toothbrushes

This might be getting personal, but how many toothbrushes do you have in a cup on your sink? I have two. One for my teeth; the other for my eyes. (Yes, I brush my eyelids now that I’m past the age where the night sand just rolls right out the corners.) My husband has nine toothbrushes! Every few months I count them and we discuss which ones he really needs. “But toothbrushes are herd animals!” He protests. We laugh. Eventually, a few of them drop out of sight. These are the little things that make a marriage either annoying or entertaining. After thirty-two years, I’ll take entertaining any day. It’s my choice.

“Choice” is the operative word here. Whether we like one toothbrush or ten, or stack our dishes in the drying rack or lay them out on the counter before putting them away, there will always be little things to annoy us. When we are tired or stressed, it’s harder to find humor in the moment, but if we are truly present, we can turn almost anything into fun or funny.

What are your coping mechanisms? 

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6 Responses to Toothbrushes Are Herd Animals

  1. Elaine Naddaff says:

    Hi Eileen,
    I promised I would stop bothering you with my emails to your blog, but you seem to be fine with me, ONLINE. I have a battery operated toothbrush and a hand held one, but no pretty china cup because my hands are “heavy” from stirring, exercises, doing my own housework these last five years, etc….
    To me marriage is companionship, love and song. I share my love with Kent– my parent’s summer house, homemade meals every night, photos I take of our family, surprises– you know… I do not like to take walks down “memory lane” and POLITICS do not make me laugh. Ogden Nash poems make me laugh. Kent laughs ALL OF THE TIME… Right now my cope is my knitting. Tomorrow, my cope might be my wishing to work at The……… with Kent… See you later, Elaine

  2. Hi Elaine, do you mean stirring as in cooking? I love to cook. And I’ve done my share of cleaning too. I’m not afraid of dirt! Thanks for sharing your love of Ogden Nash poems and knitting; I am fond of both as well. In fact, I think I’ll go find a poem now!

  3. imlastof11 says:

    “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift that’s why its called the present ” my son told me this on the way home from Duke hospital Monday. I just smiled and asked were did you hear that I love it. Braeden said Kung Fu Panda mom 🙂 we go back for surgery again on march 13. I love plants, cleaning ,helping others, sowing,and any type of crafts but music of all kinds keeps me grounded. Have a great week Eileen (((hugs)))

  4. Elaine Naddaff says:

    Hi Eileen,
    Yes, I do mean “stirring as in cooking”. I make soup every day and often whip up my versions of oriental stir fry dishes and a few mideast/mediterranean [ ? ] meals! My mother was an excellent cook, as was her father. I remember stirring a favorite soup of my mother’s for 20 minutes at a time, resting my wrist and restirring a few more times. For so many of my non working years, I have enjoyed cooking, as part of my daily routine, reading cookbooks and watching a few Food Network cooking programs. My sisters, brother and parents enjoyed a beautifully set table, casual and semi formal, most of the times, we reconvened, as a grown up family with spouses and kids!!!!! I love poems and have not “kept” up for many years on the latest great poets– an easy catch up task, if I wish to pursue it… I am knitting galore these days for a church bazaar. Well, I am impressed that you like to cook, organic garden and enjoy your enthusiasms.
    Well,I am off to University of Penn Dental School for a crown, today. Crown. DO you think I will land a prince and become a princess? See you around, Elaine

  5. Marietje Halbertsma says:

    I liked your toothbrush story. When my children were young I always bought them the fun kind of toothbrushes like the ones that light up, play music and what not. It made brushing teeth appealing for the children, but when the time came to throw them out after about three months the children refused to part with their old toothbrush. My children made me promise to keep the old toothbrushes displayed in the bathroom ¨forever and ever¨. I have to confess that after a while I broke my promise….

    Marietje

  6. Dear Marietje, I don’t blame you! And we can’t take them with us ultimately, but we all struggle with attachments, children and adults alike! Hopefully, they forgot about them in due time. –Eileen

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