face value
Last week I did a very dumb thing: I asked my husband to transfer clothes from the washing machine to the dryer. What I neglected to tell him was to turn the dryer on.
It was only after the clothes sat in a wet heap for most of the day that I realized something: my husband taking things at face value really isn’t an act.
Me and Nadia at a lunch on Saturday…a far better day.
In addition to the above, I also did two other very dumb things: I decided to have our place repainted and then I tempted fate by blogging that nothing interesting was going on. This meant that on Sunday morning I awoke to a leak coming from my newly painted bathroom ceiling. Which, as time passed, quickly became Niagara Falls.
By the end of Sunday I concluded that it’s because I can’t keep my big mouth shut – or my typing fingers still – that I spent the entire day dodging rusty water and placing buckets and towels just so.
Incidentally, I also spent the majority of the day writing check after check to people who happily reminded me of the fact that we were subject to a Sunday time-and-a-half rate. Because obviously I can control the timing of leaks in my ceiling.
At the lunch on Saturday: Maya indulging in the Tango Mango Italian Ice Truck, a pretty flower arrangement, the most amazing dessert station, the gorgeous pool.
Despite all of this, there was still no hot water when the plumbers and water restoration specialists left – victorious and wealthy – after 10 hours. And neither Ali nor I could figure out why.
But two icy cold showers and a visit from our building engineer later, here’s what I learned: My husband followed the plumber’s instructions on how to work the water heater perfectly. But the plumber failed to mention that Ali actually needed to flip on the POWER switch.
This face value thing? It’s no joke.
While I'm not going to win Mother/Wife of the Year Award anytime soon, I haven't killed anyone yet or shot myself in the head. And that, my friends, is how I calculate success these days. 
FANCY THAT FANCY THIS 
I have first hand experience of tempting fate by saying “life’s so boring and I can’t sit idle like this”. As if, on this cue, I get heap loads work which makes me bite my tongue in much frustration. Today is such a day really.
Thankfully, I am taking a holiday starting tomorrow!.
Not sure why can’t we just sit and enjoy the good times instead of tempting fate?
Have a great holiday Anita!
I’m always jinxing things (from kids sleeping and eating as they should to the weather) but talking about it on social media.
And husbands – isn’t it like having another child sometimes? Except one you can’t shout at and tell off…?
I shout. And tell off. Sad but true. Ali will agree if he’s reading this!
Ah yes, I oftened wondered if it’s just my husband. I do tell him off, but he sulks and looks so hurt, I try and hold my tongue. My husband hates confrontation so I try not to shout at him. Often I shout at the kids when it’s him that’s made me angry. Poor kids.
Maya needs to have her own: outfit of the day posts 🙂
Such a cute idea. Maya has nicer clothes than me! 🙂
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http://www.lifeofahousewife.com
Thanks for the comment Housewife!
I am forever jinxing anything I say- so I have learnt to keep my mouth shut or bite my tongue! It is very hard. Maya looks os cute in that dress! Hope all the plumbing problems get sorted out!
It is very hard! I need to learn to be quiet. Hardest thing in the world.
I had a feeling that after your last post ‘nothing interesting’ some things will change or happen. Ali must be extremely frustrated that when he receives instructions, they are incomplete, in other words – people in IT need specific instructions from start to finish, as it’s well know that if you assume something and do it – you could bring down networks, servers could fall over and so forth.
My husband is very smart…he has an MBA even! Not sure why I have to tell him to turn something ON!
I see it like this “Ali, go and turn on the …….” an incomplete sentence.
Are husbands just the cutest? Ha! On another note, I want to be in that pool right now.
The pool was beautiful and tempting! It was very hot on Saturday.
I had a roommate who used to forget to turn the washing machine on. It always somehow was OUR fault that she’d neglect such a simple thing…
How odd…so basically, she just didn’t want to do the laundry?
Oh, my Gosh! Aren’t plumbing problems the worst? I learned along time ago, if I’m giving Ralph instructions, although he is a very smart person, he needs COMPLETE instructions. Hope things are back to “normal.”
Plumbing problems are the worst but I think we lucked out that it happened when we were home. Otherwise? Total disaster I’m sure.
Both you and Nadia look gorgeous!! And Maya’s frock is so pretty 🙂
Thank you Nandita! And thanks for the comment.
My first thought when I read this post this morning – “Oh, Ali!!” But then I stopped right there becaues this is totally something I would do!
Seriously? If Ali’s reading this right now he’s probably thrilled to bits!
Life has a way of getting back when it detects calm. The day I say that my son has started sleeping a bit better, that very night he will wake up 10 times. So yeah, we should just tape our mouths or keep our fingers still 🙂 🙂
Maya used to do the same thing. I rarely commented on her sleeping habits for just that reason!
This is an extension of Man Disease. For those of you not familiar with the term, Man Disease is a man’s inability to find ANYTHING, even if it is right in front of his face. Symptoms include not being able to follow very simple sets of directions or operate household appliances. It is very serious, there is no treatment, and it affects us all.
Hysterical Heather. I’m going to guess that your hubby suffers from Man Disease? I bet it gets worse when he’s searching for something in the fridge, right?
Love it.
Maya’s so pretty & I love her dress. Husband & laundry is never a good combination. I learned that lesson too pretty quickly. You and your friend Nadia look fabulous with perfect hair do!
Thank you Lydia for all the sweet compliments! And the comment. 🙂
aww im sorry about water leakage and cold showers – its worst than having wet clothes in the dryer..I deal with it face value thing on a daily basis too and I totally hear you Ameena. On a different note- I would like to be in that pool and get ice cream 🙂
Thanks Dixya…although I’m sorry that Face Value is an issue in your house as well. LOL
worse*
Gotta love men lol sometimes their brain goes on a lil vacation 😛
A “lil vacation” on too many occasions… 🙂
Gorgeous pic of you & Nadia, Ameena! The plumbing story especially made me laugh– I am pretty sure forgetting to turn the switch on has been the reason for many of my “problems” in the past ;)!
How funny. So Ali is not alone!
SO funny! OMG.. the smell of wet clothes in the dryer for that long….eeeek.. It causes me to start my laundry all over again. Pretty picture of you and Nadia. I love Maya’s dress. Ali is so funny… you literally have to tell men exactly what to do, but it’s interesting when it comes to their own work, they automatically know what to do. Have a great day Ameena.
Exactly…that’s what I don’t understand! How does he function at work, and function so well? He juggles 100 things at once with no problem? Not sure what the issue is when I’m around.
Is Nadiya your sister? You too look related–for sure.:)
I love Maya’s attire and ,may I say she is an adorable girl.
Men–? Well they do have their not-so-wise moments, right ;)?
We are not related but we’ve known each other for a long, long time. She’s the best.
And thanks for the compliment (on behalf of Maya). 🙂
Hmm, I probably would’ve re-washed and dried all the clothes except for Ali’s from that pile. Maybe then he’ll remember to logically follow-through with the next obvious step.
He really wouldn’t. That’s the funny thing! He doesn’t “learn” from household mistakes.
If that makes any sense at all?
Hahaha! Yes, sometimes guys do need to be reminded that there is a “power on” switch. Well, my washing machine died last week and it took the repairmen till today to get it fixed. So maybe it’s is the season for fixing up. Love Maya’s dress, by the way- very summery!
My dishwasher broke yesterday so I’m going to say yes, it’s the season!
I am still thinking about the dessert station………. oh yes the water situation, extremely unfortunate. Take comfort in the fact that my husband is the same way. Once I gave him a grocery list for Costco & I happened to put the prices on the side (just because I am weird like that) by the 2 crate eggs (6 dozen) I put “6” because they were $6. Guess how many crates he came home with? Yup, 6. Therefore I had 36 dozen eggs!!!!!! Oddly enough he didn’t buy 26 packs of organic chicken. Lesson learned.
You’d think he would find that odd enough that he’d call you to confirm? So confused.
What did you do with all the eggs? Bread pudding? Lots of quiche? 🙂
Has your daughter read any of the Amelia Bedelia books? We’re going through them right now. Ali totally reminds me of Amelia Bedelia.
I’m so sorry about the leak. That’s horrendous.
Maya read all of the Amelia Bedelia books…she loved them. And yes, Ali reminds me of her! So true.
lol omg! i am sorry to hear about your leak situation. sometimes trusting your own common sense and intuition is what gets ya through these tough times 🙂
Thanks Melissa. Water problems are no fun but I keep telling myself it could be SO much worse!
Man, when it rains, it pours (literally, apparently). I hope the leak situation gets resolved asap because there’s nothing quite stressful as chaos at home. Although Maya seems to be handling it well (I love how she looks like such a relaxed, well-dressed young lady in all her pictures) 🙂
Maya’s life isn’t affected at all. Of course. 🙂
But on her behalf, thanks for the compliment.
Oh wow, what a pain in the butt!! My husband is pretty methodical about stuff like that but never knows from day to day what we have planned or how to use a calendar 🙂
Ali knows how to use Siri…not sure he could handle his calendar without her. LOL
LOL. so funny!!! why do guys need literal directions, step-bystep!! my husband once washed rice, put it in the rice cooker but didn’t turn it on because I didn’t tell him to. his reasoning- he thought I just needed him to soak the rice, not cook it.
So funny.
I once called Ali from the office to ask him to turn the rice cooker on. I went through step by step instructions and they included flipping the ON switch.
Crazy. But true.
they make step by step manuals for someone … these someones are commonly known as husbands :>
I need to buy them all!!
What a nightmare but I have to admit laughing a bunch at your husband not turning the switch to on. Reminds me of a college roommate who got a near perfect score on her ACT’s but when making cookies she read “grease the bottom of the sheet” and literally greased the underside of the cookie sheet. Brilliant girl on paper but then not so brilliant in so many vital ways.
No way. I don’t believe it!
Perfect example of how academics don’t always have a leg up on those with street smarts. So funny Heather!
LOL!! Literally, I just did 😀 😀 !!
I’m laughing and SURE that Maya knows what she’s doing!
Thanks for the comment Stacie!
Home repairs always seem unbelievably simple after someone charges an arm and a leg and does the job
But the first hot water shower after plumbing issues is sooo refreshing!!
Anyone hanging around with you looks good. Case in point – Dessert station lady!!
You are too funny…the dessert station lady was amazing!
Hope the plumbing issues are resolved. Maya looks lovely in that outfit. Meanwhile, there is this little girl in our building who looks very similar to Maya. She is 5 years now
On behalf of Maya, thank you for the compliment! I’ll let Maya know her little twin is running around your building. 🙂
Yea how is it that these things only happen when the extra charges apply? what is the deal with that!
I know I sound like a broken record but seriously are Ali and Amit long lost brothers..this has happened to me too. Honest!
I always seem subject to extra charges…not sure why that is? Sunday is a popular day for things to go wrong around here…
hahaha oh I did the dryer thing when my mom asked me to do the same. I guess its a guy thing 😛 we do take things for face value.
Really? So this is more common than I thought…
Washing machine, husband, clothes? What were you thinking? I doubt my husband knows where the washing machine is, It’s still too new. A year and a half later he has yet to touch a button (better yet, there are no buttons, just a dial). I do not understand how he somehow can separate his golf clothes so I don’t put them in the dryer. Which is next to said washing machine. Give Ali some credit, Technically, he did what you asked.
Water damage is no fun. When we built our house, the builder put a nail into the toilet of the upstairs kids bathroom. Which leaked into the downstairs bathroom. Adjacent to my master bedroom closet. Where my clothes were. I feel your pain, believe me.
We’ve been married 13 years and Ali has yet to touch the dial of the washing machine either. And it’s clear he hasn’t touched the dryer’s dials either!
And so sorry about your clothes. I was very lucky that my closet – adjacent to the bathroom – sustained very minor damage. So, so lucky.
You and Ali are so funny, Ameena! Face value, for sure. 🙂
Thanks Cat…and thanks for the comment.
Ali is hilarious- its always funny if it’s someone else’s husband.. Because my husband does the same thing (bad with instruction) except then I’m not laughing 😉
Agreed. It’s like it’s always funny when someone else’s kid does something funny that wouldn’t be funny if it was your own!
First time on your blog and love your writing style. Hope your Niagara falls is well taken care of with no residual damage.
Thanks Lail! The damage is extensive but it could have been much worse!
Oh dear, oh dear. And it’s usually the more brilliant ones who lack basic common sense.
Such a good statement Jennie…it is the brilliant ones.
Sensing a theme here about not turning switches on. Guess more specific instructions are in order.
Yes. Like “Turn the switch ON.” LOL
So you were “green” my mistake with your showers. My issue is that if the face value thing is no joke then all of us wives have to be understanding versus critical. I can’t part with critical just yet. Btw your new FB photo…beautiful and almost a smile 🙂
Thanks Lauren for the compliment. I have trouble smiling properly, apparently.
Ive been your silent reader for so, so long, but as I was trying to feed my daughter for the umpteenth time just now, I thought of you, and I need to leave a comment! I love your Maya stories, and oh how I can totally relate! 😀
Thanks Jehanne for the comment and for reading!
I could use a cooking doctor in my life. 🙂
haha, I hope more for the cooking and u wont need the doctor:-)
haha these things happen, and if nothing else, they make for some amazing stories. 🙂
Or a decent blog post? 🙂
I’m sorry about the massive leak. hugs!
Thanks Kiran! Things could be worse. 🙂
How funny! At least now you know not to ask him to sort out the whites from the colored clothing :P!
Hi Ameena,
I feel for you husband, it’s really not his fault. I asked my husband to throw out some food the other night and he went and threw it in the can without a bag. I was like, did it ever occur to you to bag it first. Too bad you don’t live in Nor Cal, my brother is a plumber.
-Gina-