Mom on the warpath

[Tink]

I was attempting to clean and reorganize last night after our big project this weekend. On top of the mess made by the remodeling projects, my kids and their S/O's were here much of the weekend and left me a terrible mess to clean as usual. I was plugging away at it last night and was frustrated because on my kitchen table are 2 jigsaw puzzles katie finished; Shannons sewing machine and related items; odds and ends of upholstery material Joel used in the process of recovering some speakers in his car and all the stuff that he used with it; I can't even get to the table top, much less use it! Katie left baby items all around; Josh left their mail laying here on the counter; Joel had left nearly-empty pop cans scattered here and there and partially emptied plates of food sitting around the office and living room. Obviously they'd cooked several times and left me all the dirty dishes to do.

But as bad as that list is, what really pushed me over the top was that between the couch and a leather cabinet along side it, was a shopping bag with "take out" chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy half eaten and lodged in... which when I pulled it out, proved to be FULL OF MAGGOTS! On closer inspection, I realized they're under the cabinet, under the couch, and surrounding areas.

I was SO mad...Joel was at work, so I couldn't call him to come clean it up or I would have. Since this isn't the kind of thing you can leave overnight, I got the dirty job of it all by myself.

So this morning I started on the kitchen. I did 2 loads of dishes in the dishwasher, 3 sink fulls, and had to scrub my counters and stove to remove the mess they'd left. When I got to the far end of the counter, I absolutely lost it. There was a second bag of take-out under some of Joel's upholstery fabric... again, filled with Maggots! When I lifted off the fabric the dang things fell off all over the countertop and floor!

I was so mad I was in tears. I called Joel, woke him up and demanded that he come out and help me clean up his mess! In the process he got a lengthy lecture about respecting MY home, and told he must now leave when we go to bed rather than sit here watching our tv or using my computer while we're in bed for the night. I can't continue to get up to messes like this!

So today I'm bleaching my kitchen and entryway; Have spent the day just picking up the mess and am SO MAD if he were still a child I'd have had him over my knee. I also called Shannon and left her a message to come get her sewing machine etc... called Katie and told her she needs to pick up her stuff... and still haven't gotten to move everything back into the bathroom and laundry area yet!

Am I wrong, or is this just total disrespect? I've come to hate Mondays because I know I'll be spending the whole day cleaning up the mess left by my family every weekend! I did NOT raise them to live this way and I refuse to continue cleaning up their messes! I told both Joel and Katie today that as much as I love them, if they can't treat me and my home with more respect, they can quit coming over. Mom is on the warpath!