Hi everyone,
I’ve been back at my parents’ house for a while, spending time with my dad during his final days and then staying through the aftermath. It was an incredibly heavy period, and I’ve only just returned home.
When I walked through the door, I was met with a house that felt overwhelmingly unkempt. I wish I could share a photo of the kitchen sink to give a sense of it, but since that’s not allowed, I’ll describe it instead: unwashed bedding, days-old dog food stuck in the drain, clothes scattered everywhere.
The sight left me stunned. I had hoped to come back to a space that felt safe and manageable, but instead I felt anger rising. I’m not sure if this is grief spilling over, but I am livid at my husband right now.
All I want is to cry, to process my emotions, and to quietly prepare myself for returning to work next week. Yet I keep circling back to how unpleasant and unsanitary the house feels.
I know yelling won’t help, but the urge is strong. I want to approach him calmly when he gets home from work, but I’m struggling to find the right words.
To be fair, he did visit me every single weekend while I was away, which I appreciate. But he doesn’t work a full five-day week, and he was home on his days off. That means he had time to tidy, even just a little.
It’s hard not to feel disappointed. I needed support, and instead I came back to chaos.
So now I’m asking myself: how do I address this without letting my frustration take over?
