Friday, June 18, 2010

Learned habits

Our son is back with us for the summer, after getting his bachelor's degree and before going on to graduate school in the fall.

Two weeks after he began his freshman term, he met his girlfriend, K, whom we adore. They've been together ever since, although maintaining separate residences until the last six months. K's lease on her apartment ended in December, so from January until this May, she moved into our son's place with him and his roommates.

This fall they will be living together in London when he goes to grad school.

Being in a solid relationship and living with a female person has altered Our Son's living habits - this is a lesson in the power of young love that humbles a mother's heart. True love has managed to do what a lifetime of my nagging could not do - Our Son now habitually puts the toilet seat down and closes the toilet lid.

I would applaud this, except there's a little problem.

We have a dog now. Dogs like clean fresh water. When [The Man I Love] and I leave the house to go to work and leave our dog behind, what better source of clean fresh water is there than the reservoir contained in the nice, cool, white porcelain basin that resides in our hallway bathroom?

It's much fresher than the shallow dog-dish of stagnant tap water by the dish of kibble in the kitchen.

Over the last few months, we've learned to flush the toilet in that bathroom, and leave the lid and the door open to provide fresh water for Jack if we're leaving the house for a long period of time.

But now that Our Son is home, he forgets and the dog is left in the house with only lukewarm, stagnant water for refreshment.

We've been nagging Our Son about it for the last week or so. "Hey!" we'll say. "I thought I told you to leave the toilet seat up!!!!"

I predict that he won't break himself of this habit until August....just a few weeks before he moves to London for grad school, and moves back in with K.

9 comments:

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
~

Ashley said...

This may be the first time I've heard anyone remind another to leave the toilet seat UP! ;)

M. Bouffant said...

There are doggie drinking fountains (besides the porcelain ones) that keep the water cool & flowing if you'd just as soon keep Jack out of the toilet altogether.

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh. This made me laugh so hard! You are right though...just as soon as he gets used to leaving it up-he will be going to London! And no matter how delightful she is, she won't like that : )

Anonymous said...

My husband learned in college that the way to impress the girls was to put the seat and lid DOWN, so I was lucky enough to not have to train him myself. All 4 of our sons put the seat and lid down, too. I don't think any of us could unlearn this lesson. But then, we don't have a dog...

CaShThoMa said...

LOL. So true.
Poor Jack. He'll just have to wait for that fresh toilet bowl this fall.

shrink on the couch said...

The FIRST time I've heard of a man being nagged to keep the seat UP. Hilarious.

Lisa Paul said...

My dogs are saying, "EWWWWW". But then they are too short to reach into the toilet bowl. I only hope you only clean the toilet with non-toxic cleaners. Otherwise, probably not good for doggies.

On a cleaner, fresher smelling note: kudos to you for being so embracing and joyful about your son's happiness and growth due to his relationship. So many mothers only find fault with their sons' significant others. Doves today, indeed!

cactus petunia said...

As a long time dog lover, I have to say that any animal who is happy to drink from muddy puddles, stagnant standing water in plant saucers, or toilet bowls, probably won't mind drinking clean lukewarm water from a water dish...but that's just my two knucklehead Labs.
Jack may have more highly developed taste buds than they do.