A trucker’s wife: Struggling to keep up with the housework

by Kelly Livingstone

Dear Kelly,

I wonder if anyone else gets overwhelmed with home upkeep, when you find yourself alone most of the time?

Doing it all

Dear Doing it all,

Doing it all alone isn’t easy, but it is possible. Know your limitations. Leave things that can wait until he is home and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether it is friends, family or even someone to come in once a week, or month and help with the cleaning.

Keep a list of things that need to be done and prioritize. Stay focused on what you really have to do and get to the other things when you can. If you are online, check out www.flylady.net. You will find many tips and ideas on that Web site to help keep you organized.

Kelly

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Dear Kelly,

I’m a single mom, 37, my boyfriend just turned 58. We’ve been together for just over a year. In that year, we’ve been through so much, so many people trying to come between us and tear us apart. Yet we very rarely get to see each other. He lives in Oklahoma, I live in Idaho, and he almost never comes through here. I thank God for cell phones, but so hate those areas where he loses his signal.

We’ve talked about getting married, but I don’t think we’ve really spent enough time together to really consider that.

I never knew life could be so lonely as it’s been, since he and I got together. I love him more than anything, but how can a relationship survive with so little time together?

I know I can’t ask him to give up the truck. I wouldn’t want him to. He’s happy with what he does, and it’s who he is. But I have needs, too. I hang on, being so very patient.

I guess I just need assurance and advice on how to handle this relationship.

Long distance love

Dear Long distance love,

Long distance relationships are never easy, and that’s what being with a trucker is all about. I agree with you on the marriage part, if you don’t feel ready to take it to that level, you are probably doing the right thing for you.

Take your time, use the phone calls to get to know him and decide whether or not this is the life for you.

Even if you live in the same area, this will still be an indication of the way you live, long distance from home to truck.

It sounds like you are talking to each other on cell phones, that’s a great first step in keeping communication lines open. Call as often as is feasible for the both of you. If there is a way that he can get runs closer to you, that would be great as well. I won’t say this will be easy, but you both need to decide if this is a life you can live with.

This life can’t be managed by everyone, but it can be done and done well between the right people.

I wish you all the best with you and your trucking love.

Kelly

– I welcome your questions and comments. I will try to answer as many questions as I can here. Feel free to send me an email at column@atruckerswife.com or snail mail at: Dear Kelly, PO Box 183 Stn. F, Winnipeg, MB, R2L 1M0.


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