Wednesday, August 18, 2010

all 'grilled' up

the afternoon before i left my colorado refuge, i decided to surprise
hans by cleaning his grill.  i have never thought of touching that
thing anymore than he would consider picking up a tube of my
mascara.

"this won't be too bad." i started out with a paper towel and some
windex.  ha ha!  not even a smudge was lifted from the monster.

the grease and grime taunted me.  so did the laughter of  the men
sitting in the pool beneath my porch.  "what in the world are they
doing in there?  why aren't they out fishing or hiking?"

the only solution for that grill was hot, soapy water in my sink.  so
i scrubbed and scrubbed and managed to slop grease all over my
clothes and kitchen.  i got a little fussy.



more laughter from the pool.

"i bet those lazy guys think i'm the cleaning lady.  they better not
ask me to clean their grills . . . if they do, i will just tell them how
expensive i am."

in order for me to clean a man's grill, he has to have been married
to me for 30 years!

love,
lea

"she sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her
tasks."  proverbs 31:17

36 comments:

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Lea, I'm thinking sand blasting on that grill, that might do 'er.

Colleen said...

Oh, the grill can be a doozy! I have tackled ours once before. (Notice that I said 'once')! Trust me, those arms will be strong for the task...and will be sore the next day!

***Specific Prayer Request***
I am going back in for some repeat tests this coming week. They will be looking to compare the CT scan with one taken at the beginning of the summer to see if my thymus has grown or shrunk...Pray for the thymus to have shrunk, please! Otherwise, we are looking at surgery and possible radiation treatments. Boo on that!

The doctors have also been concerned by my spleen, which has been enlarged also.

I am looking for God to be glorified in this! Thanks for praying!

Farm Girl said...

I am impressed, only love could make me clean a grill. I am sure it looks wonderful, have a save trip back home.

Vickie said...

You're a better woman than I! I won't touch it with a 10-foot pole! It can sure ruin a good kitchen towel for sure! How 'bout oven cleaner spray???

Blondie's Journal said...

You are a sweet lady! I tried to clean the grill once and decided to never do it again. Thankfully, hubby is a fanatic about his new grill! BTW~tell the men at the pool to get jobs!

xoxo
Jane

myletterstoemily said...

dear colleen,

we will all be praying for a good
thymus report!

love,
lea

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

30 years would be THE VERY LEAST!!! Those grills are so gross... Hans is a lucky man!

JMW said...

You're a great gal for doing that - of all of the things I do clean, I leave the grill to Hubby. Not sure why, I just see it as one less thing for me to deal with!

Sandy said...

What a perfect scripture for
your chore! You're a good
wife, Lea. The sand blasting
idea sounds best.

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

oops.. meant to say this on this most recent blog... GO BEARS!!! :)

Grammy said...

Hi, Lea,
Thank you for the support you have been giving me over the past weeks and months. I appreciate it ever so much. While I have been caught up in my woes, I realize by reading other blogs that life indeed does go on, whether we are involved or not. Cleaning a grill is something I would never again tackle. Tried it a couple of times when I was much younger. No thanks.
Love,
Ruby

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Too funny...my husband never touches the grill...it has to be me and it has been that way for 30 years...so when you started with windex I started laughing...I hope he enjoys his clean grill...fun post!!!

Elizabeth Dianne said...

I admire you even though it took 30 years! ha

Cindy said...

My hubby says the stuff on the grill adds flavor each time he fires it up! lol He just uses a wire brush before using it each time but that's it.

myletterstoemily said...

cindy:

ha ha! you mean i just ruined
his grill???

oops.

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

ooohhh...what a job !!!!
so Happy to see you at Farmhouse today, my friend

and am praying for Colleen.....

sending love,
kary and teddy

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Thanks for the employment prayers...it has been a rocky couple of years...hard to get back in the market in your late 50's
The week just got funny...won't use that "word" again
Thanks for you words and prayers

highheeledlife said...

That is love!!! Oh my .. the grill... HHL

Diane Mars said...

Very funny, I met your honey was very happy to see his clean grill! I just cleaned our oven the other day and my hubby was pretty impressed! Whats a wife to do... I just could not stand the sight of it any longer, I bet that's the way you felt. oxox, Diane

Gloria said...

Laughing here!! :) I have not cleaned my husband's bbq grill...and we have been married for 31 years (32 in October). My hubby says and does the same thing that Cindy's hubby (in the comments) says!! So, I just turn the other way when he cooks...and believe that it really does add to the flavor!!! It must, because I love everything he grills!! :)

A Tale of Two Cities said...

What a hero you are! My husband is in the camp of "it would never taste the same" if you really cleaned the grill, so I guess we'll go on eating with it just the way it is.

Debi

Joan Elizabeth said...

Windex! Soap and water! You really must be wanting to toughen up those arms (love the choice of scripture). It's oven cleaner for me -- works a treat but doesn't reduce the mess.

Southern Lady said...

So funny! I'm glad that my husband won't let anyone touch his grill. Too bad for me! Carla

Anonymous said...

That was definitely a labor of love!

Susan B said...

Hi Lea,

Loved your post! I don't think I've ever had the courage to touch William's grill. He uses a wire brush on it each time. Thanks for the smile. :)

Andrea said...

I'm sorry Lea, I am laughing! Do you know you can buy new grilling grates at Lowes and Home Depot? Next time forget about cleaning it and just tell him you did. Buy a new one!

You are sure a sweet wife for going for it though!

Vee said...

Oh dear heavens! I wish I had known...there's a much easier way, Lea. Much. You put those racks in a garbage bag and spray them within an inch of their lives with oven cleaner, tie a knot in the bag and leave it out in the sun for a few hours. Then all you have to do is hose them off and fine clean in the house. I sure hope that your hubby knows what you went through for him. :D

Jenners said...

I was told that you don't clean grills (except for brushing them right after cooking) because that is part of the flavor. Not sure if that is true or not or just my husband's excuse not to clean the grill (which is his territory.)

Dawn said...

This is hilarious! You get a A for initiative. It's never - ever - occurred to me to clean the grill. And now I'm sure I never will.

Elizabeth Mahlou said...

LOL, great post. I would not attempt doing that -- and I have been married for 40 years. I figure one of the advantages to long-term marriage is that my husband gets that kind of dirty (literally) work.

The Strawberry Mallard said...

True love and a little magic elixir from Wally World will help get rid of that grime....you are a good woman Lea!
Hugz, Nancy

A Refocused Life said...

You are a good wife. Two tasks I leave to my husband - the garage and the grill.

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a note on my last post. It's always great to hear from you. Rita

Deborah Ann said...

Now that's what I call commitment! Haven't cleaned a grill in lo my 40some years, but I have:

1. picked up underwear from the floor (the used variety).

2. brought home Coke products for my man, even though I have found greener pastures in Pepsi.

3. when setting the table, I always give hubby the 'good' fork. we only have a few pieces of acceptable utensils.

Well, I'm sure I could think of much more, if I actually made out a real list.

The things a woman does for her man...

Debby@Just Breathe said...

How sweet of you. Your poor towels!

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

i thought i WAS following you...

well, i am now....

:-)
kary

myletterstoemily said...

dear kary,

no worries. i don't pay attention
to that at all.

love,
lea