A Notso Clean House

Here's the thing: the State of the House is never more important than the State of the People Living in it.
I seem to be repeating childhood patterns. When I was a kid, the most important thing was a clean house, which was a figment of my parents feeble imaginations having 7-10 children living in a small three bedroom.
Getting my parents "love and affection" meant I had to clean this room or that to perfection. It didn't matter that I was hungry and sick most of the time, cleaning house and doing chores was the priority...and the biggest reason I was punished. I never could get it right. I never knew what their expectations were. Lofty and out-of-reach springs to mind.
There were too many people, in too small a house with too many children being, well, children.
The State of the House was always more important than the health, well-being and happiness of those living in it.
Unfortunately, I seem to be reliving my childhood...making sure the dishes are done and the floor is clean...lest I get punished or incite the anger that makes me tremble in fear of that incoming smack.
My priorities are and always have been very different.
A house is just a house.
People are more important.