our household philosophy

Since today is our 19th wedding anniversary, and because we’re stopping by Monterey, stomping ground to both John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts, on our way to Carmel later this week, I thought I would share with you our household philosophy. It comes from the appendix to Steinbeck’s Log from the Sea of Cortez, entitled “About Ed Ricketts.” Steinbeck says, “I think he set down his whole code or procedure once in a time of stress. He found himself quite poor and with three children to take care of. [Ricketts was known for his rather poorly controlled and indiscriminate passion for women.] In a very scholarly manner he told the children how they must proceed.”

Terry and I have adapted the philosophy for our own married with no children lifestyle. It has been on the wall of the entry way to our house since we moved here in 1997, and was in a similar location in our previous rental house. I think it suits us and our lifestyle well.

“We must remember three things,” he said to them,
“I will tell them to you in the order of their importance.
“Number one and first in importance,
we must have as much fun as we can with what we have.

“Number two, we must eat as well as we can,
because if we don’t we won’t have the health and strength
to have as much fun as we might.

“And number three and third and last in importance,
we must keep the house reasonably in order, wash the dishes, and such things.
But we will not let the last interfere with the other two.”