My biggest bursts of cleaning energy happen in the couple hours before C gets here so that she will have a chance.

Is it bourgeois of me to comfort myself with the idea that I'm giving work to the people who deliver things? It feels so damned pretentious.

It's not pretentious -- the people who deliver things, along with housecleaners, restaurant staff, etc., are earning a living because other people think the services they provide are worth the money. It's worth it to you to pay for grocery delivery, so you get groceries without injuring yourself, the delivery person earns money, and it's all good.

I like the phrase "sometimes the cheapest way to pay is with money." Meaning, yes, you could lug your groceries up the stairs, but, like you said, you could cause yourself pain/injury. That's a far greater cost to you than paying for grocery delivery.

I am a slattern.

Me too. The black cat rolled on the rug to be petted, and stood up covered in schmutz. I really need to vacuum. I hate doing housework. Ironically, the house is too much of a mess to hire someone to clean it.

Is it bourgeois of me to comfort myself with the idea that I'm giving work to the people who deliver things?

I recently discovered that Wegman's delivers to my area, and I haven't been to the grocery store since. Will I pay an extra $5-$10 to not have to spend an hour dealing with the grocery store? Heck yes I will. And I always tip, and I have no guilt.

Fear not, it will be balanced by people like me who LOVE going to the grocery store and can't imagine ordering groceries online. I'll occasionally buy something edible off amazon if it's something I can't easily get at the grocery store (specific flavors or brands or something) but I love grocery shopping!

I also fold laundry. But I don't put it away. And I'm the worst at taking out the trash.

It's not that I love grocery shopping, but I like it well enough, and I LOVE food and want to be able to pick out my own apples, etc.

I have my big weekend, pantry-filling groceries delivered. Multiple cans, jars, and jugs of things. I make a mid-week stop on the way home to get things I forgot.

Is it bourgeois of me to comfort myself with the idea that I'm giving work to the people who deliver things? It feels so damned pretentious.

It isn't pretentious. Not even a bit. And even if it was, grocery delivery is worth it.

I like the phrase "sometimes the cheapest way to pay is with money."

A really, really frivolous example: I'm pretty good at DIY clothing alterations, and I probably could learn to be a competent-to-good seamstress. I am also (finally!) self-aware enough to realize that the savings to my time and sanity outweigh the amount I'll spend to commission something from any friends who are good seamstresses and designers.

(heads up: no spellcheck on my device for some reason)

So I'm at the Ministry of Interior, waiting to get a passport renewal for over two hours with only 42 people before me now. Also, no coffee. Which is to say that I have been amusing myself with reading the board's voting discussion for a while. I thank you for this public service.

As for cleaning help: if only I could afford it. Also, the only guilt I have about the thought is to have other people cleaning my stuff, which, in my head, is my responsibility.

Edited to say that it only took 4 hours to apply to passport renewal. And that reading that thread was highly educational. And that coffee is awesome.

Coffee is excellent. Waiting 4 hours for passport renewal is not.

I hope I don't die soon, because other people will have to see the state of my apartment right now.

I feel that way about my basement. I want to clean it up, but my time keeps getting filled.