He did it all

I couldn't do anything right.  I wasn't taught to clean, cook, do laundry... anything. The "grandparents" I lived with for a year, tried to show me a few things, but really I was too proud to ask, to admit I really didn't know how to scrub a toilet or tub, or make a bed... I know she would have gladly taught me, if I had asked.  She did make me "cook" occasionally. Mostly setting the pre-measured ingredients out for me, and guiding me on the use of the microwave :)

I learned to cook, by reading the directions-- cookbooks mostly, because he wouldn't let me use a box or a can if he knew, and I wasn't allowed to go to the grocery store alone.  He did put it to me that he wanted us to go together, but I quickly learned that was because he wanted to control what was bought. And everything I made could be improved somehow, even 16 years later, following any instruction he gave, my cooking still had room for improvement in his opinion.

I only had one inedible flop, cheese soup.  He was quick to throw it down the disposal and laugh, at the time I thought with me.  I was so afraid of ruining anything, I followed directions closely, so nothing burned or whatever, but he always had a comment on how I could change it "next time"

Often, if I spent the day cleaning, he'd make comments that evening about the house needing to be cleaned, or would go back and clean behind me.  If we had company over for dinner (a near weekly occurrence), he would argue with me, until I would give in, insisting that he wanted to vacuum, or clean the bathroom as a help to me.  He would promise to be home early, but wouldn't arrive until minutes before the company, so they would always see  him finishing up, and putting the cleaning supplies away. To the point that some people who were invited more often, would be late because they felt like we were not ready for them to arrive when they did. Many people felt bad for him, because he had to work all day and then had to come home and help me clean for company. Then he started wanting to help prepare the meals, and since he would argue until I gave in (I tried to explain, he was stealing my blessing) he would make whatever, and the amount of cooking he did increased as time went on, and he would sit at the table during and after dinner and point out everything he made (leaving out of course, that he had me put together the marinade, or begin the preparation for him). And people felt even more sorry for him, because he did everything for me, not knowing he did it all because I let him because it was easier than fighting with him about it.

I had given up.