Functioning Adult?

I'm starting to get a bit fed up at life in general.  First I have to move home.  Now I don't like living at home.  I have no privacy, no time alone, and my parents treat me like I can't live without them.  Example: my first day back my dad went through my car and got mad at me over a parking ticket.  I'm 23 years old.  I can take care of my own parking tickets, thank you very much.  Then add my sister to the equation.  She and I have called a truce, but it's still tense.  Plus she doesn't want anything to do with a huge part of my life.  So that's hard too.  Next, add my mother to the mix.  She has cancer, and not the kind that you can get rid of.  If they treat it right, she might be able to live with it for another 20 years, but things are very much up in the air right now and she's still really sick.  Plus, she can't even walk by herself and still needs constant supervision.  So it's a bit stressful.

I really don't know how people function taking care of the house.  I do the dishes, I do the laundry, I pick up all the crap my sister leaves around the house, I vacuum, I dust, and I do the grocery shopping.  But I only heat up stuff for dinner, I don't really cook.  And I have to keep my eye on my mother the whole time.  I don't think I've ever worked this hard.  And all that cleaning?  It's confined to the most used areas of the house.  I can't even clean up my own room because I don't have time.  It's hard being an adult.  I don't think I've ever been this tired.  Plus I sleep with one ear open in case my mom needs me.  She always said I'd become more of a light sleeper when I had children, I just don't think she meant her.

Good grief.  As I'm writing this my dad is downstairs with my sister trying to figure out how to work the washing machine.  My father put twice the amount of laundry detergent in with the sheets and he doesn't get why it's so soapy.  Plus it's been on rinse for over an hour because it's trying to rinse all of the soap out.  Really?  That's a face-palm moment.  I think I'm going to have to take over the laundry again.  I figured I'd take advantage of the break that my dad is giving me because he's home.

I've already usurped the grocery list.  I let my dad do it once and I tossed half the list out.  He only wanted me to get foods that he likes, and there was nothing on there for my mom.  Then he scratches his head when she doesn't want to eat.  Now I make the list and only get stuff that everyone likes.  I get her cereal, her favorite snacks (Wheat Thins), and lots of fruit because that's what she likes.

Oh boy, now we've gone from figuring out how to use the washing machine to fighting over laundry.  My sister works as a waitress and has to wear a special shirt.  They gave her three shirts, but she has to keep them clean.  Rather than wash them herself, she just threw them in the basket and expected me to wash them for her.  Only I've been washing towels and sheets because we need clean sheets and towels.  So now she doesn't have a shirt for work and she's freaking out.  I will say, my dad is right in this case.  If she needs them clean, then she needs to do it herself.  It's not my job or my dad's job to take care of her, she needs to do it herself.  Plus she hasn't done ANY laundry in weeks, so really I don't feel bad for her.  Keep in mind, this is the kid that threw her shirt at me the other day and told me to iron it so she wouldn't be late for work even though I was studying for a final.  *shakes head*

Drama drama drama.  I can't wait to get out of this house.  I've already started looking for apartments.  I don't have a job, but I can get one if I need to.  I tip my hat to all the fine people out there who manage to be functioning adults every day.  I can't imagine working and doing all of this.  I keep telling myself that I need to finish school and then it will get better.  Somehow I don't think that's true haha!