Haven't been here in a while. I just told my sister that it was because there is so much to do and so little time. Then said, no, be honest. I've just been lazy and not up to the task of working my thought processes as I should be. I really have no valid excuse other than it is too easy to find something else (or nothing) to do. I saw a quote yesterday (and can't remember where or who by) that essentially said, saying 'I don't have time' is no excuse.
Time can always be found for what is important to us. We just have to stop wasting it elsewhere.
Anyway, I was just reminded of an article in one of our local papers when I was looking over the feeds from blogs that I'm supposed to be following (but who has time?). One of them had something about "Clothes make the man..." and this reminded me of said article about the fact that this coming weekend a group of women (and some men) are planning to walk down Congress Street in Portland nude from the waist up. Their reasoning being they want to show their non-acceptance of the old double standard. They say, "if it's alright for a man to walk around without a top, then it's okay for a woman."
Aside from the fact that it could still be quite chilly on Saturday next, (it is still March, people, after all) I find this quite funny. No less for the fact that I also read that President Obama is planning a visit to Portland on the same day. I don't think there is any connection between the two events. It sounded like the nude walkers had planned this before any knowledge of the President's visit was made known. I can't help wondering if he has been told of the planned walk and if so, what his thought's were/are. Hope he gets a giggle out of it, as I have. Heaven knows, after the year he's had, he could use one.
I have a few other thoughts about the "if it's okay for the man, it's okay for the woman" rationale. Many years ago, I used that same rationale to condone my own foolish actions, namely, sleeping with whomever I pleased whenever I pleased wherever I pleased. And I pleased way too much. My thinking, I'm not living by anybody's double standard, if a man can do it and everybody says, he's just being a man, then nobody has a right to say anything about me. I never stopped to think, hey, it is NOT okay for a man, they just tell themselves it is. It was naive, selfish thinking on my part. Thank goodness I snapped out of it.
There are many double standards still very much alive and well in this world, e.g. standards thought to hold for men and not women; for Republicans and not Democrats (and vice versa); for so-called Christians and not any other religion (and vice versa) and so on, and so on. We just have to see them for what they are: rationales for whatever person or group to use to condone their own bad behavior while condemning that of others. We simply have to be true to ourselves and to our God.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Early Spring Energy
Just sitting here with a glass of wine/brandy (the name of it is "Roughshod" by Blacksmiths, a Maine vintner. It is made with "wild Maine blueberries delicately blended with (grape) brandy." A sweet port wine and I find it delicious. The bottle says "A wine to "get a grip."" Actually I bought it because I loved the name, "Roughshod." Kind of how I feel right now. I can't believe what a busy and productive day I have had.
It began about 6:15 this morning when I came downstairs after J went to work at his part-time job (two mornings a week). First I started the fire in the fireplace stove, then made my coffee and began making doughnuts. Wanted to have fresh ones to share with J's sister when she came for my sewing lesson. Once they were done, I took a quick shower. While I was still in the tub, C called to say she couldn't come today because of a family crisis, not serious. Up to this time, I had been scurrying around trying to get done before she came. So I exhaled and slowed down the pace. Time to have a cup of coffee and a couple of doughnuts with the morning paper.
In between all this I'm letting first one, then the other cat either outdoors or onto the porch (one is an outdoors cat, the other an indoor cat) then back in again. They are always on the wrong side of a door it seems. Just like kids.
Of course, I'm also constantly feeding the fire. Next, I take the wood carrier and it's off to the garage across the driveway to haul in firewood. After both boxes are filled, it is time to start thinking about lunch. J will be home to eat and hopefully relax a bit before going to his full-time evening job. Both his jobs are extremely physical and labor intensive, so I want to do as many of the home chores as I can to help him.
The spaghetti sauce is almost done by the time he arrives so we can sit and enjoy lunch together. Then he enjoys a chance to relax and read the paper while I clean up. After he again leaves for work, I cut out an applique for an apron that I'm making and realize that the material for the pocket on which the applique is going needs to be washed. So I do a load of reds and hang out on the line.
Done with this I notice the old rose climbing vine is a real mess and so I get the clippers and attack the old dead canes, training the green ones onto the latticework and generally "neating up" the whole flower garden area. Kit Kat, the indoor one, is on the screened-in porch going mad jumping from window to window watching every move I make outside. I know she wants to come out and join me, but she's never been allowed outside and I know J doesn't want her out, so far be it from me to be the one to let her out.
By now, it is time to check the sap buckets. After gathering around eight to ten gallons, I fill a pail with the grain/pellet mixture J makes up and go out back to feed the deer. They don't really need it now, but we still have quite a bit in the barrel and they are still coming, so-oo-oo.
Back in the house, put a log on the fire, check the cats. Both are sleeping finally. Get my glass, open the wine, boot up the MacBook and voila! Nice day. Spring has sprung. Feeling good. I am blessed every day.
Although, I keep getting this nagging feeling that I've forgotten something, something else that I did today. Oh well. If so, it'll come to me eventually.
It is now exactly 6:15 pm.
It began about 6:15 this morning when I came downstairs after J went to work at his part-time job (two mornings a week). First I started the fire in the fireplace stove, then made my coffee and began making doughnuts. Wanted to have fresh ones to share with J's sister when she came for my sewing lesson. Once they were done, I took a quick shower. While I was still in the tub, C called to say she couldn't come today because of a family crisis, not serious. Up to this time, I had been scurrying around trying to get done before she came. So I exhaled and slowed down the pace. Time to have a cup of coffee and a couple of doughnuts with the morning paper.
In between all this I'm letting first one, then the other cat either outdoors or onto the porch (one is an outdoors cat, the other an indoor cat) then back in again. They are always on the wrong side of a door it seems. Just like kids.
Of course, I'm also constantly feeding the fire. Next, I take the wood carrier and it's off to the garage across the driveway to haul in firewood. After both boxes are filled, it is time to start thinking about lunch. J will be home to eat and hopefully relax a bit before going to his full-time evening job. Both his jobs are extremely physical and labor intensive, so I want to do as many of the home chores as I can to help him.
The spaghetti sauce is almost done by the time he arrives so we can sit and enjoy lunch together. Then he enjoys a chance to relax and read the paper while I clean up. After he again leaves for work, I cut out an applique for an apron that I'm making and realize that the material for the pocket on which the applique is going needs to be washed. So I do a load of reds and hang out on the line.
Done with this I notice the old rose climbing vine is a real mess and so I get the clippers and attack the old dead canes, training the green ones onto the latticework and generally "neating up" the whole flower garden area. Kit Kat, the indoor one, is on the screened-in porch going mad jumping from window to window watching every move I make outside. I know she wants to come out and join me, but she's never been allowed outside and I know J doesn't want her out, so far be it from me to be the one to let her out.
By now, it is time to check the sap buckets. After gathering around eight to ten gallons, I fill a pail with the grain/pellet mixture J makes up and go out back to feed the deer. They don't really need it now, but we still have quite a bit in the barrel and they are still coming, so-oo-oo.
Back in the house, put a log on the fire, check the cats. Both are sleeping finally. Get my glass, open the wine, boot up the MacBook and voila! Nice day. Spring has sprung. Feeling good. I am blessed every day.
Although, I keep getting this nagging feeling that I've forgotten something, something else that I did today. Oh well. If so, it'll come to me eventually.
It is now exactly 6:15 pm.
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