Little Things Matter
20/12/15 07:13
If I don't get my writing started by 7am then it probably isn't going to happen. It's that window of opportunity where I haven't quite gotten started on the things I have planned for the day and my head is not quite on right given the combination of caffeine and coming off of what can only be described as a good night's sleep (or not.) And then, like a film that captures every waking moment that starts to play in reverse the moment I get out of bed, recent activities come into view and truth be told some are notable but most are not. Focusing on those that are not, because if gems are to be found you have to mine in unsuspecting places, I do my best to put them down on paper where they can be exploited, expressed, cajoled, finessed, and perhaps finally, put into perspective. These things are otherwise forgotten over time so they are best documented by those who experience them first hand. That would be me.
You would think we would have this down by now. And perhaps we do but it just feels like we don't. We know Christmas is on the calendar and we know that once we see christmas trees on sale here and there that we're better off buying one before they are nearly sold off and hard to find. And then the ones you do find are seemingly not suitable for one reason or other but the price is the same. Fact of the matter is, and I think Nancy is right about this, they are all cut around the same time so it makes doesn't sense to wait until you get closer to Christmas to buy the darn thing. Might as well just make the purchase and be done with it. But, we are creatures of habit if nothing else so here we are a week before Christmas and our tree just went up last night. She's a beauty, she is. It was the first tree we looked at oddly enough. We usually like to look at a few before settling on one that seems just right but this one did seem right so that was that. We paid $45 for the 6 foot balsam fir and my only disappointment is that it seems less fragrant than I thought it would be. Otherwise, she's shedding precious few needles which is good and we had to make zero alterations once she was in the stand and placed upright in our living room. My biggest challenge at times like this is to get the tree to stand upright without leaning too far in one direction or the other (the tree, not me.) This baby damn near saluted me once I had her in the stand she was so erect. As a household, we are unanimous in our admiration for the tree and everything she represents so we are happy to have her on board. Next time we'll try not too wait so long. I promise.
I don't know what the problem is. Now that I have all the time in the world it seems like there is never enough time in the day to get to the things I want to do. That is especially true when it comes to cooking. I like to cook and there are few dishes that I can't make if and when I decide it's something that I want to do. Why is it that I can never find the time? Why is it that I never make the time? I have a few things that I make regularly and that certainly needs to change if for no other reason than it becomes something of a chore like anything else that you do all the time. There is that creature of habit thing again. And I have a thousand cook books so I have no excuse for not getting the job done. It is true that I would probably do well to make Evan a square meal now and then since he shows little or no inclination to prepare food for himself one way or another. I think his attention span is somewhat suspect when it comes to learning his way around the kitchen and all things culinary so I won't go any further than to ask from time to time that he look over my shoulder when I'm doing what I'm doing. Part of me wants to say to him, we're not here to cook your every meal. You need to figure this stuff out for yourself. Left to his own devices, I'm not sure he would fare well. When I find leftover bagels in my glove compartment in the car I'm reminded that he just doesn't get it. When I see him skipping meals when he shouldn't be, I think that's a problem. I'm thinking I should lead by example now. I'll start with dinners and work my way backwards. Just because he isn't willing to do the right thing doesn't mean I can't or shouldn't. Maybe there is something to that phrase, "you never stop being a parent." It's supposed to get easier. Right?
I have to say I think I've never been more prepared for the winter months and all that entails here in the Northeast. My little obsessions began with the leaves that piled up on our front lawn in late fall. I moved many a metric ton of leaves off our lawn and hauled them across the street and into the woods over the course of a few weeks in late Fall. That was a bit of a job to be sure. I could have just as easily hired someone to come and clear away the leaves but I've never believed in having someone do something for me that I can just as easily do for myself. Why I get the kind of satisfaction that I do from doing the work is another question but let's just say it gives me something to do that requires planning, muscle, and direction. I squared away a section of our yard that had fallen into disrepair over time and that area is now pristine, orderly, and a reminder to all who care to look at it that all things are possible when you put your mind to it. I replaced sections of wood on our bay windows that had rotted for whatever reason and surprised myself that the planning and execution for such a project was not beyond me in the least. I even took before and after pictures to show the family.
One thing led to another and the next thing you know I was painting and staining with abandon. Who knew? The decks are cleared of the summer furniture, the gutters tidied of leaves and stains have been cleared away with a strong solvent intended for such tasks, and the bird feeders are all in place and stocked with the best seed in the universe in order to keep our featured friends in good stead for what may turn out to be a hard winter. That remains to be seen since we've not seen a lick of snow and I think the temperatures have been uber mild if not historically mild. So mild, in fact, that I have been getting a bike ride in every day now since early March. Hard to believe I know. I just keep on keeping on. Putting one foot in front of the other until I can't anymore. Isn't that how it works?
You would think we would have this down by now. And perhaps we do but it just feels like we don't. We know Christmas is on the calendar and we know that once we see christmas trees on sale here and there that we're better off buying one before they are nearly sold off and hard to find. And then the ones you do find are seemingly not suitable for one reason or other but the price is the same. Fact of the matter is, and I think Nancy is right about this, they are all cut around the same time so it makes doesn't sense to wait until you get closer to Christmas to buy the darn thing. Might as well just make the purchase and be done with it. But, we are creatures of habit if nothing else so here we are a week before Christmas and our tree just went up last night. She's a beauty, she is. It was the first tree we looked at oddly enough. We usually like to look at a few before settling on one that seems just right but this one did seem right so that was that. We paid $45 for the 6 foot balsam fir and my only disappointment is that it seems less fragrant than I thought it would be. Otherwise, she's shedding precious few needles which is good and we had to make zero alterations once she was in the stand and placed upright in our living room. My biggest challenge at times like this is to get the tree to stand upright without leaning too far in one direction or the other (the tree, not me.) This baby damn near saluted me once I had her in the stand she was so erect. As a household, we are unanimous in our admiration for the tree and everything she represents so we are happy to have her on board. Next time we'll try not too wait so long. I promise.
I don't know what the problem is. Now that I have all the time in the world it seems like there is never enough time in the day to get to the things I want to do. That is especially true when it comes to cooking. I like to cook and there are few dishes that I can't make if and when I decide it's something that I want to do. Why is it that I can never find the time? Why is it that I never make the time? I have a few things that I make regularly and that certainly needs to change if for no other reason than it becomes something of a chore like anything else that you do all the time. There is that creature of habit thing again. And I have a thousand cook books so I have no excuse for not getting the job done. It is true that I would probably do well to make Evan a square meal now and then since he shows little or no inclination to prepare food for himself one way or another. I think his attention span is somewhat suspect when it comes to learning his way around the kitchen and all things culinary so I won't go any further than to ask from time to time that he look over my shoulder when I'm doing what I'm doing. Part of me wants to say to him, we're not here to cook your every meal. You need to figure this stuff out for yourself. Left to his own devices, I'm not sure he would fare well. When I find leftover bagels in my glove compartment in the car I'm reminded that he just doesn't get it. When I see him skipping meals when he shouldn't be, I think that's a problem. I'm thinking I should lead by example now. I'll start with dinners and work my way backwards. Just because he isn't willing to do the right thing doesn't mean I can't or shouldn't. Maybe there is something to that phrase, "you never stop being a parent." It's supposed to get easier. Right?
I have to say I think I've never been more prepared for the winter months and all that entails here in the Northeast. My little obsessions began with the leaves that piled up on our front lawn in late fall. I moved many a metric ton of leaves off our lawn and hauled them across the street and into the woods over the course of a few weeks in late Fall. That was a bit of a job to be sure. I could have just as easily hired someone to come and clear away the leaves but I've never believed in having someone do something for me that I can just as easily do for myself. Why I get the kind of satisfaction that I do from doing the work is another question but let's just say it gives me something to do that requires planning, muscle, and direction. I squared away a section of our yard that had fallen into disrepair over time and that area is now pristine, orderly, and a reminder to all who care to look at it that all things are possible when you put your mind to it. I replaced sections of wood on our bay windows that had rotted for whatever reason and surprised myself that the planning and execution for such a project was not beyond me in the least. I even took before and after pictures to show the family.
One thing led to another and the next thing you know I was painting and staining with abandon. Who knew? The decks are cleared of the summer furniture, the gutters tidied of leaves and stains have been cleared away with a strong solvent intended for such tasks, and the bird feeders are all in place and stocked with the best seed in the universe in order to keep our featured friends in good stead for what may turn out to be a hard winter. That remains to be seen since we've not seen a lick of snow and I think the temperatures have been uber mild if not historically mild. So mild, in fact, that I have been getting a bike ride in every day now since early March. Hard to believe I know. I just keep on keeping on. Putting one foot in front of the other until I can't anymore. Isn't that how it works?