A friend shared an old Mexican quote with me....."The house does not rest upon the ground, but upon a woman". I am not so ancient that I don't know times have changed. But for we, the Baby Boomer women, I think we can find truth in the following:
A WOMAN'S HOUSEKEEPING DUTIES:
Our families think that fairies come in and put clean sheets on their beds....
They may complain about lack of food, when you spent three hours clipping coupons, making a list, shopping for groceries, putting them in the car, bringing them home, unloading the car, and putting them away. After all this you really don't feel like whipping up a fabulous meal......
She may be reprimanded for how much money is spent for groceries. Sometimes our better halves don't realize that toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies and toiletries are not free.
Clean underwear, clothes and socks appear in their drawers and closets. Again the work of fairies. Dry cleaning is delivered and picked up.
The house is clean and organized and when anyone needs something you can find it. Yard sales are orchestrated to make a profit off of old stuff and trips to Goodwill abound.
The woman sometimes mows the grass, plants the flowers, bulbs, rakes the yard or is responsible for finding someone else to do it. Same goes for washing windows, painting and again, finding someone who can do this at the best price.
A WOMAN'S CLERICAL DUTIES:
The pay checks are many times handed over to the "little woman". With these she is supposed to pay the bills and other household expenses and again will get reprimanded for not saving enough.
She is most often the one who sends birthday cards and Christmas cards. She will buy and wrap the presents and plan and execute the events to commemorate these days. She is the one who most often remembers the mailman/sanitation engineers with a gift card and all the other people that help her out.
A woman is most likely the one who schedules appointments and makes sure everyone gets to where they need to be. Thank God for calendars and planners.
She fills out forms and makes the phone calls needed to proceed with everyday life. She will find the best deal for cell phones, cable and set up online banking.
History dictates that the man is the lord of the castle. That's OK with me as my man is a wonderful son, brother, husband and father. So proud that most of my adult life I have been a Domestic Engineer, I've won some good bread along the way, but so blessed that I've gotten to to have this position. Nothing I would have rather done.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Affairs
Extra marital affairs have dominated our political and entertainment news for sometime now and some may think, what is the world coming to? To me it means nothing new except there is a billion dollar industry out there that loves to expose scandal. I read it, I listen to it as it dominates my media waves. Kudos to pappratzi, magazines, websites and TV shows that allow us to watch these stories. While there is a record unemployment, the people who deliver our scandal news all have wonderful jobs and probably won't be laid off.
We have the cheating Jesse this week, Tiger and John Edwards last week and on and on. Since Bill and Monica in '98 you can always bet that each week some public figure will be caught with his pants down. Certainly not what our marriage vows taught us to believe, but, again nothing new.
Baby boomers know about the Kennedys and Marilyn Monroe. It is a known fact that Roosevelt and Eisenhower had other women and Thomas Jefferson had Sally Hemmings.
Cheating spouses have always been around. We now have the opportunity to hear about it everyday. Don't know if this is good or bad.
We have the cheating Jesse this week, Tiger and John Edwards last week and on and on. Since Bill and Monica in '98 you can always bet that each week some public figure will be caught with his pants down. Certainly not what our marriage vows taught us to believe, but, again nothing new.
Baby boomers know about the Kennedys and Marilyn Monroe. It is a known fact that Roosevelt and Eisenhower had other women and Thomas Jefferson had Sally Hemmings.
Cheating spouses have always been around. We now have the opportunity to hear about it everyday. Don't know if this is good or bad.
Aim So High You'll Never Be Bored
Something I came across 30 years ago that I always keep in sight.....Author Unknown
Aim So High You'll Never Be Bored
The
greatest waste
of our
natural resources
is the
number of
people
who never
achieve their
potential.
Get out
of that
slow lane.
Shift
into that
fast lane.
If you think
you can't
you won't.
If you think
you can,
there's a
good chance
you will.
Even making
the effort
will make
you feel
like a new
person.
Reputations
are made
by searching
for things that
can't be done
and doing them.
Aim low:
boring.
Aim high:
soaring.
Aim So High You'll Never Be Bored
The
greatest waste
of our
natural resources
is the
number of
people
who never
achieve their
potential.
Get out
of that
slow lane.
Shift
into that
fast lane.
If you think
you can't
you won't.
If you think
you can,
there's a
good chance
you will.
Even making
the effort
will make
you feel
like a new
person.
Reputations
are made
by searching
for things that
can't be done
and doing them.
Aim low:
boring.
Aim high:
soaring.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
My Dad
Through my childhood I knew my Dad loved me and provided me with every luxury within his means. He was so in love with and devoted to my Mom, his family, her family and his children sat on a pedestal. In my teens, he taught me to drive well before my sixteenth birthday. One of his faults was that his car was like a landfill. We called it the "Dog Bed". He told me I was beautiful and perfect when I screwed up more than a few times.
My Dad was always an ultimate fan of the Carolina Tarheels until the day I married a man who was about to graduate from NCSU. From that day forward there was nothing better than the Wolfpack. I hope he knows that his cherished grandchildren are now grads.
When we gave my Dad his first grandchild, he bought a video camera the size of a toaster oven and recorded every move our son made. When we moved to another state when this baby was 9 months old and we came home to visit, my Dad would greet us as we pulled into the driveway, snatch our son, go back into the house, shut the door while my husband and I unloaded the car.
Our daughter was born during our six years in Richmond, Va. My Dad and Mom made the three hour drive at least once a month to be with our babies. When we were transfered back to NC when our babies were 4 and 6. My Dad made up for lost time.
Everytime my husband and I wanted to go out Grandpa and MaGaw were ready, willing and able to take care of our children. They were at every soccer game, school event and recital. They made their holidays magical.
When our son showed an early interest in golf, Grandpa was determined to make him the next Tiger Woods and they played golf all the time. Kind of glad he didn't live to see this disappointment aka Tiger.......Our daughter developed a passion for Beanie Babies and they all went to Canada to find "Maple". My Dad and Mom were with our children in NYC in '99....the Yankees achieved something amazing and JFK Jr. died that weekend. Such a memorable trip.
My Dad died way too young at 67. This came just six weeks after he played golf with our son and watched our daughter's piano recital. Everyone he loved was in the room when he took his last breath. At his wishes, he was not laid out for people to comment on how good he looked. Come on, how good can you look when you are dead? He was not lowered into the ground but sprinkled on his favorite golf course. My Dad died with such dignity and it somehow helped us with our loss.
I love you Daddy!
My Dad was always an ultimate fan of the Carolina Tarheels until the day I married a man who was about to graduate from NCSU. From that day forward there was nothing better than the Wolfpack. I hope he knows that his cherished grandchildren are now grads.
When we gave my Dad his first grandchild, he bought a video camera the size of a toaster oven and recorded every move our son made. When we moved to another state when this baby was 9 months old and we came home to visit, my Dad would greet us as we pulled into the driveway, snatch our son, go back into the house, shut the door while my husband and I unloaded the car.
Our daughter was born during our six years in Richmond, Va. My Dad and Mom made the three hour drive at least once a month to be with our babies. When we were transfered back to NC when our babies were 4 and 6. My Dad made up for lost time.
Everytime my husband and I wanted to go out Grandpa and MaGaw were ready, willing and able to take care of our children. They were at every soccer game, school event and recital. They made their holidays magical.
When our son showed an early interest in golf, Grandpa was determined to make him the next Tiger Woods and they played golf all the time. Kind of glad he didn't live to see this disappointment aka Tiger.......Our daughter developed a passion for Beanie Babies and they all went to Canada to find "Maple". My Dad and Mom were with our children in NYC in '99....the Yankees achieved something amazing and JFK Jr. died that weekend. Such a memorable trip.
My Dad died way too young at 67. This came just six weeks after he played golf with our son and watched our daughter's piano recital. Everyone he loved was in the room when he took his last breath. At his wishes, he was not laid out for people to comment on how good he looked. Come on, how good can you look when you are dead? He was not lowered into the ground but sprinkled on his favorite golf course. My Dad died with such dignity and it somehow helped us with our loss.
I love you Daddy!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Top 10 Ugly Home Decor Trends
There was a story about this in today's paper. I certainly agree with butterflylister.com's list.
1. POPCORN CEILINGS - Forty years old now. They were created to eliminate echoes and reflective sounds. Today they are dirty and, yes, ugly. I have them in the upstairs of my home and long for the day that they are gone.
2. SHAG CARPETING - Another gem from the 70's. This was in the day before the Oreck or the Dyson. No wonder we all suffer from allergies.
3. FOIL WALLPAPER - Again the 70's. Anyone who has ever stripped wallpaper will never put it up again.
4. PINK BATHROOMS - Sinks, tiles, countertops, tubs or toilets. There was also the aqua blue. Toilets should always be white.
5. FORMICA COUNTERTOPS IN ORANGE. It was the 70's and orange seemed like a neutral color.
6. WOOD PANELING - For Baby Boomers, it was a staple of your parent's home and it is still around.
7. BEAN BAG CHAIRS - So comfy, wish I still had one. ('70's and '80's)
8. PATTERNED VINYL FLOORING - I had the blue and rose, still a favorite of very old ladies. ('70's and '80's)
9. ANIMAL PRINTS. Of the '80's and '90's. Still hoping for a comeback.
10. CARPET IN THE BATHROOM. Should have been at #1. There is nothing more disgusting than this.
Now five of my own:
1. FAKE PLANTS OR FLOWERS- They may look good for a week after you put them out. Later they look dirty and suck the life from a room.
2. TOO MANY FAMILY PHOTOS - We all love our family pics and certainly want them out. Keep them current or old. A picture of your son in third grade is not interesting when he is a married man.
3. THINGS HUNG ON THE WALL TOO HIGH. Everything you hang on your wall should be at eye level to a 5'6" person.
4. TOO MANY NIC NAKS. Not only is it a nightmare for you or whoever cleans your house, it is such a distraction for anyone who visits your home.
5. PLACE SETTINGS ON YOUR DINING ROOM TABLE WHEN IT IS NOT IN USE. Just another chore when you actually use the table.
1. POPCORN CEILINGS - Forty years old now. They were created to eliminate echoes and reflective sounds. Today they are dirty and, yes, ugly. I have them in the upstairs of my home and long for the day that they are gone.
2. SHAG CARPETING - Another gem from the 70's. This was in the day before the Oreck or the Dyson. No wonder we all suffer from allergies.
3. FOIL WALLPAPER - Again the 70's. Anyone who has ever stripped wallpaper will never put it up again.
4. PINK BATHROOMS - Sinks, tiles, countertops, tubs or toilets. There was also the aqua blue. Toilets should always be white.
5. FORMICA COUNTERTOPS IN ORANGE. It was the 70's and orange seemed like a neutral color.
6. WOOD PANELING - For Baby Boomers, it was a staple of your parent's home and it is still around.
7. BEAN BAG CHAIRS - So comfy, wish I still had one. ('70's and '80's)
8. PATTERNED VINYL FLOORING - I had the blue and rose, still a favorite of very old ladies. ('70's and '80's)
9. ANIMAL PRINTS. Of the '80's and '90's. Still hoping for a comeback.
10. CARPET IN THE BATHROOM. Should have been at #1. There is nothing more disgusting than this.
Now five of my own:
1. FAKE PLANTS OR FLOWERS- They may look good for a week after you put them out. Later they look dirty and suck the life from a room.
2. TOO MANY FAMILY PHOTOS - We all love our family pics and certainly want them out. Keep them current or old. A picture of your son in third grade is not interesting when he is a married man.
3. THINGS HUNG ON THE WALL TOO HIGH. Everything you hang on your wall should be at eye level to a 5'6" person.
4. TOO MANY NIC NAKS. Not only is it a nightmare for you or whoever cleans your house, it is such a distraction for anyone who visits your home.
5. PLACE SETTINGS ON YOUR DINING ROOM TABLE WHEN IT IS NOT IN USE. Just another chore when you actually use the table.
Monday, March 15, 2010
I am not an English teacher.
Dangling participles, punctuation, sentance construction and spelling always gave me a fit in my school days. The definitions of so many words still soar above my head. However, with just a click I can check all of these and hopefully correct everything.
At the risk of sounding like a dinosaur, in this day of texting and Facebook all of these principles seem to be thrown out the window. My winter projects have consisted of connecting with the world via Facebook and cleaning out pictures and old yearbooks.
As I read the messages from friends from a 1970 Jr. High yearbook I realized there was no mention of a BFF or a lol. A typical entry was "I have enjoyed being in class with you this year. Have a wonderful summer. I hope to see you next year". These passages were written by the bright and not so bright. A misspelled word was marked out and correctly replaced. That is just what we did.
Today the generations after us have completely thrown every principle of the english language out the window and we are beginning to do this as well. As my children continue to remind me that a FB post should not be an essay and I try to scale down. However, my I will never be i, things will be punctuated as needed and to the best of my ability everything will be spelled right. It is just not that hard and something we should all do.
At the risk of sounding like a dinosaur, in this day of texting and Facebook all of these principles seem to be thrown out the window. My winter projects have consisted of connecting with the world via Facebook and cleaning out pictures and old yearbooks.
As I read the messages from friends from a 1970 Jr. High yearbook I realized there was no mention of a BFF or a lol. A typical entry was "I have enjoyed being in class with you this year. Have a wonderful summer. I hope to see you next year". These passages were written by the bright and not so bright. A misspelled word was marked out and correctly replaced. That is just what we did.
Today the generations after us have completely thrown every principle of the english language out the window and we are beginning to do this as well. As my children continue to remind me that a FB post should not be an essay and I try to scale down. However, my I will never be i, things will be punctuated as needed and to the best of my ability everything will be spelled right. It is just not that hard and something we should all do.
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