Now, you can take that title to be a seasonal comment from little trick or treaters this time of year or you can interpret it as the way I feel about Halloween. You'd be safer taking it as my sentiment about
October 31st. BOOOO.... I HATE Halloween! Always have... There, I said it!
Not sure why, but it goes way back, to when I was a kid. I mean, who, as a kid, doesn't like getting dressed up and getting free candy? That would be ME! Maybe it's from the time our candy was nabbed by a big Lindenwald neighborhood kid... all that hard work for nothin'! (I could never stand that kid after that.) Maybe it's from being scared to death in haunted houses at LeSourdesville Lake, an area amusement park. I don't know. Even movie trailers, this time of year, advertising the scary movies of the season, have me leaving the room.
As a Mom, I lacked enthusiasm for the holiday too - just ask the boys. I'm sure they could tell you about the lackluster, even embarrassing, costumes we came up with. I think one of them had to be "Rocky" two years in a row... Cowboys, Monsters, Mummies, putting costumes together with things we already had, or a quick trip to K-Mart for one of those silky, cheap costumes they offered as salvation for unimaginative Moms. I am so sorry, sons.
And as an adult, going to Halloween parties, I wasn't any more creative. "Nerdy Girl" or "Slutty Woman" were the two characters I consistently dressed as. Probably because, at different times in my married life, I had the attire, laying around the house, that I needed to pull those looks off. (That's kind of telling... and sad, at the same time, isn't it?)
I have always found it odd, that we spend years teaching our little ones not to take candy from strangers, and then turn them loose on one night and tell them to knock on doors and ask strangers for candy. Bizarre....
I bet you're thinking it wouldn't be too much of a stretch if I went trick or treating as a crotchety old woman this year, would it? Well, Trick or Treat!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
"The Time Change"
Who came up with the idea of "time change"? That silly practice of "falling back" during one part of the year and "springing forward" during another? Well, it's happening again this weekend!
I was surprised to find out that Benjamin Franklin was the culprit who decided that messing with our clocks was a good thing. Prior to learning this information, I thought old Ben was a brilliant guy. Now? Not so much.
As you may have gathered, I'm not a fan. Sure, I understand the reasoning. We get some extra sunlight during certain parts of the year -and that's not a bad thing. Farmers love it, I suppose... But I have to tell you, that the time change wreaks havoc on my body that first week after it goes into effect, and I'm not sure it ever gets caught up after that! The day after we change our clock, I don't know if it's 12:00, 1:00, or 11:00! I know, you're thinking "What difference does it make"? I can't answer that...it just does!
Before we thought messing with time was a good idea, we had "standard time". From caveman on, we've looked to the sky and when the sun's at its highest point, it's noon. And you go on from there. How can we take an hour and store it somewhere for a few months and then magically bestow it on another day, months later? And who are we to mess with a fundamental structure of the universe, anyway?
Now, if they'd come up with a way of jockeying weight around -taking pounds away, magically, and bestowing them on another person -then they'd HAVE something! And I would certainly get behind THAT!
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Some Questions I've Pondered Lately".
Why is it that so many things that taste so good are "bad" for us?
Who had the nerve to take the first "selfie"? And who thought it was a good idea? What ever happened to folks taking pictures of each other - from a bit of a distance? Nostrils and bags under the eyes really aren't my most attractive features.
Who was the first person to think an oyster was edible? Those slimy globules are the least appetizing-looking things God ever made...and people eat them!
When did celebrities and the Hollywood-types become so darn important? Many probably couldn't hold a job anywhere else.
Why do boys' bikes have that bar across 'em? Shouldn't it be the girls' that have 'em? Or why have 'em at all? Unless it's just so you can tell the difference between a girl's bike and a boy's bike, but it seems unsafe either way.
Will we ever run out of websites, email addresses, passwords? Think of all the passwords you have, or that you've changed...Now multiply that by how many people use computers.
Why is it oldsters drive too slow and youngsters drive too fast? Wouldn't you think we old-timers, who have fewer years ahead of us, would speed up a bit to get it all in, and the kids, who have many years ahead, would slow down and enjoy the ride?
Has it hit anyone else that, after all the expense of buying big screen TVs, more and more people are watching movies and shows on laptop computers and little phone screens?
Why am I still getting so many phone calls from businesses and organizations when I'm on the "Do Not Call" list?
Who ever decided Christmas should be celebrated in December? Wouldn't be as nostalgic, I grant you, but summertime would be nice shopping weather.
Where did the "pioneers" get the courage and stamina to "Go West", encountering mountains, rivers and God knows what else? I have to think twice about driving all the way to Fairfield, 5 miles away, so I would've been left behind for sure!
If anyone has the answer to these queries, I'd love to hear 'em!
Who had the nerve to take the first "selfie"? And who thought it was a good idea? What ever happened to folks taking pictures of each other - from a bit of a distance? Nostrils and bags under the eyes really aren't my most attractive features.
Who was the first person to think an oyster was edible? Those slimy globules are the least appetizing-looking things God ever made...and people eat them!
When did celebrities and the Hollywood-types become so darn important? Many probably couldn't hold a job anywhere else.
Why do boys' bikes have that bar across 'em? Shouldn't it be the girls' that have 'em? Or why have 'em at all? Unless it's just so you can tell the difference between a girl's bike and a boy's bike, but it seems unsafe either way.
Will we ever run out of websites, email addresses, passwords? Think of all the passwords you have, or that you've changed...Now multiply that by how many people use computers.
Why is it oldsters drive too slow and youngsters drive too fast? Wouldn't you think we old-timers, who have fewer years ahead of us, would speed up a bit to get it all in, and the kids, who have many years ahead, would slow down and enjoy the ride?
Has it hit anyone else that, after all the expense of buying big screen TVs, more and more people are watching movies and shows on laptop computers and little phone screens?
Why am I still getting so many phone calls from businesses and organizations when I'm on the "Do Not Call" list?
Who ever decided Christmas should be celebrated in December? Wouldn't be as nostalgic, I grant you, but summertime would be nice shopping weather.
Where did the "pioneers" get the courage and stamina to "Go West", encountering mountains, rivers and God knows what else? I have to think twice about driving all the way to Fairfield, 5 miles away, so I would've been left behind for sure!
If anyone has the answer to these queries, I'd love to hear 'em!
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
"May I Have This Dance?"
I have to ask. Do high schools still have dances? Now, I'm not talking about date dances, like homecoming or proms. I've seen the darling pictures the proud Moms post on Facebook of those special occasions.
I'm talking about just regular dances on a Friday or Saturday night...to give the kids something to do...to help them learn how to act around the opposite sex. (Gosh! Did I just sound really old?) The reason I even ask is because some of my fondest high school memories are of the dances we enjoyed as teens...and if today's kids don't have these opportunities, they're missing out on some great memory-makers.
Most of our school dances took place in the school's cafeteria. Nothing fancy... Different clubs or groups would sponsor them as fundraisers. The tables and chairs would be cleared away, making room for a "dance floor". A band, a sound system or just a record player would be brought in...and teachers and parents acted as chaperones. Let the fun begin!
Because we wore school uniforms during the week, we got to wear our "good" clothes to dances and social things. Skirts, sweaters, hose, loafers, Wind Song or Emeraude cologne...we were all set! When we'd arrive at the dance, the excitement would set in! "Who was going to be here?" "Would so and so ask me to dance?" "Do I look okay?"
The cafeteria was dark. except for the lighting that came with the music. Good! It was easier to blend in, as we'd lean against the wall, waiting to be asked to slow dance...or until a group of girls, got up the nerve to go out on the dance floor to "fast-dance", anxious to try out the moves we saw on "Bandstand" or "Soul Train"the week before. (Yeah right! Like we could do THAT!!) Funny, but the guys weren't into fast dancing back then....well it was their loss.)
The music and laughter of these school dances had kids meeting kids they didn't get to know in class. The need to summon up the courage to ask a girl to dance or the disappointment of being a girl who didn't get asked, were hard lessons we learned at those dances. All part of growing up... The night always seemed to go quickly until there'd be one last song played before the lights came back on, signaling the end of a fun night.
When we were in the lower grades, somebody's Dad would pick up the group for the ride home...we'd recount the evening's happenings and get dropped off, with memories of a good time, fresh in our minds. When we were older, if we had someone in our group who had their driver's license, we'd all pile into a car and go somewhere for a Coke and conversation... probably about "who liked who" or what somebody wore that night.
This would probably sound pretty dorky to the kids growing up now, but those high school dances were a big part of our social lives back then. And I can't help but wonder how many sweet, young romances got their start with a "May I Have This Dance"? in a high school cafeteria those many years ago?
I'm talking about just regular dances on a Friday or Saturday night...to give the kids something to do...to help them learn how to act around the opposite sex. (Gosh! Did I just sound really old?) The reason I even ask is because some of my fondest high school memories are of the dances we enjoyed as teens...and if today's kids don't have these opportunities, they're missing out on some great memory-makers.
Most of our school dances took place in the school's cafeteria. Nothing fancy... Different clubs or groups would sponsor them as fundraisers. The tables and chairs would be cleared away, making room for a "dance floor". A band, a sound system or just a record player would be brought in...and teachers and parents acted as chaperones. Let the fun begin!
Because we wore school uniforms during the week, we got to wear our "good" clothes to dances and social things. Skirts, sweaters, hose, loafers, Wind Song or Emeraude cologne...we were all set! When we'd arrive at the dance, the excitement would set in! "Who was going to be here?" "Would so and so ask me to dance?" "Do I look okay?"
The cafeteria was dark. except for the lighting that came with the music. Good! It was easier to blend in, as we'd lean against the wall, waiting to be asked to slow dance...or until a group of girls, got up the nerve to go out on the dance floor to "fast-dance", anxious to try out the moves we saw on "Bandstand" or "Soul Train"the week before. (Yeah right! Like we could do THAT!!) Funny, but the guys weren't into fast dancing back then....well it was their loss.)
The music and laughter of these school dances had kids meeting kids they didn't get to know in class. The need to summon up the courage to ask a girl to dance or the disappointment of being a girl who didn't get asked, were hard lessons we learned at those dances. All part of growing up... The night always seemed to go quickly until there'd be one last song played before the lights came back on, signaling the end of a fun night.
When we were in the lower grades, somebody's Dad would pick up the group for the ride home...we'd recount the evening's happenings and get dropped off, with memories of a good time, fresh in our minds. When we were older, if we had someone in our group who had their driver's license, we'd all pile into a car and go somewhere for a Coke and conversation... probably about "who liked who" or what somebody wore that night.
This would probably sound pretty dorky to the kids growing up now, but those high school dances were a big part of our social lives back then. And I can't help but wonder how many sweet, young romances got their start with a "May I Have This Dance"? in a high school cafeteria those many years ago?
"May I Have This Dance?"
I have to ask. Do high schools still have dances? Now, I'm not talking about date dances, like homecoming or proms. I've seen the darling pictures the proud Moms post on Facebook of those special occasions.
I'm talking about just regular dances on a Friday or Saturday night...to give the kids something to do...to help them learn how to act around the opposite sex. (Gosh! Did I just sound really old?) The reason I even ask is because some of my fondest high school memories are of the dances we enjoyed as teens...and if today's kids don't have these opportunities, they're missing out on some great memory-makers.
Most of our school dances took place in the school's cafeteria. Nothing fancy... Different clubs or groups would sponsor them as fundraisers. The tables and chairs would be cleared away, making room for a "dance floor". A band, a sound system or just a record player would be brought in...and teachers and parents acted as chaperones. Let the fun begin!
Because we wore school uniforms during the week, we got to wear our "good" clothes to dances and social things. Skirts, sweaters, hose, loafers, Wind Song or Emeraude cologne...we were all set! When we'd arrive at the dance, the excitement would set in! "Who was going to be here?" "Would so and so ask me to dance?" "Do I look okay?"
The cafeteria was dark. except for the lighting that came with the music. Good! It was easier to blend in, as we'd lean against the wall, waiting to be asked to slow dance...or until a group of girls, got up the nerve to go out on the dance floor to "fast-dance", anxious to try out the moves we saw on "Bandstand" or "Soul Train"the week before. (Yeah right! Like we could do THAT!!) Funny, but the guys weren't into fast dancing back then....well it was their loss.)
The music and laughter of these school dances had kids meeting kids they didn't get to know in class. The need to summon up the courage to ask a girl to dance or the disappointment of being a girl who didn't get asked, were hard lessons we learned at those dances. All part of growing up... The night always seemed to go quickly until there'd be one last song played before the lights came back on, signaling the end of a fun night.
When we were in the lower grades, somebody's Dad would pick up the group for the ride home...we'd recount the evening's happenings and get dropped off, with memories of a good time, fresh in our minds. When we were older, if we had someone in our group who had their driver's license, we'd all pile into a car and go somewhere for a Coke and conversation... probably about "who liked who" or what somebody wore that night.
This would probably sound pretty dorky to the kids growing up now, but those high school dances were a big part of our social lives back then. And I can't help but wonder how many sweet, young romances got their start with a "May I Have This Dance"? in a high school cafeteria those many years ago?
I'm talking about just regular dances on a Friday or Saturday night...to give the kids something to do...to help them learn how to act around the opposite sex. (Gosh! Did I just sound really old?) The reason I even ask is because some of my fondest high school memories are of the dances we enjoyed as teens...and if today's kids don't have these opportunities, they're missing out on some great memory-makers.
Most of our school dances took place in the school's cafeteria. Nothing fancy... Different clubs or groups would sponsor them as fundraisers. The tables and chairs would be cleared away, making room for a "dance floor". A band, a sound system or just a record player would be brought in...and teachers and parents acted as chaperones. Let the fun begin!
Because we wore school uniforms during the week, we got to wear our "good" clothes to dances and social things. Skirts, sweaters, hose, loafers, Wind Song or Emeraude cologne...we were all set! When we'd arrive at the dance, the excitement would set in! "Who was going to be here?" "Would so and so ask me to dance?" "Do I look okay?"
The cafeteria was dark. except for the lighting that came with the music. Good! It was easier to blend in, as we'd lean against the wall, waiting to be asked to slow dance...or until a group of girls, got up the nerve to go out on the dance floor to "fast-dance", anxious to try out the moves we saw on "Bandstand" or "Soul Train"the week before. (Yeah right! Like we could do THAT!!) Funny, but the guys weren't into fast dancing back then....well it was their loss.)
The music and laughter of these school dances had kids meeting kids they didn't get to know in class. The need to summon up the courage to ask a girl to dance or the disappointment of being a girl who didn't get asked, were hard lessons we learned at those dances. All part of growing up... The night always seemed to go quickly until there'd be one last song played before the lights came back on, signaling the end of a fun night.
When we were in the lower grades, somebody's Dad would pick up the group for the ride home...we'd recount the evening's happenings and get dropped off, with memories of a good time, fresh in our minds. When we were older, if we had someone in our group who had their driver's license, we'd all pile into a car and go somewhere for a Coke and conversation... probably about "who liked who" or what somebody wore that night.
This would probably sound pretty dorky to the kids growing up now, but those high school dances were a big part of our social lives back then. And I can't help but wonder how many sweet, young romances got their start with a "May I Have This Dance"? in a high school cafeteria those many years ago?
Thursday, October 16, 2014
"Dog Kisses and Baby Books"
Our firstborn is turning 40...and I gotta tell you - I think it bothers me a little bit more than when I turned 60. And why is that? It seems like the years have gone by at breakneck speed and there's not a thing we can do about it, is there? I just wish it would slow down a bit.
Having three sons, in pretty quick succession, their early years were kind of a blur. Oh, I remember the "big" moments. I just wish I could remember more of the "little" ones... more of the days...and not just the years.
When the boys were young, I had some plaques on our wall-- one for each. The one for the firstborn said something about how he was the one who got the new parents, the new clothes...
The one for the middle child said that he was the one who got the formula-stained burp rags, and the parents' realization that dog kisses wouldn't kill him...
And the plaque for the youngest of the family spoke of how he had broken-in parents, had a baby book that probably had more recipes stuck in it than photos and, that no matter how old he got, he would always be our "baby".
I don't know how that all figures for bigger or smaller families, but it's pretty accurate for ours. You love them all, but birth order, your station in life when they were born and your experience with raising kids, really does make a difference with each one, as they grow, doesn't it?
Hubby was fond of telling folks that when we took the first son to college, I cried all the way home. With the second son, I cried only halfway home, and with our youngest, we barely stopped the car to drop him off. That's not true, of course, but it DID get easier. I'm not sure seeing my kids hit these age milestones ever will...
I suppose I should feel very blessed that, despite some bumps in the road and a few hiccups along the way, they DID grow up and I've been able to witness that growth. And I'm proud of the way they've turned out. I love them all but nowhere is it written that I have to LIKE being the parent of middle-aged kids...like I said earlier, I just wish it would slow down a bit!
Having three sons, in pretty quick succession, their early years were kind of a blur. Oh, I remember the "big" moments. I just wish I could remember more of the "little" ones... more of the days...and not just the years.
When the boys were young, I had some plaques on our wall-- one for each. The one for the firstborn said something about how he was the one who got the new parents, the new clothes...
The one for the middle child said that he was the one who got the formula-stained burp rags, and the parents' realization that dog kisses wouldn't kill him...
And the plaque for the youngest of the family spoke of how he had broken-in parents, had a baby book that probably had more recipes stuck in it than photos and, that no matter how old he got, he would always be our "baby".
I don't know how that all figures for bigger or smaller families, but it's pretty accurate for ours. You love them all, but birth order, your station in life when they were born and your experience with raising kids, really does make a difference with each one, as they grow, doesn't it?
Hubby was fond of telling folks that when we took the first son to college, I cried all the way home. With the second son, I cried only halfway home, and with our youngest, we barely stopped the car to drop him off. That's not true, of course, but it DID get easier. I'm not sure seeing my kids hit these age milestones ever will...
I suppose I should feel very blessed that, despite some bumps in the road and a few hiccups along the way, they DID grow up and I've been able to witness that growth. And I'm proud of the way they've turned out. I love them all but nowhere is it written that I have to LIKE being the parent of middle-aged kids...like I said earlier, I just wish it would slow down a bit!
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Thanks!
Thanks, everyone, for the nice comments and "likes"...Today's post was the 101st entry in my blog...and for someone who seldom sees things thru, that's quite a milestone. Hope I have 100 more in me. We'll see. Thanks again!
International Flavor...
Does anyone remember the first time they had a slice of pizza? Unless you count "french" fries or "french" toast ( and I don't!) I'm pretty sure that pizza was the first international flavor most of us tasted. Back in the 50's and 60's, unless you were lived in an Italian home, pizza was pretty exotic, wasn't it? Certainly, not something that we dined on at our family dinner tables on a regular basis.
My first taste of the gooey stuff was from a Pasquale's, one of the first pizza chains in Cincinnati. We were at my grandparents' home and my aunt, who was a bit of an eccentric, ordered a "pizza pie". We all tried it.... Some liked it a lot and some, not so much.
I remember, as a young girl, making Chef Boyardee cheese pizzas... That was a new product that came from a box. It supposedly contained everything you needed to make your own tasty pizza at home....not even CLOSE in flavor to my first taste of pizza! It was a good alternative, though, to the fish and the grilled cheese we ate in the days when Catholics refrained from eating meat on Fridays...so Chef Boyardee it was!
Look how far we've come! Neighborhood pizza parlors, pizza chains, pizza delivery ... Our eating habits and our family lives were forever changed....by pizza. Many probably can't remember a world without pizza. But I can.
I got to thinking of all this, not because I was chomping down on a pizza, but because I needed chorizo sausage for a Mexican dish I was making. At the store, it amazed me all the different ethnic foods that are available now. Our country became a melting pot for so many cultures and they all brought their cuisine and flavors along with them...and our neighborhoods and grocery store aisles will never be the same! Restaurants that serve exotic fare are the norm now. My spice rack includes spices I'm pretty sure my Mom never heard of.
Our world has certainly gotten smaller and our menus reflect that. Italian, German, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican, and more...all for the taking.
My comfort foods are still the standards, like meatloaf or a good pot roast or a tasty chicken dish. But it sure is nice to have expanded our repertoire, both at home and in dining out. And to think it all started with a pizza...
My first taste of the gooey stuff was from a Pasquale's, one of the first pizza chains in Cincinnati. We were at my grandparents' home and my aunt, who was a bit of an eccentric, ordered a "pizza pie". We all tried it.... Some liked it a lot and some, not so much.
I remember, as a young girl, making Chef Boyardee cheese pizzas... That was a new product that came from a box. It supposedly contained everything you needed to make your own tasty pizza at home....not even CLOSE in flavor to my first taste of pizza! It was a good alternative, though, to the fish and the grilled cheese we ate in the days when Catholics refrained from eating meat on Fridays...so Chef Boyardee it was!
Look how far we've come! Neighborhood pizza parlors, pizza chains, pizza delivery ... Our eating habits and our family lives were forever changed....by pizza. Many probably can't remember a world without pizza. But I can.
I got to thinking of all this, not because I was chomping down on a pizza, but because I needed chorizo sausage for a Mexican dish I was making. At the store, it amazed me all the different ethnic foods that are available now. Our country became a melting pot for so many cultures and they all brought their cuisine and flavors along with them...and our neighborhoods and grocery store aisles will never be the same! Restaurants that serve exotic fare are the norm now. My spice rack includes spices I'm pretty sure my Mom never heard of.
Our world has certainly gotten smaller and our menus reflect that. Italian, German, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican, and more...all for the taking.
My comfort foods are still the standards, like meatloaf or a good pot roast or a tasty chicken dish. But it sure is nice to have expanded our repertoire, both at home and in dining out. And to think it all started with a pizza...
Thursday, October 9, 2014
It's In The Genes...
I'm not that strong in Math. I think that some people are born with a Math gene, some are not. And that's okay. I realized early on that I was lacking.
I think I understood early Math...you know, the simple addition and subtraction. When multiplication tables entered the picture, I started to lose interest -probably because memorization wasn't a strong suit either. And then they introduced "New Math". Does anyone else remember that?
It was so innovative (and confusing) that classes were offered to parents so they could help their kids with their homework. I remember, sitting with my Dad, as he struggled to help me with homework, crying, (me, not Dad) because I just didn't get it. No one else must have gotten it either because it was short-lived. I've always been thankful for that. Taking New Math out of the curriculum probably added years to my Dad's life and salvaged our relationship at the same time.
But then...enter Algebra in high school... I struggled with that, too. My teacher agreed to tutor me after school (which meant I had to quit the drill team...don't be too sad. I was only on it for three weeks and my Math teacher did both me AND the drill team a favor...) As frustrating as it was for me, it had to be really hard for a teacher who had that Math gene, to deal with someone who soo didn't. I managed to pass that year and was done with Math!
Nope - not true! I was quick to find out that Math is a life-long thing.....not just something I would struggle with in the classroom. Lots of irony, then, that my first job in the "real world" was working as a bank teller at our local bank! More irony? That bank is out of business now!
I have found that you need Math every day-whether it's adding, measuring, weighing, balancing...a fact of life...but I will go out of my way to avoid its use. And I'm thinking there MUST be many of us lacking the Math gene. Why else would they have invented calculators?
I think I understood early Math...you know, the simple addition and subtraction. When multiplication tables entered the picture, I started to lose interest -probably because memorization wasn't a strong suit either. And then they introduced "New Math". Does anyone else remember that?
It was so innovative (and confusing) that classes were offered to parents so they could help their kids with their homework. I remember, sitting with my Dad, as he struggled to help me with homework, crying, (me, not Dad) because I just didn't get it. No one else must have gotten it either because it was short-lived. I've always been thankful for that. Taking New Math out of the curriculum probably added years to my Dad's life and salvaged our relationship at the same time.
But then...enter Algebra in high school... I struggled with that, too. My teacher agreed to tutor me after school (which meant I had to quit the drill team...don't be too sad. I was only on it for three weeks and my Math teacher did both me AND the drill team a favor...) As frustrating as it was for me, it had to be really hard for a teacher who had that Math gene, to deal with someone who soo didn't. I managed to pass that year and was done with Math!
Nope - not true! I was quick to find out that Math is a life-long thing.....not just something I would struggle with in the classroom. Lots of irony, then, that my first job in the "real world" was working as a bank teller at our local bank! More irony? That bank is out of business now!
I have found that you need Math every day-whether it's adding, measuring, weighing, balancing...a fact of life...but I will go out of my way to avoid its use. And I'm thinking there MUST be many of us lacking the Math gene. Why else would they have invented calculators?
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
The Nose Knows
In these days of Febreeze, Glade plug-ins and my favorite -- scented candles--(especially the fall season ones!), I got to thinking "when did we think we needed all these fake fragrances"? What are we masking?
Okay, I know...we have a dog...an animal whose hygiene and manners are questionable...and sometimes, my cooking gets away from me... and some dirty laundry may sit a bit too long. But is all this covering up, overkill?
Of course, this had me thinking back to the scents of the past. I remember, as a kid, the wonderful fragrance of burning leaves, in the fall. That was before the days of the EPA and, although I know they're around for our health, I think they're killjoys- at least, in this case. That's the way all of our neighbors disposed of the leaves they had raked up....and it was wonderful! And nothing evokes warm memories of my childhood more than when my Dad would build a fire in our fireplace at home or our sitting around the campfire at the pond where we ice skated.
For spring and summer scents, it has to be the beach and the ocean smells for me! Because the fishy, briny smell really isn't all that pleasant, it must be the memories of great beach vacations that makes it special. And the smell of chlorine takes me back to the carefree days of the neighborhood swimming pool and the kids we hung with. The fragrance of carnations bring back good and bad memories for me... The good, when the carnations were in the bouquet I carried as a flower girl in a family wedding...the bad, when the floral arrangements at my Grandfather's funeral also had carnations in them. Smelling God's earth, when I'm gardening, is wonderful....not so much when that "earth" is mixed with sweat on football uniforms....
It's funny how it all works... Fragrances, scents and smells are complex and personal, aren't they? How different people interpret them differently... I know that, as we get older, our sense of smell diminishes somewhat...that's a fact. So I think I'll pull out the plug-ins and put away the Febreeze, so I can enjoy the real fragrances of life while I still can...and our dog better behave!
Okay, I know...we have a dog...an animal whose hygiene and manners are questionable...and sometimes, my cooking gets away from me... and some dirty laundry may sit a bit too long. But is all this covering up, overkill?
Of course, this had me thinking back to the scents of the past. I remember, as a kid, the wonderful fragrance of burning leaves, in the fall. That was before the days of the EPA and, although I know they're around for our health, I think they're killjoys- at least, in this case. That's the way all of our neighbors disposed of the leaves they had raked up....and it was wonderful! And nothing evokes warm memories of my childhood more than when my Dad would build a fire in our fireplace at home or our sitting around the campfire at the pond where we ice skated.
For spring and summer scents, it has to be the beach and the ocean smells for me! Because the fishy, briny smell really isn't all that pleasant, it must be the memories of great beach vacations that makes it special. And the smell of chlorine takes me back to the carefree days of the neighborhood swimming pool and the kids we hung with. The fragrance of carnations bring back good and bad memories for me... The good, when the carnations were in the bouquet I carried as a flower girl in a family wedding...the bad, when the floral arrangements at my Grandfather's funeral also had carnations in them. Smelling God's earth, when I'm gardening, is wonderful....not so much when that "earth" is mixed with sweat on football uniforms....
It's funny how it all works... Fragrances, scents and smells are complex and personal, aren't they? How different people interpret them differently... I know that, as we get older, our sense of smell diminishes somewhat...that's a fact. So I think I'll pull out the plug-ins and put away the Febreeze, so I can enjoy the real fragrances of life while I still can...and our dog better behave!
Thursday, October 2, 2014
"Scientifically Speaking... "
I saw online recently, a post about Science Fairs - those necessary evils that all school kids have to endure.
That particular post was a humorous one about a girl who used the actual science fair as her topic. Her "materials" were "a kid", "parents", "procrastination", and "a half-baked idea". Her results were "75% of kids cried", "90% of parents yelled" and "15 hours of family time were sacrificed". Her "findings" were that "everyone hates the science fair".
In addition to my getting a kick out of that girl's project, it also brought back memories of the Wright Place during the science fair days. I truly think that you either have the Science gene or you don't. Hubby and I do not. And it must be generational, because our boys seemed to have missed out on that, too.
The first Science Fair project I oversaw, as a young Mom, was the effects of cigarette smoke on plant life. That one consisted of me blowing smoke on a plant that we bought... (These projects really are a joint effort, aren't they?) and what did we think would happen? The plant looked awful after 30 days, so mission accomplished! I felt evil for smoking, as a young Mom, and our son had a "finding" for his Science Fair project. "Smoking's bad for you." I think the surgeon general was onto that before my son was but he (and I) got a decent grade anyway.
The other projects that the boys did, after that one, aren't as memorable, although I'm sure there was wailing and gnashing of teeth over them (by me) as well. The ideas were harder to come by, the deadlines, more daunting. And by the time son #3 had a Science Fair in his future, my tolerance and patience, I'm sure, were really waning! We got thru all of the science fairs, unscathed, our relationships still intact, but failed to produce a scientist out of the whole lot.
I really enjoyed the aforementioned girl's Science Fair project, and although, saying "everyone hates the Science Fair" may be unfair, I certainly hope she got a blue ribbon for her efforts...because, in my judgement, she's a genius!
That particular post was a humorous one about a girl who used the actual science fair as her topic. Her "materials" were "a kid", "parents", "procrastination", and "a half-baked idea". Her results were "75% of kids cried", "90% of parents yelled" and "15 hours of family time were sacrificed". Her "findings" were that "everyone hates the science fair".
In addition to my getting a kick out of that girl's project, it also brought back memories of the Wright Place during the science fair days. I truly think that you either have the Science gene or you don't. Hubby and I do not. And it must be generational, because our boys seemed to have missed out on that, too.
The first Science Fair project I oversaw, as a young Mom, was the effects of cigarette smoke on plant life. That one consisted of me blowing smoke on a plant that we bought... (These projects really are a joint effort, aren't they?) and what did we think would happen? The plant looked awful after 30 days, so mission accomplished! I felt evil for smoking, as a young Mom, and our son had a "finding" for his Science Fair project. "Smoking's bad for you." I think the surgeon general was onto that before my son was but he (and I) got a decent grade anyway.
The other projects that the boys did, after that one, aren't as memorable, although I'm sure there was wailing and gnashing of teeth over them (by me) as well. The ideas were harder to come by, the deadlines, more daunting. And by the time son #3 had a Science Fair in his future, my tolerance and patience, I'm sure, were really waning! We got thru all of the science fairs, unscathed, our relationships still intact, but failed to produce a scientist out of the whole lot.
I really enjoyed the aforementioned girl's Science Fair project, and although, saying "everyone hates the Science Fair" may be unfair, I certainly hope she got a blue ribbon for her efforts...because, in my judgement, she's a genius!
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