Thursday, January 17, 2008

domesticating

Sorry - that was a bit of a breather, wasn't it?

I've been settling in to my new years resolutions.
One has been to feed my family better. More whole grains and produce, less processed foods. So I've been doing crazy things like baking bread and making my own pasta. Rather fun actually, but time consuming. If only Mr Renn were as enthusiastic about that one as I am.
My other excuse-for-not-blogging/resolution has been to manage my time better (a.k.a. find a way to keep my house clean). So I've been scrubbing and dusting and vacuuming more than I'm used to lately. Unfortunately Sir O is such a top-notch mess maker that nothing ever looks any cleaner to me. Experiencing slight discouragement.
I'm also trying to be more "in the moment" with Sir O. Lately it seems as if he's hollering at me "Hey mom, look at me! No, really LOOK and SEE me." He's also decided to be camera-shy. He sees a camera and he heads for the hills.

(My last two resolutions involving exercise and scripture study will have to be addressed here later)

Have you ever noticed that there are some things that nice people are bound to like? Well, maybe "nice people" isn't the right verbage. But something that might tip you off that someone would be very easy to like, because they are fond of it too? Well lately I've noticed that about Amelie and Anne Shirley. (As things, not as people) While both are very neatly conceived, they also both exist in too-perfect-to-be-real universes where most wrongs can be righted, and yet there is something so enjoyable about them, that you feel a little rose-tinted yourself when you are through and you like that feeling while it lasts. And "nice people" seem to be able to appreciate that rose-tinted boost for what it's worth. Just something I've noticed since I need more "boosts" than usual in the wintertime in PA.

My boost this week was un-boosted however, because I read the biography of L.M. Montgomery in the back of my Anne of Green Gables, and it made her life sound very discouraging, unromantic, and left a troublingly vague link between her depression and her death during WWII. Totally jolted me into realizing that real-life is just never as fulfilling as the narratives we crave, and to expect it to be, or even hope for it to be is considerably naive. One of those things I think I always knew, but maybe haven't fully comprehended. Growing up is none fun.

6 comments:

Brittany said...

You gotta love reality, right? Glad to hear you are doing great on your goals so far. I have a lot of those goals (especially about healthy meals) once the baby comes. Right now when I get home from work, I'm so tired and exhausted, we're lucky if we get anything other than cereal.

hairyshoefairy said...

Go, go, go!! Those are great goals. I'm trying to help us eat better, too. It does take quite a bit more time, though, huh?

That's interesting about L.M. Montgomery. Sad, really. Probably why she created Anne. To have a place she could enjoy herself. I think everyone needs a place like that. I also think that even though it is a dream-like, romanticized place and I eventually have to leave it, I leave feeling better and wanting to be better in the real world, so it's a good thing. Some people may think I'm naive, but I prefer to think I'm just not cynical. :)

hairyshoefairy said...

P.S. I hope that gave you a little bit of "boost" back. :)

Carolanne said...

I so relate! I made my first loaf of bread the other day (it was white bread, but I'm just learning) and the grown up world definitely lacks some of the luster and glow that Anne embodies. I just strive for the Anne-like 'moments' that get me through the more Montgomeryesque (I made that word up) ones. And as for cleaning, I made myself a chore chart. Elementary, I know, but it has worked so far.

Deena said...

Some movies that I watch cause to me to wish I lived in a big city and and could go on huge shopping sprees and have all kinds of fun adventures. It will never happen. :(

Angela said...

I love baking bread, but I never could figure out how to make good pasta. Which reminds me, I still need to send you the instruction manual/cookbook for that bread maker. I certainly needed a reminder 7 months later!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...