Balancing on a turkey
Last year at this time I filled this blog with my somewhat arcane knowledge of Thanksgiving, thanks to the work I did on my master's thesis. Most everyone I know has heard this information now, so I won't rehash. I'll let a few years go by, and assuming I'm still in the blogosphere then, I'll let 'er rip again.
This year I'm focused on family, and how nice it is not to travel -- which in many ways is an oxymoron since we have no family here. I'm focused on what a nice place Boulder is to call home, and I'm not just saying that because it was 70 degrees and sunny today. I'm focused on my new hobby of running, and how I never thought I'd be one to plot when I could squeeze a run in. I'm focused on the fact that I was a moron for waiting until the last minute to go to the grocery store, but I'm enjoying the smell of baking sweet potatoes. So I'm focused on some good things.
But also, it seems I'm NOT focused in some important places. Like finding a good balance between work and the rest of my life, and within the rest of my life category between being a mom and being more than a mom. I'm continually out of balance, and this bothers me. Yet, I can't seem to set things right. A lot of people live this way, so either everyone else is also all out of whack and keeps quiet about it, or I have an unusually low tolerance for it. Either way, back on my home turf, I wish things were easier. I feel more at ease when the house is completely picked up, and knowing that gives me insight into some things I could do to bring about more balance. (Since the home of twin four-year olds isn't going to be picked up all the time, I need to apply that ease to other areas.) That pile on my desk? The closet I can't open without something falling out? Those little computer tasks that lurk? All that dross clogs me up. Gotta clear some of those bothersome things out of the way since I can't seem to will them not to bother me.
So, I plan to spend part of the holiday weekend taking care of loose ends. Wrapping up little things so I can focus on the big things. I'll let you know if it helps. Certainly can't hurt.
Meanwhile, M+O couldn't wait for Thanksgiving, mostly because kids love any special occasion. O's picked out which dress she's going to wear days in advance, and M is excited for the turkey. They made pumpkin pie at school, and now they're huge fans of pie. They also made hats, one made a pilgrim hat, and the other made a native american hat. There's something odd about seeing a pilgrim hat harking back to seventeenth-century Plymouth here in the west where things from Colorado's 1859 gold rush are as old as it gets. But even though I'm into the nitty gritty history of this holiday and the "first" Thanksgiving, I have to admit that a pilgrim hat looks pretty darnn cute on a four year old (even one uncooperative at photo time).
This year I'm focused on family, and how nice it is not to travel -- which in many ways is an oxymoron since we have no family here. I'm focused on what a nice place Boulder is to call home, and I'm not just saying that because it was 70 degrees and sunny today. I'm focused on my new hobby of running, and how I never thought I'd be one to plot when I could squeeze a run in. I'm focused on the fact that I was a moron for waiting until the last minute to go to the grocery store, but I'm enjoying the smell of baking sweet potatoes. So I'm focused on some good things.
But also, it seems I'm NOT focused in some important places. Like finding a good balance between work and the rest of my life, and within the rest of my life category between being a mom and being more than a mom. I'm continually out of balance, and this bothers me. Yet, I can't seem to set things right. A lot of people live this way, so either everyone else is also all out of whack and keeps quiet about it, or I have an unusually low tolerance for it. Either way, back on my home turf, I wish things were easier. I feel more at ease when the house is completely picked up, and knowing that gives me insight into some things I could do to bring about more balance. (Since the home of twin four-year olds isn't going to be picked up all the time, I need to apply that ease to other areas.) That pile on my desk? The closet I can't open without something falling out? Those little computer tasks that lurk? All that dross clogs me up. Gotta clear some of those bothersome things out of the way since I can't seem to will them not to bother me.
So, I plan to spend part of the holiday weekend taking care of loose ends. Wrapping up little things so I can focus on the big things. I'll let you know if it helps. Certainly can't hurt.
Meanwhile, M+O couldn't wait for Thanksgiving, mostly because kids love any special occasion. O's picked out which dress she's going to wear days in advance, and M is excited for the turkey. They made pumpkin pie at school, and now they're huge fans of pie. They also made hats, one made a pilgrim hat, and the other made a native american hat. There's something odd about seeing a pilgrim hat harking back to seventeenth-century Plymouth here in the west where things from Colorado's 1859 gold rush are as old as it gets. But even though I'm into the nitty gritty history of this holiday and the "first" Thanksgiving, I have to admit that a pilgrim hat looks pretty darnn cute on a four year old (even one uncooperative at photo time).
Comments
Does it mean you don't buy Virginia's claim to the holiday?
Here's Congress's 1941 proclamation. I printed it to post in my library last month!