New Age Farming

    It used to be that farmers were up from sunrise to sunset, taking care of their farms. Much time and energy was put forth to plow fields and care for livestock. But much has changed since then. We now have technology and with that farming has changed drastically.

    Behold, the new face of farming.

    Now everyone is a farmer. They waste away hours of their days on computers and smart phones plowing away at fake fields and feeding digital animals. Their is no reward of a crop or of pay. Idle time is a huge luxury that farmers of yore didn't have. We have more free time in our days and our lifespan is longer. Our work ethic has become lazy and we take much for granted.

    Sims games are the rage but all we are doing is hiding from our real lives. We have the ability to be our own characters and build our own games to our liking.

The purpose of life is a life of purpose.  ~Robert Byrne

Calamity to Calm

    It seems that everyone is looking for their rhythm. Something that makes them happy and feel fulfilled. Those who work wish to be home and those that are at home wish to be at work. The cycle seems to be unending. I have been one of those people who never seemed to find my niche. I was always looking for something else.

    I recently became a stay at home mom. I welcomed the break and really enjoyed resting up the first month the kids went back to school. I started working on some projects around the house and then it bit me. The bug that makes you want more, makes you second guess your purpose, undermines your efforts. I began to think maybe I was a bum for not bringing in an income. I felt the pressure to do more.

    Then out of the inner chaos, I realized I was being productive and industrious. I've been caring for my family and home, helping extended family members with their many needs, and volunteering my time with both the schools and a local non-profit. Sure there isn't any money involved but I am making a difference for the many that need me. I found my inner calm. It's a breath of fresh air. I have found contentment and hope that it stays.

How to lose weight at Wal-Mart

    I took my grandmother shopping yesterday. We went to Wal-Mart. The BIG Wal-Mart. Most stores have lots of square footage, this store has acreage.  She needed to go to the pharmacy, so I took her that way. Then we went to the back of the store to look at fabric for her sewing project. She then took me all the way to the opposite end of the store to get her groceries. So far, no problem, this is a typical way to shop at Wal-Mart.

    "Can you get me some cat food please? I need the big bag". Sure it will be faster if I get it. I look around and the cat food is ALL THE WAY on the other side of the store. So I begin hiking over there just to hike back with a 20 pound bag of cat food on my hip. So I ask if she is ready to go. "I forgot the aspirin". Guess who gets to walk back to the pharmacy on other end of store? This back and forth continues for awhile.

    We finally check out and of course our car is parked on the opposite end of the store. I then walk her things to the back of the parking lot where I was forced to park and then drive up to pick her up. I think I walked a 5k at Wal-Mart.

Pied Piper

    I am the pied piper. I do not play a flute to attract mice, but I do have a tendency to attract children of all ages without trying. Many times when I go out I will notice a 4th child in my brood. Following me in the store, asking me questions in the park, or walking in a parking lot; these kids zero in on me as if by a magnetic force. I feel like the neighborhood mother.

    While kids are my business and gift in life, I have always wondered how babies and children learn to sense the good and evil in people. They almost always are drawn to the right type of  people, knowing who is safe and who is not. Even when I have no kids with me, I still get the feeling I'm being followed and am in fact.

    My granny has Snow White Syndrome. She attracts all the animals of the city. Stray cats, opossums, birds; they all love and trust her. They sense something in her person that they know will protect them. I again wonder how this works.

Scarlett O'Hara Disorder

    Scarlett O'Hara is known for saying; "I can't think about this now, I will think about it later". I, too, tend to procrastinate. I have so many things that need done on a day to day basis and other big projects that need worked on. I am unable to do both so something is always being put off. Progress is made, but other things get piled up.

    I feel like taking care of a house with kids in it is like sweeping. Sweeping is inherantly easy work. You sweep the dust in a pile and dispose of it. The kind of sweeping I am talking about is much more difficult. Cleaning a house with kids in it, is like sweeping the shore line. You will remove the sand from a small area only to turn around and see that the tide has brought it back in. Thus a mother's work is never done.

    Occasionally, I will get a few days to myself with no kids around. The mature mom in me says, "you should use this time to get ahead on things". But the tired me just wants to relax and enjoy the quiet.

Welcome! Doormat Syndrome

   

     I have a good, bad habit of helping people. If you ask me for help, then 9 times out of 10 I'm gonna be there for you. I like being able to help others and feel it is the right thing to do. Sadly, I have noticed a scary trend. The same people who consistently need help and support, whether monetary, mental, physical, or otherwise, never seem to be able to reciprocate when you are in need. I have a huge handful of friends and family that I only hear from when they need something. It's always a "life or death" problem to them and they can't seem to see past their own needs. If I call on these same people for help of any kind or even something as benign as setting up a time to relax and hangout, they are way too busy and come up with a myriad of excuses as to why they get to be selfish.


    I now feel like I need to be selfish and tell these same people "no". Of course I will be labeled as mean and uncaring, that is the nature of this beast. Why does this trend of using others and abusing their kindness now exist? Are we all destined to become heartless?

Dating With The Stars

    This past Saturday, my children spent the night at their grandma's house. I was wanting a date night but the bank account said "no". I guess we can't go anywhere but that wasn't going to stop me from having a relaxing night with my sweetie.

     We have a pile of brush that needs burned.  So, we decided to do double duty. We pulled the firepit out that evening and got a fire going. Sitting around the fire, we enjoyed dinner and drinks. I threw down a blanket and we played cards and watched the stars. I saw three meteors that night. We spent no money and I had a great night, probably one of my faves.

Why I Hate Cats

     We had two great cats. They were litterboxed trained and pleasant pets. Last spring I found them a great new home as my allergies were getting bad. It offered my eyes relief and comfort.

    We live in a home that is about 100 years old. Apparently old houses are mice magnets. I hate mice and prefer them either not in my house, or dead. I prefer not to use poison as I have dogs and kids. Humane traps, do not work well enough. The only solution...another cat. Allergies aside, I set my sites on recruiting new mice assassins. I enlisted 2 stray kittens. I have litterbox trained them and they are indoor only cats. They are adorable and fun, but don't be fooled, they are being raised to fight, maim, and kill.

    Someone found a third kitten from a different litter about the same size as the other two and asked if I would take him. I agreed to. This kitten is not litterbox trained. I, being the lucky one at home, work on teaching the kitten to use the box. He is about 50/50, not great odds. I am not a quitter, so I keep trying.

    This morning I woke up to find that kitten number 3 has decided to crap on the blanket that I am currently under. It was disgusting and appalling! I threw the kitten in the litterbox and threw the blanket in the washer. This blanket is huge and barely fits in the washer and takes 2 cycles to dry. Hours later my blanket is freshly laundered and I place on my bed. I walk away to start another load of laundry. As I come back to my room, I see the same kittten sitting on my bed, next to a pile of fresh kitty crap. $#@! I put him in the litterbox to strip my bed again. When I turn around I see him squatting on the floor trying to go again!!!

    I now have 2 indoor kittens and 1 outdoor kitten. Anyone looking for a cute gray kitten, FULL of fun and surprises, let me know. I would love to give this kitten to you so you can feel the same joy that I do!