Wednesday, November 15, 2023

It's All Hard To Believe

The calendar says it's the middle of November and we're having Indian Summer weather.  When I got up this morning at 5:45 the outside temp was 41.  Now in early afternoon, with a glorious sun having been shining all day . . . well, it must be in the 50s.
 
Shutting down for the winter months may be something we're ready for but with this kind of weather so late in the season, we can't justify doing it.  So outside tasks that we didn't think would get crossed off the list this year are being done during the short daylight hours in each day.  Ready for a rest we may be, but using this unexpected time to accomplish a couple more fall tasks is worthwhile.  As Martha would say, it's a good thing. 
 
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Recently my daughter noticed a small quilted wall hanging of an appliqued turkey I hung on the wall and asked if it was new as she didn't remember seeing it before.  "Gosh, no," I replied.  "I made that maybe about five years ago.  Or maybe even six or seven years ago."  Taking it down from the wall I looked at the date I put on the back when I completed it.  2003.  Twenty years ago.  Oh, my.  Where. does. the. time. go?
 
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I can't cook worth beans lately.  I've forgotten how apparently.  Nearly every meal revolves around something burned or missing an ingredient (or two) or it just has a strange (not good) flavor.  Same recipes, same methods of preparation but nothing seems to come out right.  Plus, danger, danger!  I walk away from the stove and leave a burner on.  I'm thinking the only sensible solution is to hire a full-time cook.  Yep, I need to be replaced with a newer model. 
 
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Friends are stopping in tomorrow on their way through to another destination so I should tidy up the house a bit.  But how dirty can it be?  I did a thorough vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing, cleaning . . . when?  Couldn't have been more than three or four weeks ago.
 

 

13 comments:

DFW said...

Cleaning is neverending. Especially when the end results disappear almost immediately. Why bother, except to keep dirt & dust off our sheets?

Time travels waaaay to fast these days.

Rosalea said...

I can sure relate to the forgetfulness..ask me about the sound of running water running out of a pot onto the floor!!! I have learned to repeat a mantra whenever I turn on water or stove and go to do something else, so I don't forget. Multi-tasking...Huh...pretty much a thing of the past!!!
We have been enduring the grey, dreary Nov. days, although yesterday we had one glorious sunny day. Back to gloom and doom today. Glad you are getting some nice weather, send it over??

Tim B. Inman said...

You make me grin. Annie Oakley has been eating well here at Oakdale Farm lately. Sadly, some of my stuff - she won't even eat. So much for fancy cookin'!

I've found a good lady to keep me polished and organized. It's a godsend for me. She even decorates my dining room table seasonally for me. BUT, I remember saying to my wife one time (she was whining about needing to be two people to take care of the joint) that maybe we should get a couple of cute 20-somethings to come help. "You're not wired for 2-20 was the curt answer!

And so we press on. Turn on what needs turning on; shut off what should be shut off; don't get fancy in the kitchen.

Cheers!

Mama Pea said...

DFW - It's either laugh or cry when you consider all the things the person in charge of the every day tasks have to do . . . like cleaning, laundry, cooking, picking up, etc. It's never a job "accomplished." As you say, those things are never finished!

Rosalea - I've done the same as you. Repeating a mantra. "Remember the wood stove in which you've just started a fire. Remember the wood stove in which you've just started a fire." Can't tell you how many times I've had to start all over again with more paper and kindling!

Tim - I see your wife had the same good sense of humor you do! :o)

Leigh said...

When the weather is nice, it's hard not to take advantage of it! Especially in November.

It's amazing how quickly time passes nowadays. Is it us, or is the world spinning faster?

Mama Pea said...

Leigh - I've been giving a lot of thought lately to just how much time modern technology takes of our time in each and every day. I know it's supposed to make our lives simpler, but does it, really? I don't spend a lot of time on my computer each day, for instance, but what did I do for those minutes (sometimes hours) that I do now? Do we all have too much to do in our day's time now? More than we ever had before because of all technology offers to us? Our lives are much more complicated than they once were and, therefore, we have more to squeeze into each day, week, month, etc. So time seems to go faster, right? I always compare it to when I was growing up and all the adults, and often children, would spend time relaxing, talking, thinking on the front porch of an evening whenever the weather allowed. Excuse me now while I go check my e-mails before heading to bed.

Nancy In Boise said...

We had something similar with almost 65° weather several weeks ago! Now we're down to 21 at night and snow east of us but luckily most of that missed us. Happy thanksgiving!

Rajani Rehana said...
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Rajani Rehana said...
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Leigh said...

"I've been giving a lot of thought lately to just how much time modern technology takes of our time in each and every day. I know it's supposed to make our lives simpler, but does it, really?"

Mama Pea, I have come to the same conclusion. So much of our time must be spent tending to that technology, just to keep it going. And so many tasks are faster and easier to do by hand. Clean up is faster and easier too!

I don't blog as much anymore (at least not on my homestead blog) because I decided I wanted to do something else with my time. I don't regret that.

Mama Pea said...

Nancy - Our weather seems to be bouncing around, not settling down into what we might expect this time of year. Warmish days (no long underwear yet!), then high winds followed by bitter cold. Now today seems like spring with the temperature showing us 38 degrees without even any sun. No snow for us yet either.

Leigh - Your sentiments regarding our world filled with technology are much like mine. It's good that we humans have the capability of making changes when they seem beneficial. Maybe it's even a stage of growth for us, those changes. Bottom line, we need to keep thinking, learning and, yes, making those changes toward what feels right and good for each of us.

Campeon said...

Your blog has become a source of comfort and inspiration for me.

Mama Pea said...

Campeon - Thank you!