Feb 5 , Howdy

Howdy.... And now that it's Mid day... Good day. We have new neighbors in the section. They came in after dark last night.

 

Oh OH oH.. I LOVE Whoopie... she can come put with some off the wall remarks to be sure, but today she did great.
They were talking to someone who had gotten some 2nd degree burns before Christmas and Elizabeth said something about how the grill is her husband's domain...And that she was now afraid to use the grill and was willing to let him keep that domain.. That's when Whoopie said
" Women shouldn't be afraid to do anything !! "

 

As much as men don't like to hear that, it's a basic truth. You don't see most men afraid to do anything. But some men are more than willing to try to make a woman feel worthless if she tries and fails instead of encouraging her to try again.

 

I have been so lucky though. My Husband has never discouraged me from trying something new. He's never said I can't do something just because I'm a woman. My Older brother is much the same way. We were not totally given chores based on our gender. Yes I did more dishes than my brothers did, but I didn't have to mow the grass as often. We all took out the trash, took care of the pets and picked up after ourselves. My Mom was thrilled when Thom had to take a course of Home Ec, in school and loved that I got a course in shop. I loved shop. The teacher wasn't too thrilled to be teaching a bunch of girls though, and tried his best to make it harder on us that it should have been. But then, that was back in the late 1960's and early 1970's.. Just past bra burning and just about the height of Women's Lib. I'm glade we have almost outgrown that. Many women still have to be "Super Mom".. you know they. They get up early, Cook breakfast, clean house, go off to work for 8, 10 or 12 hours a day then come home and clean house some more. And on the weekends they are frazzled because the housework they did during the week, has to be done yet again.Plus they are in charge of taking care of the kids. How sad is it.. a woman may be asked how she handles having both a job and raising kids. Hardly ever is a man asked how he handles having both a job and kids.

 

Jerry and I were more Traditional. Yes, I did work a few times outside the house. mostly part time jobs that were a few hours a day not 5 days a week most of the time, after the kids were born. Once Beth was born I didn't work outside the house at all except for one week. Now that the kids are out of the house, I wish I had worked at least some of the time. I'm just so blessed that Jerry is ok that I'm not out working.

 

My Mom never let us kids off easy. My brother's had to learn to clean house and I had to learn how to mow the grass ( when I was older) I had to watch oil changes and tire changes.. I can change both, but I'll admit I'm happy I don't HAVE to do them.
Jerry was brought up more traditional. Boys mowed every weekend. took out the trash and walked the dog. Girls cleaned the house and did the cooking and dishes. Luckily , when he and I married he realized we were both going to have to do it all, wether we liked it or now. With the kids we shifted the chores around most of the time. Each took out trash, washed dishes. did their own laundry (or, in David's case, he paid his sisters to do it for him) I have to admit I was a bit miffed when I heard from Beth that she was out changing a tire on her car while her S/O was inside playing games on the computer. Not that she can't change a tire. but that he should have at least been out there with her. That was some time ago. but it still rankles that he didn't think enough of her to want to take care of the car for her.

 

Outside my door ... We started off the day partly cloudy, now it's mostly cloudy. and I think the temperature is dropping a bit as well. I need to walk in the back and see if the wild brush is starting to bud. I know the other day, I saw some Daffodils blooming along the roadway in Danville. I've seen that happen before, In other areas of the country but I don't recall if it was this early in February or not.

 

The Dogs ... I have been folding up some laundry and I tossed a blanket over Rocky. He's still under it. Barney is in doggy jail, again. He just would not leave Macon alone. He was doing his best to make Macon play with him. I'll have to put the leads together and toss the ball for Barney later this afternoon

The Cats ... are all outside, It's warm enough that they don't want to stay inside for any amount of time at all.

 

From the kitchen... . We had Taco Bell for dinner. I was hoping that, Jerry would have time to work on the water leak tonight. He worked on it, but he didn't day if I should put the water on the camper or go yet one more day without water.

 

I am hearing... mid day news. Macon just gave out a huge sigh. or was it Barney? the fan on the heater .

 

I am wearing... Brown, long sleeved top with brown sweat pants.

 

I am reading... Exodus 35, another chapter in " 'Patchwork A Story of 'The Plain People' "

 

Billie C

"Household tasks are easier and quicker when they are done by somebody else."
-- James Thorpe