A man strolled down the sidewalk of a suburban neighborhood.  The street echoed with the occasional bark of a dog and the twitter of a bird in a tree.  He remembered his childhood.  Mornings on his street as a child practically sang with the sounds of sheets snapping in the breeze, vacuums buzzing through the houses, and the scent of bread, cakes, and cookies had punctuated the air. 

As he neared the second house from the corner, he noticed a difference.  Instead of the sparse manicured lawns and perfect landscaping, this home boasted a large tree with a baby swing hanging from the branches, a large flower garden, and a recently repaired fence, one board as yet unpainted.  The windows were open allowing fresh air to flow through the house, and allow the scent of oatmeal cookies to waft through those windows to tantalize our gentleman.

Our gentleman was curious so he entered the home.  Now don't be alarmed, he isn't going to hurt anyone, no one can see him, and this is just our way to be a fly on the wall in this home.  I just had to reassure you.  ;)

Inside, the woman of the house is removing sheets of cookies from a well used oven.  While clean, this appliance shows evidence of consisent use.  The corners are nicked, the handle has been glued with an epoxy that shows at the corners, and one of the knobs was laid too near a hot burner at some point.

As she scoops the cookies off of the baking sheet, she flips them upside down on layers of newspaper on the counter.  (trapping moisture inside and keeping the cookies soft.  They obviously are not a crispy cookie family!  She slips a fresh sheet of cookies in the oven, and then carefully stacks her cooled cookies into storage containers.  It is obviously an oft' repeated routine.

A glance at the clock implies she has other things to consider.  She looks into her batter bowl and then scoops more cookies onto the sheet.  She has time to finish.  Our gentleman wonders what is pressing upon her time.  She's home, apparently alone, and the house is clean.  Why is time such an issue?

Our woman, let's call her Martha for comic relief, immediately rinses her dishes and sorts them into the dishwasher.  She clears away most of the newspaper and wipes down the counter.  Her hands are busy as she waits for the timer to remind her to remove the cookies.  They emerge from the oven perfect.  She pulls three paper towels from the roll and puts a cookie on each towel.  From a drawer she pulls a sippie cup, and from the cupboard she removes two mugs.  Our gentleman realizes that there are children expected.

Just as she wipes the final crumbs from the counter and washes her hands, the faint sound of an alarm clock drifts in from the hallway.  A little boy, around six or seven years old, races down the hallway.  A cocked eyebrow from mom stops him dead in his tracks.  He does an abrupt about face, and scuttles back to his doorway.  Walking now, albeit quickly, the lad hustles as quickly as possible to the bar separating the kitchen from the living area and climbs up on the barstool.

The afternoon passes in a blur.  The second eldest child is a girl of four and then there is a baby  boy of sixteen months.  Between settling scuffles, supervising toy clean ups, and getting dinner on the table, she barey has time to sit to hear her son practice his reading for ten minutes.  It is a very busy time.

Our gentleman watches over the space of weeks.  This homemaker is a loving wife.  She isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination.  She gets frustrated by a tired husband and irritated that she must fix the broken faucet or wait until the weekend to have him do it.  However, their relationship is generally mutually satisfying and encouraging.  As a mother, she's firm and loving at the same time.  The children don't get away with petty disobediences any more than they do overt defiance but all is handled with a calm matter-of-factness.  The children don't see her as she slips into her room to scream silently over yet another infraction.  She doesn't always enjoy this aspect of motherhood but already with her eldest, she is reaping the rewards of loving consistency.

The  home is a well oiled machine.  Occasionaly parts get squeaky, like when she extended an afternoon at the park with the children and fogot to do her weekly money transfer.  Her husband found it impossible to withdraw his weekly allowance on the way home from work that Friday night.  However, as a general rule, things work well. 

Out of curiosity, our gentleman went into several other homes in the area for comparison and finally found another full time homemaker.  The difference is startling.  This woman spends her hours putting out fires and playing in between the fires.  She reads a book, the subject and type of book is immaterial, until a child is hanging precariously from a bunk bed.  She races to stop the child, administers some form of punishment, and then returns to her book.  The sound of her husband's car in the driveway reminds her that dinner is expected soon.  She tosses the book aside and rushes to throw together something in order to avoid another emergency pizza meal. 

Their checkbook hasn't been balanced in months, their savings account is nearing the red, and several bills wait to be paid in a stack on the counter.  They have house projects to do that they can't due to lack of funding.  Their income is sufficient but their usage is excessive.  We won't talk about the occasional bouts of credit card debt.

The gentleman returned to Martha's home and wandered through the rooms.  Martha's children seem healthier and less antsy but happier.  Martha takes time to ensure that she exercises, gets plenty of refreshing sleep, and eats a reasonable diet.  She has time to pursue pleasant pasttimes but then with a job that is 24/7, you would hope that she would have some time off!

Our gentleman made a list of the things he saw this woman do.  It was almost incalculable. 

• Basic house cleaning
• Organization
• Child care
• Child training
• Child education
• Interior decoration
• Furniture repair/reupholstery
• Home maintenance
• Auto maintenance/scheduling
• Nutrition and meal planning
• Cooking
• Food storage and preservation
• Shopping (groceries, clothing, furniture, and personal care/household items primarily)
• Scheduling (dental, visual, and medical, and other similar appointments)
• Book keeping
• Bill paying
• Research
• Financial Growth
• Gardening/landscaping/lawn care
• Sewing
• Correspondence
• Goal planning
• Preparation for the future

The list grew until he couldn't fathom the enormity of the tasks.  It wasn't until he realized that she didn't do all of those things every day, or even every week, that he was able to understand how she could be such an energy filled and fulfilled person.  His job as a former CPA seemed almost too easy and for the first time, he truly appreciated all his wife did.

"What is the difference," he wondered as he compared the two homes, women, husbands, and families, "between this home and the other?  Both women eventually do most of the same things yet Martha seems less haggard and harried than her neighor from several streets over.  Why is this?"

Martha could tell him if she could see him.  It's really a very simple answer to give but not so simple to live.  It's not a carefully planned schedule.  Contrary to appearances, very little of Martha's life is scheduled.  She has a few iron clad scheduled duties and a few routines in motion but most of her life is fairly well lived as it comes.  She tried scheduling several times but found that either the schedule controlled their lives in a way that left little room for taking advantage of excellent opportunities, or she found herself enjoying opportunities and losing sight of the schedule all together.  In doing that, she also lost sight of a few important activities.  She knew she had to find a happy medium, and for her, the healthy balance of basic routines punctuated with occasional unmovable duties, worked.

However, her routines and lack of schedule aren't the answer.  Not really.  They're a by-product of the answer.  The answer is simply that her home, family, children, and personal growth are her career.  She approaches her life as one who considers her days to be filled with a job that must be done, not one that must be appeased in order to free time to do the "fun stuff".  Where her neighbor works in between bouts of free time resenting the fact that she must work at all, Martha takes her job as wife, mother, homemaker, and Christian very seriously.

Her career is a varied one, I grant you.  She doesn't make financial investment decisions daily, or even monthly.  However, on her calendar she does have a notation of when to re-evaluate their decisions and make any changes.  This is one of those non-flexible appointments with herself. 

She doesn't spend every day researching the best recipes at the lowest cost, but when she does her budget and sees that food has increased, before she increases the budget to meet the rising cost of food, she does look over their menu and sees if they've switched from eating to nourish the body and enjoy God's blessing of food to possibly eating to enjoy and ignoring the necessity of nourishment.  During those times, she might search for new recipes to see if there is a way to reduce expenses in the food department but this is a brief period in life and one reason why a strict schedule would never work in her home.

She does spend every day in general maintenance.  It is this necessity of life that causes people to under value the calling and career of homemaker.  When you watch what a homemaker does, on the surface it seems to be a lot of dusting, sweeping, mopping, toilet scrubbing, dishes, and laundry.  Throw in a good bit of cooking and shopping, and you have a very accurate picture of the bulk of many homemaker's days.  This leaves the erroneous idea that you have an accurate picture of the bulk of a homemaker's LIFE.  This is simply untrue.

What most rarely see is the research into vehicles, medical plans, and househod appliances.  Why is this valued in a Fortune 500 company but degraded in a home?   Do we really think so little of a the great savings to family coffers when a wife spends time ensuring that they get the most from her husband's hard earned dollars?

We don't value she spends combing garage sales and thrift stores in order to save the family money.  We don't see that she finds things she knows she can't use but resells them online at a healthy profit adding to the family's financial worth.  It doesn't sound like a "real job" therefore it has no societal worth.  How very sad.

She may have a means of earning money from the home or not.  Some wives find this an easy thing to do while others prefer to find ways to save money rather than ways of procuring it.  Both are an added bonus to any family's budget.

What am I really trying to say by all of this?  Why did I write this elaborate but simplistic tale of homemaking?  Haven't we heard it all at some time or another?   We don't need to be convinced of the validity of our choice?  We don't need to be told that there is so much more we could do if we only had the skills, resources, or knowledge to do it.  It is no surprise to us to hear that colleges are once again offering degrees in Home Economics that encompass everything from finances, to basic medical care, to nutrition and more hands-on things like pattern drafting and food preservation.  Society is finally recognizing what happened when women left the home in droves for the workforce.  Skills necessary to the well running of a home were shoved to the side where they grew dusty and covered with cob webs.

Is the keeping of your home your career, or what you do to assuage the guilt between bouts of "doing your thing"? 

Signing off.  I need arnica cream for my toes.  I've trampled them so thoroughly here that I can barely walk.

It sounds like kind of a crazy thing to consider worthy of a blog entry.  Small houses are like big ones only smaller.  There are less walls and floor space so do the same things with less right?   In some ways, this is true.  Then again, decorating to fit your specific home (and I am going to prattle about small ones since that is where my areas of expertise lie) makes sense.

First, really let yourself look at your house.  Don't just focus on the parts you love or hate, give it a real once over and be fair about it.  Is it a 'cottage'?  Is it a contemporary bungalow?  Is it a cape cod salt box?  Is it a saltine box with a shoebox garage?  What about the houses around it?  Are they all adobe haciendas or ranch tracts?  Are they eclectic or uniform?

My house is a crackerbox.  My 'shoebox' garage is actually detached and 20' behind our house.  We also have another shoebox added onto the back of the crackerbox but from the front our house looks like one of the original mobile homes.  I've hated the outside of my house for years.  I love the inside, but the outside is just boring, ugly, and uninspiring.  It always was.  But, because I live inside my house rather than outside of it, I chose to go with an interior that called to me.

Ok, so our lists.  I'll make one too just for an example.  (and it'll thrill those who are sick of me raving about my house)

Pros:

• Size-  I love that this house is small and cozy.  I love that we can't get too far from one another and escape into our own worlds but that we do have room for privacy when necessary.
• Sturdy-  This house is built to last.  It is structurally sound even if it needs some TLC in areas.
• Location-  I love that we are centrally located.  I can literally walk to anywhere in this town.  People are able to stop by without having to go out of their way so we see people more often.
• Bedroom sizes-  I love our big bedrooms.  Most small houses have tiny little rooms but ours are nice 12x14 rooms and the back room is bigger still.  We don't feel cramped in there.
• Storage-  I love that there is plenty of room here for all of our 'stuff'.
• Huge backyard-  I love our huge, dirt filled back yard.  My kids have dug holes deep enough to swim in that back yard and they loved every minute of it.
• Hardwood floors-  I love that we have no carpeting.  I love that our floors are beautiful and clean up so easily.
• Vaulted ceiling-  This gives the 'feel' of a bigger house.  It's less claustrophobic and also allows for book shelves to run along the top of thedoorway without feeling cramped.

I could go on forever but you get the idea.  Ok, the cons.

Cons-

• House Facade-  There isn't one.  The house has no 'oomph'.  No curb appeal.  I avoid the front because it is so boring. 
• The kitchen and bathroom have to be redone.
• The yard needs something done and we need a new tree.
• The storage is there but it isn't always convenient storage.
• East/West exposure isn't optimal in the desert.
• The one bathroom is something that most think is crazy but it doesnt botther us.
• The garage-  If it wasnt detached it'd definitely be more convenient.
• Christmas trees make things interesting.  A place where I can put one up without a hassle would be a BLESSING.

Ok, now if I was going through each room and being incredibly specific I would mention things like the wall heater being a pill... forced heat under the house would be nice but not nice enough t make that much difference since that heater takes up wall space right in front of a doorway so you can't really use it for anything else anyway.  I might talk about how they should have done the closets in the living room/our room differently but it's not that big of a deal either.  Now, to the specifics.

When you step inside, does your choice of decor scream at you or welcome you?  What I mean is that sometimes our decor fights with the house it is in.  If you have a strong Spanish style to your architecture and you try to make it a Victorian dream, you may end up with a nightmare.  (And I've seen the above done in a large home.  It wasn't pleasant as a guest anyway.)  I don't think that bungalows can't be old-fashioned or that farmhouses can't be contemporary but I do think  one or the other fights for dominance if you aren't careful how you do those things.

Find rooms that you like and find out what 'style' they are.  Will they work in your home?  Will you walk in and feel at home or will things seem to fight for dominance?  Try to avoid taking certain styles to extremes.  Shabby chic looks great in little houses but it's very easy to have too much.  With things like shabby chic, country, victorian and similar styles, go for the less is more approach.

Everyone knows that mirrors create the illusion of space and that strategically placed, you can make a room feel larger and less claustrophobic by simply placing a mirror opposite a window or  on a wall in a narrow room.  What people tend to forget is that walls themselves can create the illusion of space.  One of the worst things that can happen to a room in a small house is the 'wallpaper of furniture'.  We've all seen houses where there is a nice dark wallpaper along the bottom of the room, wainscoting above that and a lighter paper or paint above that.  It's a nice look but in a small house it often looks cramped.  Wall-to-wall furniture gives that same illusion.  Your eye needs a place to rest.  If you don't leave open lower wall space, the room will feel packed and cluttered.  A row of closed light colored cabinets along one wall avoids the cramped feel that a row of book cases will give in the same room.   (Remember that I'm speaking in generalities.  Every home is different, and like people some like to defy average rules of behavior)

Try to avoid filling shelves.  The nicest way to have a bookcase not look cramped is to leave room for 3 or 4 more books on at least one shelf in the bookcase.  Put a small trinket there or lay two or three books on their backs at the end of the row to protect the books from cracking from 'leaning'.    For those like me who LOVE books and have way too many,  consider non-traditonal storage.  Boxes under a bed for rarely used reference materials, totes in a closet for daily school reference books, the top shelf of your closet with risers for maximum usage for antique books you don't want the neighbor's toddler to destroy anyway, and deep dresser drawers are just a few small ways you can store books without buying a new bookcase (and using up that prime wall space!!!) 

Finally, for book fiends like me who have no shame and lots of books, don't forget the area around your ceiling.  (over beds in earthquake country is probably not a good idea)    For example, the first picture is of my bedroom. 

The second runs along each side of the top of a doorway in my living room

And, this works over windows too.  I've got great shelf space just waiting if I run out of book space.  ;)

(You can see the large picture in the corner.  That is a picture I loved but frankly was too big for any of or wall spaces so I forced myself to find it a new home.)

If you like the 'little details' that seem to make a house a home, try adding them into the structure of your home.  I did this recently, as you can see above in picture 2, when we added new windows.  Instead of a simple window  and sill, I added molding, rosettes, and window shelf toppers to every window we have done thus far.  It's AMAZING what kind of difference just that one move made.  I'll try to find some before and after pictures to show in the next blog.

As for tonight, I'm tired, and I have sewing to do for a couple of dear friends so I'll say adieu.

Well last year (in this blog http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/sewingfanatic/54924/Hypothetical+House+Manager.html )   I promised to tell how the year has gone. 

The house manager learned much over the year.  As usual, she didn't accomplish everything she'd hoped and dreamed that she would but there were many excting developments and changes.

In the remodelling department, she is pleased to announce that the living room is done.  There are new windows...

This

Became this

Which became...

And finally...

The housekeeper is quite pleased.  Once the recovering of the couch is complete the room will be perfect.  Moldings such as are shown around the windows accent the doorways and the result is a room with character.  She does plan to sand down the large pew that sits under the other window and refinish it and the floor.  Possibly by April.

The children's education has definitely been overhauled.  Not everything is running how she'd like it but the improvement is remarkable.  Choosing a new math curriculum was definitely a wise decision.  (http://www.teachingtextbooks.com)  One of the non readers is reading but needs a bit more of a push.   All in all it is a 100% improvement over the previous year and in January she has realistic plans to double the scholastic adventures of the children.

The clothing issue is definitely improved.  The housekeeper herself has changed much of her own wardrobe and while she hasn't fixed the problem entirely, she is much more aware of situations and how to solve them.  She is excited to think that perhaps by next year, keeping the family well dressed will just be a routine fact of life.  However  she did create sweet Thanksgiving outfits for her girls that will also double as Christmas Outfits

The meal situation is improved but not to her satisfaction.  The good news is that she has learned how to plan better for snacks and has started new more exciting menus.  Now to implement them.

The business situation is another story all together.  She took this year as a year to reflect, rejuvenate, and plan.  Not much has happened business wise but she did enjoy working on costumes over the summer.  Designing costumes that double as nice clothing was a delight that she hadn't anticipated.

The training of the 'servants' has not improved to her satisfaction.  It is an improvement but because she hasn't put enough effort into the plan, the result was disappointing.  She'll do better next yea with a better plan already forming in her brain.  (The plan is brilliant.  Genius even.  Show them how.  Show them again.  Watch them do it,  make them repeat... until it's done right.  I'm astounded at her brilliance)

So, same time next year, same place.  She had several very tough problems this year.  Considering that fact, I think she did a decent job.  And, had she improved more than she did, she might find next year a bit of a disappointment in the improvement department!

Picture life on a farm in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  (For an example of what I mean, read The Ox Cart Man by Barbara Cooney and Donald Hall)  In winter they worked indoors.  They made baskets and quilted, knitted and whittled.  They worked diligently but the work wasn't as physically demanding as...

Spring.  The snow melted away, they worked the land digging earth, planting, plowing, weeding, and breaking livestock.  It was good for their muscles to get a good workout after months of more fine motor skills and mental work.  But eventually they moved into...

Summer.  Butchering and maintenance become a priority.  Kind of a combination of mental and physical.  The routines change.  The days feel longer and lazy.  More relaxation occured probably than any other time of the year.  Of course for them, relaxation was fishing or berry picking!  Eventually the hot days begin to cool and gives way to...

Autumn.  Harvest.  More physical outdoor work.  Bring the crops in, stock the storehouses, prepare for winter.  Everything is focused on preparation for the long cold winter months.

Our lives are more constant today.  Every week we do pretty much the same thing year round with the exception of shoveling snow or cleaning the swimming pool.  Our general work doesn't change much.  Each week we have a very similar routine as to the week before, and the one before that, and the two dozen before that.

I wonder if that is why we have so much burnout.  I wonder if we don't give ourselves self-imposed monotony.  I wonder if we focused on different things in different seasons, if we'd look eagerly at a change of primary work outside the basics that have never changed.  (People have always had to prepare food daily and clean up afterward.  People have to clean clothes no matter what time of the year and certain housework is done 52 weeks of the year.)

I wonder if this is the answer to my concern on how to prioritize my goals.  Perhaps I need to focus on when is the best time of the year to work on this or that goal.  Perhaps with a bit of variation knowing that it'll be some time before I do this or that thing again, I'll appreciate the job more and do a better job knowing that in time I'll have to put it aside for another goal.

Have you ever noticed that we all have one area of our life that we seem unable to conquer no matter how hard we try?  Budgeting has been mine.  I can make lovely budgets but I am not nearly as good about KEEPING those budgets.  It is a discipline that has eluded me for years.

I finally, about three years ago, quit trying.  It seemed to me that it was a waste of time and energy to do it.  I needed to spend my time on more worthwhile pursuits and since we aren't forced by circumstances to budget, why stress about them?

Then, a few weeks ago I was musing about my lost battle with budgeting.  I consider budgeting to be one of the talents of an accomplished housekeeper.  I consider budgeting to be as important as knowing how to keep a bathroom clean, cook a healthy meal, properly laundery clothing, and construct a sturdy and attractive garment.

I can do almost anything in relation to home keeping.  I can plan menus and I cook well.  I am well known for my sewing abilities.  I can easily and quickly clean and organize a house.  I iron beautifully and minor home repairs are not daunting to me.  I have a nice sense of decorating.  Yes, I know how to make a home look homey and inviting as well as attractive.

I have never, however, managed to stick to a budget for longer than 2-3 weeks.  I decided that this isn't acceptable.  When I've been stumped by other skills I've wanted to learn, I've always fought until I could do them well.  I'm going to do it again.  I am going to learn how to make a realistic budget (I think I have one but we'll see), stick to it, learn from it, and then learn how to teach my children the same skills. 

So, for the next 3 months I am eating, sleeping, and BREATHING budgets.  Every day I come in here an dI open the budget spreadsheet and I think of anythign that is going to come 'out' of it that day etc.

And when I'm done with this... maybe I'll have this skill down and I can work on liking to home school...

NAH.

Why is it that I need lovely surroundings to work!  I looked around my sewing 'studio' yesterday and thought, "I need to do something about this!" 

 I was home from church with a slowly disappearing headache and nausea.  I found myself pacing to avoid the nausea (odd symptoms but what do I know?) and it occured to me that if I'm walking around anyway, I could work on the room.  I started... and by the time I was done (with LOTS of resting from exhaustion, starting again only when the greenies got too bad) I had several cabinets removed and then by the end of the day, I had DECOR up there!

My next goal is to paint the drywall (huggy says he's going to change it out anyway... it isn't mudded or taped so I never painted it.  Since he isn't going to tape this stuff... I'm going to make it look GOOD!)

Then I'll start on more of the cupboards.  GET THAT STUFF OFF of them!  WAHOOTY.

Nothing too profound... but I've gotten a LOT done since I did this.  Amazing isn't it?

I've recently heard of a housekeeper who accepted a job.  It was a very hard case.  Few would consider the position at any price.  The house was not a pig sty by any stretch, but it needed much work.  The organization of the home left much to be desired and yet it ran fairly smoothly considering the lack of attention to detail.  The financial records were embarrassing to the owner though they usually showed bills as paid, in full, and early or on time.  The decor was homey but the servants were poorly trained in their duties so often much was left to be desired.

This job would be hard work.  In addition to keeping the house, this woman would be governess, nanny, chef, and also run a small business for the home owner.

The housekeeper wandered around the house overwhelmed.  There were so many areas needing attention.  The house needed remodeling both inside and out.  Major changes and minor repairs both clamored for her attention.  The general surface was clean but corners found dirt lurking under this and behind that.  The kitchen had walls that needed deep scrubbing while the bathroom needed to be gutted immediately. 

It occured to her, that perhaps she should consider organization rather than remodeling.  To organize and establish orderly routines with the organizational plan might solve many problems.  What she couldn't decide, is if her organization plan would be a waste of time, once the remodeling began.

The family's wardrobe appeared to be in sad repair.  The sweet little girls appeared to wear thrift store rejects.  The housekeeper was appalled to discover that the clothing was purchased or created for the little ones.  Their socks were mismatched, and their dresses limp.  Their hair was disheveled and showed neglect.  The underclothing of the entire family showed a terrible lack of care, forethought and every one needed everything replaced.

Christmas was coming... some expenses couldn't be avoided.  The family had traditions that they chose to uphold and it was the housekeeper's job to ensure that everything worked well.  Things needed to be purchased, packages wrapped, time taken to observe traditions and visit friends.

The housekeeper looked over the business plans and rolled her eyes in disgust.  There was nothing salvagable in this area.  Once she dispached of the very few pending orders, she must begin fresh.  Start the business over from the ground up.  This would require time and effort.  She had three weeks to be up and running.  Could she do it?

She thought perhaps the financial books might be the wisest place to begin.  Looking over the accounts, she found that there wasn't the resources to begin her remodeling projects, do all of the shopping she desired and it would take wisdom to create a budget the paid the regular bills, covered the remodeling, provided the necessary family items, and ensured a happy Christmas for all. 

One glance at the children's lesson plans and the housekeeper considered whether she should renegotiate the governness part of the contract.  Perhaps if she was excellent with her management of the resources, she could provide for tutors.  However, she was also challenged to know that many women managed to fill both roles and she didn't want to give up without giving it a fair chance. 

She looked about her... the task was overwhelming.  What had given her the idea she could do this job?  She was lazy by nature.  She liked to rest, to reflect, to read, to ponder, and to research.  She enjoyed interacting with friends on the internet and writing.  All of this work enticed her to forget the job, reneg on the contract and go back to her indolent life.

She sought the scriptures.  It is no surprise to Christian women everywhere, that she turned to the last chapter of the book of Proverbs.  She read of the ultimate house hold manager's 'plan of attack' and took a deep breath.  She didn't sign up for an easy ride.  No one with any intelligence would pretend that being a house keeper/manager is a simple job.  It is a 'rising early/retiring late' 24/7, 365 days a year job.  She might have to negotiate a few days off and an annual retreat to refuel.  She'd need it to give this job her best.

She looked around at the sheer volume of work again and sighed.  She could whine, pout, stomp her feet.; she could yell, scream, pitch a fit or quit.  One more look around showed that there was more to do than she'd ever hope to accomplish.  She sighed.  This was the reckoning moment.  Would she escape into her usual pasttimes, or would she bite the bullet and begin her new tasks?

A quick glance at the children of the house almost sealed her resolve.  They needed her to do her best.  Another look at the house weakened it again.  She really didn't want to do this job.  It just occured to her that this was the truth of the matter.  She didn't want to do THIS job.  She wanted a household up and running smoothly.  She wanted one that didn't need to be repaired, redesigned, or remodelled.  She wanted one that wasn't overwhelming to begin with.

Shame was a new feeling to her.  She felt it though.  Shame.  What a sad word.  But she deserved it.  Had she prepared over the past years for her position, she could step in and conquer without feeling so overwhelmed.  Had she been faithful in the little things, this much wouldn't feel so daunting.  She looked at her books stacked by her favorite chair.  She looked at her projects beckoning her.  She looked at the computer with it's world of escape from the responsibilities she really didn't want to face.  They tempted her.  They called to her.  Just as she reached for her book... she looked at the owner.  He was good to her.  He gave her a great contract and almost no limitations in how she chose to fill that contract.  He was a good man, a responsible man.  How could she let him down.

She reached again.  She picked up the book.  She opened it and turned to the appropriate date... December 12, 2005.  Picking up her pen, she began filling in a to-do list.  She clicked on her word processing program and began goals and project lists.  By next year at this time, she wanted to see attainable goals... attained.

She went to bed exhausted but rewarded. 

Thanksgiving day was a delight.  We woke up to a still frozen turkey.  Four days wasn't enough to get that sucker defrosted.  (Ok, it was still frozen yesterday so a full WEEK wasn't enough!)  So, off I went to Albertsons for a defrosted turkey.  Twenty-five dollars later I had a nice big turkey.  This brought up frustrations and irritations that taught me a lesson.

When I buy chicken, I generally get it for .79 or .89 a lb but will pay up to 1.29 without complaint.  I pay 1.99 for chicken chests and on a rare occasion, if I'm desperate, I'll pay 2.49.  (Rare though)  I am THRILLEd when I get pork chops or beef for under 1.50-2.00 a lb.  Now.  Tell me here.  Why was I pitching fits about 1.29 a lb. for turkey?  On any other meat I'd consider that a reasonable price!  Just because the first turkey was .33 a lb is no reason to get my knickers in a wad over 1.29.  For almost ANY other meat, that is a perfectly acceptable price.  I really need to get a grip.  So, my lesson was to take everything in context, and not to be 'anxious' over that which isn't important.  Like the price of turkey.

We had so much fun on Thanksgiving.  We did puzzles, played games, and built  the US Capitol.  To say that the dome is not what it once was, is probably an understatement but it is up, finished, and that is enough for me.  Thank you very much.    Oh... and we did get our gingerbread family cut out and ready to paint for our Christmas yard ornaments! 

Friday morning found us at the stores before dawn so I can't say it 'dawned early'.  Kevin went off to Staples and Walmart (where a local pair of teens spent the NIGHT) while Morgann and I went to Mervyns and K-mart.  We managed to fill our baskets with the things we'd hoped for and it was so funny to see the differences in our experiences.  The line at Walmart went on 'forever'.  Morgann and I were near the front at K-mart and there weren't THAT many behind us.  The people at Walmart were pushing and ugly near the front (but not near Kevin) while we had to INSIST that people go ahead of us.  Amazing.

Home we came and began the fun of decorating for Christmas.  I tore apart the fall wreath and redecorated it for Christmas. 

I set up the mangers (who managed to make it through the great Flood of 2005) and the candles on the table (Picture forthcoming)  We bought our tree, we painted our gingerbread men and Kevin even built a frame to hold them.  Life is grand.

Friday evening, Kevin put up the lights on the tree and everything was perfect.  We popped corn, strung strings of cranberries and popcorn and then did the official 'trimming of the tree'.  It was SOOOOOOOOOOo much fun.  We sang Carols and Hymns and generally had a GREAT time.  I love this time of year!

Saturday I wrapped presents, cleaned house, and prepared to have our guests on Sunday.  It was most definitely a BLAST.

This month is one of my favorites.  The music, the laughter, the little traditions, the family and the joy.  All of it is just so exciting to me.  I love it.  All of it.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

I am so excited.  I love Thanksgiving.  I love the warmth of a house laden with the delicious smells of an Autumn feast, the lazy day of games and puzzles, and the anticipation of the following days.

Thanksgiving reminds us of all that we have been blessed with and are so very thankful for... but, it is also a time of anticipation.  Because we know, that tomorrow is another day and the beginning of a very special season.

Many people don't like Christmas.  They feel that Christmas is a time of hypocricy and pretention.  They may be right.  I understand the complaints that people are generous and loving for six weeks and then go back to being their self-centered selves.  It is frustrating perhaps.  But how much worse would it be if people were NEVER loving and giving.  IF people never smiled at one another as they hustled through their afternoon's worth of shopping. 

The song "Silver Bells" is my very favorite Christmas 'song'.  (Carols are another story!).  I love the way the song helps you FEEL the 'air of Christmas'.  You can sense the anticipation of the shoppers, hear the clink of change in the Salvation Army bucket, and the scent of cinnamon and peppermint permeates the air.  People smile as they see children's faces pressed to the window display at stores, or sitting on Santa's lap. 

You know, my children have never sat on Santa's lap and as far as I know, I did only once.  My picture of that day is hysterical.  My smile was absolutely side-splitting.  In spite of this lack of childhood rite, I have very happy children who get a kick out of seeing other children sit on Santa's lap.  The children's faces are happy and eager.  I may be an optimistic blind woman but I don't think it is solely because they want to demand this year's 'loot'.  I think the whole tradition is beautiful and fun for all who choose to partake in it.

I remember shopping in the Esplanade in Oxnard California with my friend Marianne.  We could hear the shrieks half way across the mall.  Some child was NOT happy about their visit on Santa's lap.  As we drew nearer, the shrieks grew louder and more terrified.  I turned to my friend and wondered why the child was so terrified.  Her response is one I'll NEVER forget.

"How would you feel if you were plucked from your mom's arms, plunked down on this strange fat man's lap with hair in his face and an idiot expression in his eyes and he's incapable of saying anything more intelligent than 'ho ho ho'.  Some idiotic girl is standing with a huge camera just a few feet away and squeezing the h*ll out of a duck!"

Giggle.  It was funny then, and I still chuckle now.  So of course, these memories are not always a blessing for everyone!

Where was I?  Oh, Thanksgiving.  Our Christmas holidays begin then.  I can't wait to share our Christmas traditions but for now, I'll start with thanksgiving.

The next few days I'll be grocery shopping in small spurts.  Almost European style.... enough food for every day as I can.  This allows me to buy one turkey a day at the extra reduced price.  These I give to my friend and her family eats them year round.  (We have permission from the local store to do this btw).

The Wednesday before thanksgiving, I'll be making peppermint bark and Hungarian coffeecakes.  These I'll pass around to friends and save for our family.

Thanksgiving morning we'll start the turkey, and start the fun.  Games, reading, music, working on the yard decorations for the next day... it all has it's proper place.

For dinner we'll eat

Turkey

Green Beans

Cranberry sauce

Cornbread stuffing

Rolls

Pumpkin Pie

and gravy of course.

Then we'll munch on Hungarian Coffee cake and probably watch a movie.  We are so blessed.  I am so very thankful.

Of the rest of my life.  How will I spend it?  How will I both delight in all the wonders and riches God has given me, without squandering the time I need to use for the responsibilities that I have?

My home.  I'm ready to write my own 'homemaking/living' book.  I love the books I have.  They inspire and delight me.  But if I was trying to use a book to help me make a significant difference in my life, I'd have a hard time with most books.  Most are too 'fussy' for my tastes.  I dont' care about perfumed paper to write notes on, or about having lavendar between my towels when I'm still working on having a door jam that isn't growing our dinner potatoes.  I can't be the only one. 

I need a new working title though... A Gentle Approach to Domestic Arts: Real Homemaking and Beautification for Real People  is just a mouthfull.  I think I need something like.  "Real living for real people" or something like that but sheesh, who wants to pick up a book like that?  Anyway, I'd probably never try to publish such a thing.  Who wants to read about one person's journy to the 'good life' only to discover that cut crystal and sterling flatware are never mentioned?  No origami party decorations?  No name/place cards at the dinner table when you have dinner guests?  Whatever is this world coming to??? 

But, my home, yeah, that's where I was going with this thing.  It does need a certain amount of attention right now.  Four days of sickness, no matter how little actual housework you usually do, four days of sickness leaves its mark.  I need more than that.  I need to be able to walk into my living room and smile again.

School.  The 's' word.  It's calling my name.  It's saying that I need to get back in the swing there too.  Math, penmanship, grammar, science, history, phonics... those little things that help us in our daily lives.  Without several school subjects, I wouldn't be sitting here typing up a bunch of interrelated words that no one but me cares about!  And, I wouldn't know that I used me correctly but left the preposition about , dangling.  Or that I over use commas and that this is not a complete thought, and therefore not a complete sentence.  See, all those grammar classes did make an impression on me.

Finally, business.  You know, that thing where people are waiting for their clothing that they've ordered and my catalog people are waiting for samples for our first show.  Oh, and the eBay custom.  Can't forget that.

Busy.  That's a good word.  It's Biblical too.  I can feel nice and spiritual as I'm hustling about, trying to ignore my runny nose and making sure it doesn't drip on anything that is not staying permanently in this home.  *blush*.

Have a lovely day.  It's the first day.... of the rest of your life!