tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post2016936568359947978..comments2023-10-21T03:54:12.029-04:00Comments on A Gift Universe: Being MarySheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853868724554947854noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post-31873805237438743662014-04-14T12:21:51.574-04:002014-04-14T12:21:51.574-04:00I, um .... I don't exactly mop my bathroom. S...I, um .... I don't exactly mop my bathroom. Sometimes I wipe it with a rag after the kids have been splashing -- that counts, right?<br /><br />Oh dear, my grandma can see this and will be mortified.<br /><br />Baking is a Thing for me too. It's something I do when I am too overwhelmed to clean the house. Though I am trying to make it a reward -- I have to clean first, THEN bake, even though of course then I have to clean again because of the mess I made of my kitchen.<br /><br />But that does bring to mind the reality that just because something feeds your soul doesn't mean it can't be a gift to others, too. I think it's one of the misfortunes of the modern age that most of the home crafts I would enjoy -- quilting, cheese-making, brewing, spinning -- aren't actually necessary anymore. Almost all the chores left around the house are the ones that are sheer drudgery -- laundry and cleaning. Cooking is one thing that's left that has some creativity involved. Another is home decorating, but people in my income bracket don't tend to spend much of their time and money on that. Hence all the "useless" crafts I do -- at the least, I can make gifts! I also like making over clothing into new clothing, when I have time.Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10853868724554947854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post-72426552073298165042014-04-13T12:30:51.468-04:002014-04-13T12:30:51.468-04:00I like your point 6--the other day I brought apple...I like your point 6--the other day I brought apple-cinnamon bread to my LLL meeting, and one of the leaders exclaimed happily, "Oh, you baked again!" and then apologized because she brought goldfish crackers again. I hastened to reassure her that I'm secretly five years old and love goldfish crackers. Anyway, I thought of that because baking is my THING. (And cooking in general to a lesser extent.) It makes me happy while producing delicious goodies. But my bathroom hasn't been mopped since my mother came to help out after the baby was born. (Should I be embarrassed to admit that on a public forum?)The Sojournerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04559244806125834569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post-62417844206805218542014-04-11T19:41:41.153-04:002014-04-11T19:41:41.153-04:00That must be a big adjustment. I am very, very se...That must be a big adjustment. I am very, very set on homeschooling, but I worry what it will look like. I'm okay with being unschooly and go-with-the-flow, but no matter what your method, there's always some work involved. I hope I am up to it.Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10853868724554947854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post-78711866326158845432014-04-10T10:05:17.250-04:002014-04-10T10:05:17.250-04:00I love this post! I'm having a tough time bal...I love this post! I'm having a tough time balancing everything right now. I keep trying to remember what has changed, and it occurred to me recently that it's not the new baby, it's that I'm homeschooling while trying to do everything else. I didn't grow up homeschooling, so I always forget to factor it into my planning for the future. Running a household? I've got that down. Taking care of a baby? Great, I've done it before, I know the routine. Responsibility for my kids' education - whole 'nother ballgame. It's really making me appreciate the choices that my parents (and any parents, really) had to make to decide what was best for the family, and not just what they wanted ideally.Alainahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04785564102360724557noreply@blogger.com