The Mock Turtle described to Alice what the ocean fishes study in their schools:
Reeling and Writhing
Ambition and Distraction, Uglification and Derision
of Mystery, both ancient and modern as well as Sea-ography
in Art classes, they study drawling and stretching along with fainting in coils
The wisest fish always have a porpoise.
Lewis Carroll's wit and sense of humor have always fascinated me. As with some of the animated films produced in my lifetime, his stories are popular with children but also hold value and fun for adults. I find myself mentally chewing on various parts at the oddest times! For example, just yesterday I completed the knitting of what I thought was a pair of gloves only to discover I'd made both for the same hand. Normally it wouldn't matter except I worked in a pretty design for the back of the hands leaving the palms plain. When the time came for me to divide stitches to create the thumbs, I was not as focused as I thought and ended up creating both gloves for the left hand! Looking back at the time when I was working on that portion of the pattern, I realize I was distracted. In my ambition to get them done as quickly as possible, I was unable to accomplish something that is usually a simple mental exercise for me. The good news is that there is yarn enough to make a single right-hand glove. Whew!
Ambition accompanied by Distraction, not a good combination!
This past week has been one of many distractions. On Monday, Elisa and I left the house in mid-morning with baby Summer for a trip to the Children's Museum. I was the designated driver since Lisa's ankle isn't completely healed and she was still wearing the 'boot'. With a season pass to the museum in hand, we were thinking Summer would enjoy an opportunity to run about and explore the various exhibits made with little ones in mind, but on our arrival we discovered the museum is closed on Mondays this time of year. Plan B: OMSI - it is also closed on Mondays. In our enthusiasm and distraction, we'd failed to call ahead. So we looked at Plan C: the Lloyd Center. The mall is never closed! By the time we found a parking place somewhat close to the door to accommodate Lisa's halted gait, rented a stroller painted to look like a lady bug, and walked down one corridor, it was time for a diaper change and lunch. While we were deciding what we wanted to eat, Lisa's phone rang with a call from her surgeon's office that lasted about twenty minutes. Fortunately, she'd packed some chips and a peanut butter sandwich for Summer so the baby was contented to munch while she and I did some quality people watching. The three of us then enjoyed eating Chinese food, wandering in and out of the dozens of stores, and drooling over some fabulous rings while we had our engagement rings cleaned. Exploring the new store that now occupies the spot where the Disney store used to be was fun; it is now a pirate themed store! We were somewhat puzzled though that among the various pirate hats and accessories we found the Mad Hatter's top hat as well as a fireman's helmet. It seemed curious to me that the fascination of skating was so obvious on Summer's face as we passed the skating rink inside the mall. I don't think she's ever seen her father on his hockey skates nor her older sister on her figure skates but she was definitely interested in the activity on the ice that day.
Monday evening we had a cordial family meeting with the cute boy next door and his mother so that we could discuss and clarify various rules and expectations where young men and young ladies are concerned. It is good to be on the same page and we are all hopeful and optimistic.
Tuesday was set aside for a trip to the pediatrician to get Summer's next set of immunizations. She is definitely a child of this decade! With Lisa's iPhone, she can find her favorite apps that are matching and counting games and we discovered she also can find Netflix from which she brings up her favorite movies from Lisa's queue. Without any guidance, she found and started watching the movie UP! Such a little girl has surpassed my ability to maneuver through the various screens and I really was not aware that I had entered into 'old age' until I saw how simple it all is for her. Curiouser and curiouser! However, I will NOT give up my muchness without a fight!
The highlight of this week for me was learning to do French braids. Valerie has such a beautiful head of long hair and it was fun practicing with it. I'm not very good yet but am confident I'll improve with each attempt.
Thursday morning, I went with Tim and Lisa to the hospital where she was to have her shoulder surgery. Sitting in a hospital waiting room by yourself somehow makes time drag and I figured I can knit there as well as anywhere so I volunteered to go along to keep Tim company. Though the designated area for short stay surgeries is busy and rather noisy, we passed the eight hours pleasantly enough. At least the chairs and room temperature weren't uncomfortable. Even the cafeteria food was acceptable and the surgeon was pleased with the outcome of the surgery. However, there is a bit of ugliness I hope they'll change soon. Each group of family and friends waiting is given a beeper similar to those handed out in some of the busier restaurants. When the surgical procedure is completed, the device summons the family to a meeting with the surgeon via an annoying and offensive beeping that can be heard throughout the entire large room. Later, when the patient awakens from the anesthesia, it jolts everyone in the room to attention again. With twenty to thirty surgical patients coming and going throughout the day, that's a lot of ugly noise. Over the years I've become accustomed to hospital waiting rooms having an aura similar to that of a public library, not a bus terminal.
I'd really like to stop the uglification and I'm trying to understand where the vocabulary of derision I hear around the house has come from. Do teenage girls just naturally speak so negatively? I'm not used to hearing comments like "I hate her" or "she's so stupid/ugly" and "he's weird" or "you're such a jerk" or "I'm SUPPOSED to ignore adults because I'm a teenager" and "It's okay (to ignore you/not listen/do what I want) because I'm cute" or "I wear shirts that expose most of my breasts because this is the style" and "what an idiot!" or "you're retarded" and "she's a whore". The insults fly from her mouth toward everyone without a thought to any pain they might cause. And if she speaks this way openly at home, what is she saying at school? This, in my opinion, is a case of a young woman's muchness heading in the wrong direction. I wonder if she ever listens to herself and whether this tendency can be guided back to kindness and gentleness. I'm pretty certain her sisters and parents don't appreciate her negative comments but they don't encourage her to stop either. I am grateful that the use of foul words has been curbed as I requested before they moved in here. Perhaps the way Ray and I address each other with respect will ultimately have an affect on this behavior? For now, comments like these jar my nerves much like the beepers at the hospital. I'm thinking of starting a Swear Jar but having it be for insults instead. How would that work when nobody has any money to put into it? Feel free to send me a comment if you have any suggestions!
A good kind of ambition was exhibited this week. Valerie learned to make pie crust and deviled eggs. Chelsea learned to make my creamed corn casserole! If they learn nothing else from me, they'll at least have some food items they can prepare with confidence.
I'm looking for recipes that will produce a magical cake that increases modesty, good behavior, self-confidence, gentleness and kindness toward others as well as a cookie that will decrease bad language, laziness, selfishness and acting without thinking first.
Has anyone seen the white rabbit's hole around here?
Has anyone seen the white rabbit's hole around here?
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