Being that I love our large families, and the occasional gathering of the kids, to visit with each one and catch up on the latest events of their young lives, I look forward to the holiday and the addtional time off with mixed feelings.
I had hoped to travel out of town, at least for one day. I have some day trips that have been planned for over a year, and of course neglected, but I think this time, this weekend I am going to push to go.
The last few years, as I have posted before, have largely consisted of my running teenagers around, running errands for the husband, running in circles to ensure everyone around me had what they needed and neglected my own needs.
I am not a selfish person - I am very giving, and forgiving, to the point most generally of fault.
I am not above a compromise either. In fact some of the day trips I have planned are actually very near and it may be possible to get them accomplished without sacrificing everyone's holiday. The problem usually comes in when I feel rushed to get everyone what they need, and then rush through MY day.
There are great antique shops here in the older part of town, and being a collector of the antiuque blue dishes, I have planned for 3 years to spend a day of it going from one shop to another, for one dish or another.
Before Steve and I married, Daddy came up from Texas and spent a few days with me, got to know Steve, and the three of us spent two days rummaging through old antique stores, eating at out of the way cafe's, and resting on the benches outside of the stores every so often. We took long drives up north and stopped to walk and take in our surroundings.
Remembering these activities brought it all back to me again. Longing for the farm, and the simpler pleasures in life. Hanging the laundry on the line - opening the windows for the morning cross breeze. Feeding the chickens early and talking to them about in what order my chores for the day would prove most productive. Listening for the distant rifle shot of one of the men out hunting, getting the meat for dinner from the well house freezer box. Washing the greens early and getting the bacon fried in the pressure cooker before mashing them in. Listening to the rattle of the cooker echo throughout the house.
Wonder if I'll ever have the simpler pleasure of those days again. Is it possible to make them happen in this day and age ? Should this be the focus of my weekend ? I can smell the bacon already.
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