While You're At It...

 I am very much a "while you're at it" kind of girl.  If I'm doing one thing, why not tag something else on?  It's a way to be economical with my time and resources. This weekend when my sister-in-law came to stay, it struck me as a perfect WYAI opportunity.  First, we had already picked up the house, secondly, we were already going to have to make a nice meal.  Why not invite an extra guest or two since we were already going to the trouble.  Turns out my bestie and her hubby were due a dinner at our house, so they were our value-add.  We also know that our guest would enjoy their company.  So we killed two birds with that stone.

Motivational House Guest

Our house was a disaster. During the summer, the place just turns into a dump.  The room I sleep in looked like a college dorm room.  Then my sister-in-law texted TBG to say she had a conference in town on Sunday and asked if she could stay.  That was last week.  That meant Saturday was spent cleaning.  Just the fire under my butt needed to get things set straight.

Small Save

 Well, another fitted sheet has bitten the dust.  It served it's purpose for the past five years in major rotation on my bed.  There is still more life in it, though.  The first step is to cut it up into a flat sheet of fabric.  In order to do that, I cut all of the elastic off of the edge.  It looks like something a normal person would toss, but not me!

What's Going On...

 

I have been doing a pretty good job of keeping up with my home-centered beliefs, even though I am not posting frequently enough.  As the whole socio-political situation spirals out of control, I take comfort in the routine responsible things we do daily.  Things are good for me.  With some financial wiggle room, I am changing my outlook on how I cook and what I buy.  For instance, no more part-skim mozzarella.  I'll take the full-fat gourmet version.  It tastes better on the fresh tomatoes from the farm share.  The basil has come in full force, so we're eating fresh pesto.  These are the things I take comfort in when the real world is going crazy.

Back in Time

 I feel as if we have stepped back in time.  This tombstone was one I captured in July -- long before our nation became embroiled in the current political and social woes my country is now facing.  This soldier from Wayne County, NY died at the Battle of Charleston in 1864.  He was 25 years and ten months of age.

Lately, I've found myself drawn into political conversations I don't want to be a part of.  I don't want to argue or belabor over my opinions -- which I won't change.  I believe that symbols of oppression that were intended to intimidate are wrong.  Even if some people see them as historic or symbols of times past.  Those whom I've tried to avoid conflict with in the past couple of weeks want me to concede environmentalists have gone too far.  I can't debate that, as I am grateful for those who banned DDT -- the pesticide responsible for the near extinction of our National Bird, the Bald Eagle -- the bird I now see regularly, that I was able to get a picture of this morning.  Twenty years ago, there wasn't one to be found on Lake Ontario.  Now I see them regularly.  It is a spectacular sight that never fails to make me feel awe.

As a female in technology, I am shocked that today's women are afraid to meet in a closed room with a male alone.  Our Vice President refuses to do so.  There was a time when I had no female co-workers.  There were many tough situations that I had to face that were discriminatory.  "How does it feel to take bread out of a union baby's mouth."  "How could your husband let you do a man's job."  When I did have other females in my work group, I was asked on one job site "Do the other girls in your group have big ones like you?"

Seeing race issues come back up again, seeing the environment marginalized, seeing woman putting up with crap in the bro-corporate culture makes me sick.  I have been told I should be ashamed to be a feminist.  But I feel I have no choice but to identify as such.  I am a humanist at heart -- and I feel to be one, you must have the human race's best interest at heart.

I have been  bad about posting lately and I usually stay away from talking politics, but there comes a point where there is a need to stand with your beliefs.  I was raised in a Jewish community.  I played sports as a result of Title IX.  I started my career at a time where sexual harassment was a regular part of a woman's work experience.  Over the years, I've been proud of my accomplishments -- and that I could make progress without harming others.  Lately I feel like I am in a time warp and that the ground gained has somehow been lost when I've not been paying attention.

I know I have mostly female readers.  Do you feel the way I do?

The Sky is Always Blue Somewhere!

There are days you long for a blue sky but all you can get is a brief glimpse.  Some days, clouds are white and fluffy, and on others they are thick and dark.  Luckily for me, most of my days are a mix.  I wish they were all bright blue sky days but they never seem to work out that way.

Dog Days of Summer

Everything is right in my world again.  We are back at camp as a family every other weekend. I can swim with my dog.  So far (knock on wood), the dog hasn't had any skin flare-ups.  Granted, we have had a wet and somewhat mild summer, but I finally feel like I am part of the season.

I Am Not a Pot Head

OK, contemporaries of mine, who recognizes the significance of this flower pot?  It is intentionally shown upside-down, because that is part of the reference point.