What's in a Name?

My tax return states homemaker as my occupation.

One time I said I was a housewife (many years ago) and I was met by a horrified stare and the comment, "Don't ever say that! It's so degrading!" So I never said it again.

I had a friend who put d.g. as her occupation. I asked her what that meant, and she said domestic goddess. I thought that was pretty good, but it sure didn't and doesn't fit me. I'm no goddess of domesticity, believe me. That friend's home was sparkling - not a term anyone will say about mine. Cozy, friendly, neat, tidy--I hope some of those phrases might come to mind, but no one will say "sparkling". No one with two semi-functioning eyes in their head, that is.

Stay at home mom (SAHM) was my favorite occupation. I loved that phase of life. Now my kids are out of the home and I wonder about the phrase stay at home grandma--but to me that implies that I am their primary caretaker. Primary adorer, yes, but not primary caretaker.

I recently saw the option home manager as an occupation, and I immediately adopted it. What a great description!

All this is to say that for the past 30 years, I have been unemployed outside the home, and these are some ways of describing what I've done. I did get training as a travel agent, and did that for a couple of years for my husband's business, pro bono.

Life changes. I just got a job. At a quilt store, just on Tuesdays, with an occasional Saturday thrown in. Here's how it happened:

There's a quilt store pretty close to my house. Whenever I've gone in there over the last few months, there has been a sign on the door, "part-time help wanted". Every time I went I wondered how part time would it be? because I really help my parents a lot, and I do keep myself busy. Then I would say to myself, if the sign is still up the next time I come here, I'll ask. I bet there have been a dozen times I've walked right in and said those same things to myself while looking at that sign.

About 10 days ago I was in the store and was chatting with the two people working there while I made my purchase. I told them that help wanted sign had been up for a long time. They said yes, there have been several applications, but no one hired. Then I asked how part-time would it be? They said one day a week if that's all you want. More if you want. And it's a whole day, no split shifts over the week. I told them my "if it's here next time I come I'm going to apply" story. They said fill out an application! So they got me one. I went home and was all by myself and thought, "why not?"

I filled out the application. Very sparsely, I might add--as I said, my last paying job was thirty years ago.  I took it right back that afternoon and left it. What could it hurt? I didn't even tell Ray, because it all seemed so unlikely. Imagine my surprise the next day when I was called to come in for an interview. (Then I told Ray.)

So last Wednesday I met with the store manager. We had a nice chatty interview. Then on Thursday she called and asked if I could come in and talk with the store owner on Friday. I could and I did. It was a very brief interview ending with them saying, "thanks for coming in." Nothing else. I told Ray that I noticed that the part-time help wanted sign was off the door when I walked in the store for the interview. Maybe they already hired someone. But then why would they call me to come in? He said, "it's because they want to hire you". But I wasn't so sure.

Yesterday I got the call: could I start work on Tuesday?

I have to say, it's pretty exciting for me to have actually made myself go through that whole process. And it feels good to be wanted. Life experience paid off. Sewing since I was ten, and quilting for the past 20 years has added value to my life. Now in a new and different way.

How Does My Garden Grow?

I have been very careful not to complain about my weeding load on my blog so far this year. I try hard to keep it to a minimum. The complaints, that is.

But I will mention our vegetable garden. This year I decided we'll start out right. We prepared the soil, bought the plants, planted them and I have been very diligent about weeding and Ray's in charge of watering. We can't decide if we are over or under watering. Oh well, we're doing our best. 

I observe the gardens of others. Our neighbors, our relatives. Their vegetables must be on steroids. Ours seriously need some growth hormones. I'm discouraged.

Last night I said to Ray: this is it. If the garden doesn't work this year, I'm done. Forever. I felt an enormous relief. It gave me a great mental freedom.

Then this morning I went out to weed, and this is what I found:

 That's right, a very tiny green pepper, a small green tomato, and if you look very carefully almost dead center at the bottom picture you'll see a very tiny green cherry tomato. It's less than one half inch in diameter. There's actually a smaller one just above it too.

So maybe there's hope. Maybe.

Don't ask me about the rest of the garden. The zucchini is hanging on for dear life - one blossom, and still minuscule. The squash is dead. The lemon cucumber didn't make it. Perhaps the sweet cucumber will survive. The basil is borderline. I did find a volunteer over by the peppers and basil. Looks like another cucumber or even a watermelon. Maybe if I ignore it it will actually grow.

(Yesterday I heard someone mention that this is tomato growing weather. My only thought was: if I go to hell, there will be lots of tomatoes. It got up to 110 today.)

Exodus by Leon Uris

I first read this book a long time ago. Perhaps 25 years ago or more. I loved it.

I just read it again for my book group. I've wanted to read it again for a long time, but it has never jumped to the top of my pile. So I was glad it was chosen for this month. I loved it again.

I loved it in a different way this time. Last time I remember being caught up in the characters lives, and enjoying the history behind the story. This time I enjoyed the characters, but perhaps because I already knew what was going to happen to them I became engrossed in the history.

I have a completely different perspective on the history of Israel now than I did 25 years ago. First, I've paid attention to current events since then (I probably didn't pay much attention to current events 25 years ago). Second, I've been to Israel since I read Exodus the first time. Third, I also know much more about the Second World War at this point in my life. All those factors and more enhanced what I got out of the book.

Exodus is a great way to learn the basics of the formation of Israel as a state. It gives great insights into the thought processes and motivations behind those early years and the Israelis who fought so long and hard to make Israel begin to evolve into what it is today.  Couple this book with Herman Wouk's The Hope and his The Glory and you have a pretty good picture of Israel then and now. Of course I can't say that without also recommending The Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Wouk.

There you have it. A bargain book review. This one (Exodus) is great as are the other books I mentioned. Five reviews in one.

Grace Among Thieves by Julie Hyzy

This is the third book in the Manor House Mystery series. I liked it as well as I liked the others. I hope Julie Hyzy keeps writing for a long time.

Walking Across Egypt by Clyde Edgerton

I first heard about this book at the same time as I heard about Life and Death in Shanghai. I read Life and Death in Shanghai and found it very interesting, and well written. I somehow assumed that Walking Across Egypt would be about someone's experiences in Egypt. The only reason I can give for that wrong assumption is that I heard about the two books at the same time.

A few months ago someone mentioned this book in book club and I remarked that I had never read it. A few people in the group said it was very funny and that I would enjoy it. I thought, "I could use a funny book right about now", so I got it from the library.

I did not find it all that funny. There was one part where they were picking out coffins that was funny to me, but most of the rest of it was just okay. Too bad. I really wanted to like it, but I would say it was so-so. Maybe it was just the mood I was in.

Peril in Paperback by Kate Carlisle

I haven't read the books in this series one right after another. There is usually quite a gap in time between books, yet I find it easy to remember characters and the background story. That makes it nice.

This is another series of what I term cozy mysteries--fun and not too scary. Plus any character who loves books is a character I'm sure to enjoy.

Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear

I just discovered there are four books that I read in April that I never posted about on my blog. I had them on my master list at the bottom of the blog, but hadn't written about them yet. So here we go.

Leaving Everything Most Loved is the latest in the Maisie Dobbs series, and it is one of my favorites of the series. I'm already anxious for the next one to come out. It will be a while, because this one is brand new.

Madame Will You Talk? by Mary Stewart

Some people do retail therapy. I do re-read therapy. I wanted a little mental break from things, so I picked up an old favorite. I've read Madame Will You Talk? many times, and enjoyed it every time. This was no exception.

I love Mary Stewart mysteries. They were among the first "grown up" mysteries I read, and I read every one of them several times. I collected all her books in paperback, and one time while on a declutter spree I decided to get rid of them, thinking I could always get them at the library. Wrong. Our library took them out of circulation. Then I tried to buy them again, and they were out of print. Yikes! I panicked for a few years and picked up some used copies as I could find them. Finally they came back in print and you can bet I bought them all again. Lesson learned: keep the books you love.

Stewart started writing in the 50's, and her books reflect the times. Lots of cigarette smoking, women wearing dresses all the time. It's kind of fun to have a reminder of what things were like. I'm sure they were very current when written. What will people say about our current books in 60 years?

Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

When I was young, we went to Niagara Falls every couple of years (when we went to visit my grandmother). We usually went to the Canadian side because the view of the falls was prettier there. While there, we visited the wax museum. It turns out it is a Louis Tussaud wax museum, not Madame Tussaud. Louis was her great grandson.

So, it was fun for me when this book was chosen for us to read. I found the information in the book fascinating. I had no idea that wax models were made as early as they were. Madame Tussaud lived during the French Revolution and was making wax models  even before then.

Even more interesting for me than the making of wax models was the story of the French Revolution from her point of view. The book is fiction, but most of the characters in the book really lived, and the events really happened. The beginning years of the French Revolution were truly gruesome. Somehow Moran portrays that without the book being graphic or sensational. If you like to learn a little more about history in an entertaining way, this would be a good book to read.

May Report

Wow! Where in the world did this month go? My reading time diminished drastically, yet there is not much to show for any time spent elsewhere.  Well, that's not quite true. I spent time with my kids and grandkids--the best use of time ever. However, that sure didn't last for a whole 31 days. Oh well, that's just the way it goes some months.

1. First Things First: I've spent a lot of mental time in this area lately, trying to figure out the best way to make all of this the highest priority for myself. After all, I call it first things first for a reason. My tentative goal: no obligations before noon if at all possible. Obviously there are times that can't happen, but I'm going to do my best to dedicate my mornings for taking care of myself (and my house).

2. Photo Labeling and Scanning: Ha!

3. Household Organization: I did not work on the living room/dining room area. I did, however, start my herculean summer effort of trying to keep up on the weeds in our yard, and get our vegetable garden planted. I'm hoping the vegetable garden goes better than last year. I don't think there's any way it could go worse.

4. Projects: I was going to organize my password list. That would have been a very short project. It didn't get done. I'll let it carry over into next month.

Hopes for June accomplishment: downstairs bathrooms/ organize motorcycle travel basics/ some quilting