Three Paragraphs

Since coming face-to-face with the monumental task of clearing out Mama and Daddy's house, I've been on a bit of a crusade around here.  I'm trying to get rid of my clutter/things that I can't imagine either Briton or Hannah wanting once I'm gone.  This morning, I came across a box filled with photos, cards, etc. that were being saved for decoupage.  It was fun going through the box, winnowing out the ones that didn't strike me as it seemed they once did.  But now, I want to decoupage!  And Hannah said something last night about wanting to go to Michaels. . .  Must use all my self-control not to buy anything.  After all, this is still the year of my not having a job.

And I have discovered some ugly, ugly truths about someone close to me.  I'm at a loss as to what to do, but know I shouldn't do anything until I've calmed down.  What this person doesn't seem to realize is that, yes, lying = not telling the truth, but, also choosing not to tell the whole story = not telling the truth.  And while my temperament might appear easy-going a lot of the time, one thing that I cannot, will not, abide is being lied to.   I'm not stupid, you know --- I can put things together pretty quickly, and I know when they don't add up.

My knitting is coming along apace.  I've got about half of one sleeve to go on a sweater for myself, and, now that the Christmas deadline is gone, I've started --- again --- on a sweater for Briton.  Ongoing are wash/dish/cloths out of leftover cotton and a rippled blanket from leftover worsted.  Too, though I'd avoided spinning until now (I didn't need another hobby, with more boxes of supplies laying about), Roxanne has sent me a drop spindle and a shopping bag of roving, so I'm going to have to figure the process out.  I want to enjoy it, but not too much, you know?

Guardian Angel Roxanne sent me (through facebook) to a page with some nice advice.  The best of the bunch for me just now:

Stop putting your own needs on the back burner.
 Stop trying to be someone you're not.
Stop being scared to make a mistake.
Stop trying to compete against everyone else.
Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others.
Stop trying to make things perfect.*
Stop trying to be everything to everybody.^
Stop worrying so much.#


*A common mom problem, I suspect.  Definitely a Me problem, having been raised by a woman who did seem to do every single thing perfectly.
^I know this is a mom deal --- trying to meet every child's needs.  It also dovetails into the making things perfect issue.  And I'm still trying to be everything to a person who isn't here any more.
# How easily typed, how near-impossibly done.

Consider Them Our Rules, Too

Harpo Marx Family Rules
1 Life has been created for you to enjoy, but you won't enjoy it unless you pay for it with some good, hard work. This is one price that will never be marked down.
2 You can work at whatever you want to as long as you do it as well as you can and clean up afterwards and you're at the table at mealtime and in bed at bedtime.
3 Respect what the others do. Respect Dad's harp, Mom's paints, Billy's piano, Alex's set of tools, Jimmy's designs, and Minnie's menagerie.
4 If anything makes you sore, come out with it. Maybe the rest of us are itching for a fight, too.
5 If anything strikes you as funny, out with that, too. Let's all the rest of us have a laugh.
6 If you have an impulse to do something that you're not sure is right, go ahead and do it. Take a chance. Chances are, if you don't you'll regret it - unless you break the rules about mealtime and bedtime, in which case you'll sure as hell regret it.
7 If it's a question of whether to do what's fun or what is supposed to be good for you, and nobody is hurt whichever you do, always do what's fun.
8 If things get too much for you and you feel the whole world's against you, go stand on your head. If you can think of anything crazier to do, do it.
9 Don't worry about what other people think. The only person in the world important enough to conform to is yourself.
10 Anybody who mistreats a pet or breaks a pool cue is docked a months pay.