Sunday, August 15, 2010

Don't Blink

The title of one of my favorite songs, but it's so true. Where does the time go? Here it is the middle of August. Kids will be returning to school soon and I'm still looking for June and July. Of course it doesn't help that this has probably been one of the hottest summers on record. If it hasn't I bet it runs a close second.
I love Spring and Summer. They're my favorite seasons. But I don't like the 90 degree temps that often come with them.
Usually in this part of the country, we only see a few days, maybe a week of 90s. I can tolerate that. But the day after day after day and the high humidity even when it's not 90, that I don't handle too well. I hate being locked up with the air on and no windows open. It may as well be winter. The only difference I don't have to pile on a ton of clothes to go out. Unfortunately, I can't remove any either, at least without getting arrested. Besides, I know everyone enjoys a good laugh, but not at my expense - thank you very much.
So I guess I'll just stay inside and grin and bear it. Besides I know what comes next and I'm not looking forward to it. I love the Fall colors, but to me it's a sad time of year. All the leaves fall off the trees and they look so barren and dead. Give me Spring and fresh new buds - Spring signifies new life to me.
That being said, back to the time passes so quickly - I think back to the early days, getting married, having my first child, life was simpler than. At least it was in a lot of respects, although I didn't think so back then. But as I look back,  I realize how simple life really was.
Of course, there's many new inventions since then to make our life easier. Heck, I started out with a wringer washer, no dryer and cloth diapers. Fortunately, I was able to afford an automatic washer and dryer by time my third child was born. Talk about a relief, especially since I had two in diapers. Back then we didn't have disposable diapers and even if we had, I wouldn't have been able to afford them. I think they had them when my sixth child was born, but I only used them when we visited or went places. Didn't have to tote dirty diapers back home, but daily use was still cloth. With my fifth child someone gave me the gift of diaper service. Talk about living in the lap of luxury. It was almost as good as disposable, although we still had to rinse them. Later they didn't even have to do that.
And of course the micro wave came into being. I never used mine much except to make popcorn or to heat meals for hubby. I still have one, but its sitting on a shelf in my basement. I'm tempted to bring it up once in the while for popcorn, but decided it taking up the much needed space wasn't worth the trade off. I pop corn the old fashioned way - on the stove. For as seldom as I eat it, having the bulky microwave take up a good part of my counter top isn't worth it.
Finally came computers and best of all the Internet. I can't imagine living without it. Hubby and I stayed at a cabin once and it wasn't Internet accessible. Talk about withdrawal. I kept making him go into town so I could check my email. On a vacation in Williamsburg, we had to pay for it extra. I was upset and refused to do it, for two days that is. I thought it was highway robbery to charge 9.95/day for Internet service.
So as life passes us by and more and more changes come into being, I can't help but think of my 95 year old father in law and all he's seen in his life. I mean really, think of everything that has come about in those years. He recently wrote his memoirs and I had the privilege of typing the. I was fascinated reading about his life as a young boy and early adulthood. We made copies for each of his children, stepchildren, and grandchildren. My kids were glued to the book when we gave it to them. How wonderful that they were able to learn more of their grandfather. I often think I should start writing mine. In fact, I have written down a few things while I was teaching a class on writing memoirs for our local college. I probably should get back to it. I think my children and grandchildren would enjoy it some day.
I guess I'll get back to it someday, because as the song says, Don't Blink, a hundred years goes faster than you think.

3 comments:

Lin said...

I have a hole in the upper portion of my left lung...it likes winter much better than summer because hot humid air grabs what is left of my lungs, that other 1 and 1/2 portion, and crushes them. The cold, as strange as this sounds soothes...so I will not be sorry to see the end of summe and the advance of winter. Breathign is more important than sun bathing any day:>)

Karen McGrath said...

Roseanne, so true. Time flies by. We watched an old movie yesterday and people used rotary phones! They're antiques now.

We certainly live in a fascinating time.

Larion aka Larriane Wills said...

you so write about things that reflect my life. I started out with a wringer also and thought i was in heaven with my first used automatic even if it did leak. lol. and spring verus any other season is hands down my favorite, watching the world wake up again.