The Prized Treasures

Image
  “Will the prized treasures of today always be the cheap trifles of the day before? Will rows of our willow-pattern dinner-plates be ranged above the chimneypieces of the great in the years 2000 and odd? Will the white cups with the gold rim and the beautiful gold flower inside (species unknown), that our Sarah Janes now break in sheer light-heartedness of spirit, be carefully mended, and stood upon a bracket, and dusted only by the lady of the house? . . . .   The “sampler” that the eldest daughter did at school will be spoken of as “tapestry of the Victorian era,” and be almost priceless. The blue-and-white mugs of the present-day roadside inn will be hunted up, all cracked and chipped, and sold for their weight in gold, and rich people will use them for claret cups; and travellers from Japan will buy up all the “Presents from Ramsgate,” and “Souvenirs of Margate,” that may have escaped destruction, and take them back to Jedo as ancient English curios.” Jerome K. Jerome, “T...

Chores



I don’t mind cleaning but often I’d rather be doing something else. I’m sure this rings true for most people. We presently have more tools available to help with the chores, but they cannot work by themselves. For example, we can churn through laundry, as the machine does the heavy lifting, but the laundry doesn’t separate or put itself away. Same with the dishes, for the most part. 


There’s something about doing the dishes. Not sure what it is, except maybe force of habit. I don’t mind doing the dishes. Give me the choice between doing yard work and the dishes, I’ll choose dishes. Might be because I can’t do yard work like I used to—help in that department is always appreciated—I’d rather be up to my elbows in suds. 


My, how chores differ for each of us. I have friends who are ranchers and I tip my hat to what they accomplish with crops and fields, herds and flocks. The work never ends! Then there are those whose very survival depends on getting their chores done, like gathering and chopping wood, hauling water, hunting, fishing, trapping. The list goes on. When you step back and look at it all, the most satisfying chores are the ones closest to the bare necessities. 

Popular posts from this blog

Rock Me, Epictetus!

The Smooth-flowing Life