Who's Bringing Up Baby?

As history progressed for "woman's rights" in the workplace, it has regressed for the woman who wants to stay at home and provide the stability that is so lacking in the American family. The dual income has forced inflation to rise to the point that a single income cannot possibly provide even the basic of necessities. The tug of war has only changed sides.
Once again women really do not have a choice whether they choose to work outside the home or stay at home, just as before. Women are forced to choose between family and work. It is simply not fair. Have we really made any progress?

Haven't we just traded one set of adversaries for another?

(this article appeared in the San Jose Mercury in the mid-late 80's)

WHO IS BRINGING UP BABY?
Remember the old days when it was the new, independent trend for women to take jobs outside of the home? These days the double income is the norm.Only the above-average incomes have allowed some of the nearly-extinct single income families to survive. This gives us a rare opportunity to look at different families and ask the question: does the lack of a parent in the home cause the growing trend of adolescent pregnancies, drug abuse, gang violence, and high school drop outs?
There is no need to lay a guilt trip on women. Whether driven from a need or a desire to gain more material possessions, some women don't have a choice when it comes to working or staying at home to grow the children.
Besides, that, the thought of mere housewifery is downright boring for some. The variety and satisfaction provided by working outside the home gives the edge to the self-actualization process.
But the cost of this is splashed across the news pages and broadcast into our homes on the evening news. Gang violence. Drug running. A country's youth with nothing else of value to which they can gives their lives.
What is it that we work our whole lives for anyway? In the end the goal is to reproduce ourselves, to carry on the work to make the world a better place. Perhaps a better investment would be to spend time raising the children. The day to day presence of an adult in the home tells the children they are important, worthy, and able to make something of value out of their lives.
This may mean a different career for the man or woman of a parental pair. For some couples it would mean sacrificing a higher standard of living. For still others no change is in order, a free country is a free country.
If part of the humans drive to work is to "save the world", perhaps now that effort would be best spent in the home raising those who are our future?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTINA

Finally I got the picture loaded. (thx Tonya).
Happy 28th!!
I adore you.
Love
mom

What I really wanted to do tonight was post a "Happy Birthday" to Kristina. But I have spent the last 1.5 hours trying to figure out how to get a photo I wanted out of my Adobe Photoshop and post it here....and I am so frustrated that...OH well just forget it!
I guess it is time to invest in a great camera and just take great pictures to begin with and forget trying to fix them on the computer.
So instead here is a newspaper article that I have had for years. It is tattered and yellowed. It is good, makes me smile, and I still believe...

"I've heard it said that the world's a dismal place. But, I know better...for I have seen the dawn, and walked in the splendor of the morning sun...blinked at the brilliance of the dew and beheld the gold and crimson of an autumn landscape."

"I've heard it said that the world is sad...I can't agree...for I have heard the cheerful songs of feathered masters...heard the low laughter of the leaves, and the everlasting chuckle of a mountain brook."

"I've heard it said the world's a musty, sordid thing. It can't be true...for I have seen the rain...watched it bathe the earth, the very air...and I have seen the sky, newly scrubbed and spotless, blue from end to end...and I have watched the winter's snow drape tree and bush, to look like nature's freshly laundered linen hung to dry."

"I've heard the world is evil. But they are wrong...for I have known its people...watched them die to save a freedom, bleed to save a life...spend of themselves to stem disaster, of their wealth to ease distress...and I have watched them hope, dream, and pray, side by side."

"I've heard them say these things. But I would disagree...because for every shadow, I have seen a hundred rays of light...for every plaintive note, I've heard a symphony of joy...for every penny weight of bad, I have found a ton of good...good in Nature, in People, in the world."

Grammy

My Grammy is no longer with us. I wanted to write how much I loved her, but just can't seem to find the words. She taught me to love the simple things in life. A life she lived each and every day. These are things she taught me (mine are in color hers are in black/white). These pictures say it all...

gardening

kitties

that is my Grammy on the far right.

I am so lucky to have had her in my life for almost 50 years.

I miss you Grammy.

Love, me

Fuzzy Edge Quilt

This is the "fuzzy" edge quilt that I made a few weekends ago. There is 3 layers of flannel. Identical on the front and back with a thinner white flannel in the middle. You cut them out in "sandwiches" and sew all the squares right sides together. After you sew the blocks together you cut the seams down to almost the thread, and then wash several times. This makes the seams "fuzzy". It was one of the funnest quilts I have ever sewn. The color choice is not my "typical" colors, but it is how the kit came, and because it is different that made it even funner.