writer « Robin Writes

We officially moved to the farm this past Saturday! It seems very strange not to be figuring out what to do, and when, before we drive back to STL in a few days. The kid came over early Saturday to help load the truck, and by the time I left around noon, he and my husband were still at it.

I got here around 3:30 or so and took care of the dog and cat and watered my plants. I put the cat, who’s never been here, in the dungeon while I unloaded the car. Half an hour later, he was meowing to get out. He circled the house twice before scoping out all the windows and then taking a nap on our bed. He finally got to go outside the next day, and boy, does he love that! I’m not sure he could clear the fence, but he might try. I’m not too worried about him—he’s a 20-pound Maine Coon.

The unpacking is almost done. Still have a few boxes that either can’t yet be unpacked—like stuff for the laundry room—and some pictures that I have no idea where to hang, but mostly it’s done. The biggest part was rearranging the things we’ve been using and incorporated the REAL stuff from STL.

My husband has finished clearing the garden area and ordered fish for his pond. We picked up a horse trough yesterday, but no horse yet—this is first going to be fish transport on Saturday. At Fish Day.

Yes, that’s a thing.

I also discovered I have family in the area—how weird is that? My cousin passed away a few days ago; I saw her obit in the paper. I haven’t seen her in probably 30 years. Her brother still lives here.

When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time at Nana’s house. Aunt LaVerna lived next door on one side, and Aunt Mary on the other. I ran and played in all three yards and visited both of them a lot. Sometimes, my cousin Dolores was home; she was a mail carrier. I don’t remember her brother Lon very well. They were both 30 or so years older than I.

I DO remember a big family ruckus though, probably in the early 90s, when Dolores and Lon moved Aunt LaVerna out “to the country.” Just didn’t realize it was here! This is almost as strange as when we moved from Colorado to Granbury, Texas in 1999 and discovered that my husband’s grandparents had lived there—and their marriage certificate was still at the courthouse!

Well, anyway, back to the work part:

Yesterday, before the town trip to buy fish and a few groceries, we seeded the pasture with 50 pounds of fescue; going to add some alfalfa or lespedeza too. Planned it ahead of the nice rain we got this morning—perfect for sprouting.

I also planted my signature purple verbena for the five hanging baskets on two of the decks. The third deck, off the kitchen, is for my seedlings and herbs. And a grape vine. I think that’s what it is. Hard to say…

And I’m pretty sure all these gorgeous little yellow-flowered trees are sassafras. Don’t think I’ve ever seen them before, but we have a quite a lot. The blueberries wintered well and the peach trees have leafed out; the apple trees are budding.

Very exciting!

I’m starting to get a little aggravated by the many, many social media posts/articles about being “kind” and “let’s make the world a better place” and stuff like that.

Why in the world would that irritate anyone?

Because I do these things. Because everyone I know does these things. Because we don’t need reminders to do these things when a major disaster occurs.

Here’s an example:

Women and skin care. The cosmetics industry has many women convinced that, if they buy this product or that one, all their problems—skin and otherwise—will magically disappear.

Let me tell you: I have yet to find the spackle that will do this.

So women everywhere are tense and stressed about looking younger, and constantly seeking the solution.

Okay, fine, YOU are not one of them. Doesn’t change the cosmetics industry’s marketing ploy.

So let’s say you’re carrying on with your daily life and you’re nice to people and you donate time and money to charity, and you try really hard to see the opposite point of view. With me so far?

Then you see posts about how being “kind” will fix the world—and right away you think, “Oh, no! I should do more!”

And the guilt sets in. Whether or not you realize it or acknowledge it.

You hear all the time about how “stressed” we are—sure, it’s the news media and our constant exposure, but it’s all this irrational guilt that says if only you would do MORE . . .

I’m betting, if you’re reading this, that you’re a rational human being, at least mostly, and you do not go out of your way—or even inadvertently—to piss off everyone. You don’t globetrot to blow up things and people, you don’t send subversive messages all over the place.

YOU are not the problem.

In spite of the 70s Coke commercials.

The problem are radicalized individuals and groups who think this shit is fun stuff and they’re going to be rewarded in their version of heaven.

Again, YOU are not the problem. Which means YOU are not the solution. No matter how “kind” you are, YOU are not going to fix the world.

So stop already. Stop feeling guilty and stressed because you don’t think you’re “kind” enough.