Friday, April 6, 2018

Reality check.............

I went to breakfast with my dear friend Holly today.  We were talking about the falseness of social media.  I am not a fan of Facebook and such but I do write this blog.  While I try to be pretty honest here in this space I feel I might be better.  Now I know many of you do not agree with me, blogs should be a place of peace and beauty, I agree but if you have read me for very long there has to be a bit of reality with all the pretty flowers.  So here I go............

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, was not my favorite book.  I hear raves and raves about it, and I will give it an okay rating.  I liked how she grew and changed, I just felt it dragged in many places and went way too fast in others.  It just wasn't my favorite book of the year.  I hated Gone Girl, The Cuckoos Calling and The Goldfinch, also hugely popular books.

I had to treat myself for lice this week as I was working on a little one while her mother picked dead lice eggs out of her sisters hair.  I was so grossed out and itchy I treated myself even if I did not have them.  I can't believe she did not call me to cancel, but she said the two I work with did not have it!

Raising two five month old puppies is tough stuff.  Today you would have been aghast at me running around the kitchen table after Bear yelling because he had just pooped on my carpet.  We have not had an accident in a while and I had just taken him out.  Of course I was trying to get Little Buddy to school at the time it all happened adding to my frustration.

I would like to be able to sit and crochet all by myself for an hour or two with absolutely no one walking in the room, no one asking me a question, stopping to watch what show I have on, no puppies fighting or anyone making a loud coffee.  Just some peace and quiet.

I am not as nice and calm as I portray here.  I can be very short and sassy.  My Mother always said to me that sarcasm is not becoming.  I agree yet I am still sarcastic.  Oh, well.  I swear, too!

Little Buddy did not get a bath for three days in a row.  To be honest I was just too tired by the time I got home from work.

I am getting sick of the fury boys eating everything in sight, Little Buddy's glasses, dish cloths, dish towels, mulch, sticks, my glasses (although these are readers so are pretty cheap), cars, trucks, stuffed animals that are not theirs, yarn, the sofa, tile, a rocking chair, Little Buddy's ride on moose, paper, newspaper, or anything else they can reach which is about everything as they are growing like weeds.

I wish I had time to exercise, I don't, and I am not making that up.

By the looks of things I may never knit again.  I am re-naming my blog to Mere-Never-Knits.

I am often a better friend and sister than I am a wife and mother.  Seems I have endless patience with the first two and none with the latter two.

I am so sick of the politics in this country, it makes me ill every day.  Yet I refuse to hide my head in the sand, this is the reality of our lives, I can't pretend it isn't happening.

I am so mad that Little Buddy's ophthalmologists office took three days to call in a script for his glasses, and another three days to return phone calls about the script.  He has new glasses as of today but I am still not sure if they are right.  There are no bifocals all of the sudden.  He needs glasses for distance but then how does he see close up?  Yup, I called them today and as you can guess there was no return phone call.  He goes to the pediatric specialist in our area so unfortunately he has no choice but to be seen by this doctor.

My car battery died Tuesday morning, but I got it started again and drove to the dealership for a new one.  They got me right in and I was still able to get to work.  It could have been much worse.

I can't spell and hate punctuation.  I think one of my five concussions as a child wiped those areas off my brain.  As for the punctuation.....I bet you knew that by reading this blog.

I put Little Buddy to bed as soon as I got home from work on Monday after I heard he had hit the babysitter.  There is a no hitting rule here and I was too tired to deal with him.  At 8:10 pm he was in bed, by 8:20 he was asleep.  He must have needed it.




See the new glasses?  They look a bit big but he will grow into them.  He picked red inside and black outside.  Red is his favorite color.  The last photo cracks me up.  See, not all photos are perfect either.

I am going to try and be a bit more real here in this space.  I think it is important that our lives don't look picture perfect, because they are not!

Happy Weekend.

48 comments:

Teresa Kasner said...

I think you are always real. I try to be honest about the ups and downs of my life too.. but you'll still see pretty flowers on my blog. LOL! I'm glad Little Buddy got some nice new glasses.. and I'm glad you got a back-up pair. And I hope those pups get over the chewing stage sooner than later! I remember that. So, keep on being you and I'll love you no matter what. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

Anonymous said...

Oh my ------------that was a week I bet you'll be glad is in the rear-view mirror!

Hugs sweet friend --- hope you get a little quiet time this weekend.

rue said...

I had to smile, I once had a kid with scabies in my car and was sure I had it for two weeks afterwards.
Real life is a mixture of sweet and sour and your family look pretty good on your combination. My very favourite blogs are those that are real and yours is always that.

Karen said...

Meredith, I love this post. It's nice to put our best face forward, but life is not always a bed of roses, and those roses smell a lot sweeter when you recognize the real stuff, too. There are a lot of things I admire about you, and your honesty is one of them, you know that. I get it, about wanting to be left alone. I can empathize with raising puppies. It will be worthwhile in the end, but man it can be infuriating at times. I remember raising a puppy and potty training a kid at the same time, and dealing with more crap than I ever wanted to see. (I edited that last sentence. I swear, too.) The thing is you can have a bad day, a bad week, but you still radiate so much good in life. That's why I like coming to visit your blog.

By the way, I hated The Goldfinch and Gone Girl, and didn't finish either one of them.

xo

Bridget said...

You may not believe this, but I think your life sounds pretty normal. Anyone who says things are always perfect is just lying.

Mylittlepieceofengland said...

Life is a rollercoaster of ups and downs and I worry about young people in particular looking on line and thinking other people have more fun, are more interesting or whatever the illusion is. Little Buddy is gorgeous as usual and you sound pretty special yourself xx

Judy S. said...

Wow, Mere, that was a crazy week you just survived. I hope your weekend is a whole lot more peaceful. And no matter what you write, I love your blog.Sending lots of hugs.

Willow said...

And yet, you survived the week with something like a sense of humor.
Life is messy and that's ok.
Have a restful weekend.

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

Mere-Never-Knits ... Ha-ha! Meredith, you are nothing but honest and always manage to make me laugh! I've said it before, I don't know how you do all you do and manage to stay sane. You definitely have a lot on your plate but, of course, it won't last forever. Those puppies are gonna settle down once they are a bit older and start to understand the rules. Sounds like Little B definitely needed some sleep ... sometimes that is the best thing for a little one who is acting out. Unexpected crap happens all the time and taking a step back, finding space for a breather, cursing or sometimes sneaking off to bed is the best thing for a tired mama, too. :) No matter what, just remember to take care of you. As for politics, I know people who voted for you know who because they said they wanted change and it's starting to look like that change was needed. People are now raising their voices loud and clear and marching onward to push for change. I'd say that's a very good thing and I hope the momentum continues. People have the power and we need to stop letting idiots in office swindle us. Hope you are able to have a relaxing weekend. Close a door. Lock it if you have to. Crochet or knit with no guilt. You deserve it. Sending hugs your way.

Jo said...

Oh Meredith. You always keep it real. There was a point when I felt like shouting 'it is me or the dog!'with our puppy as it is so relentless. We are still in the midst of grey and rain - make it stop! which makes life seem such a drag. I really want to get a shot of my quilt because it is finished but it is just too wet and muddy to risk dragging it outside. This morning the girls are going to messy church for a couple of hours of craft and being away from me and I am going to pop to a craft group I haven't been to in a while to catch up with some friends. Actually my girls need to get in the shower - thanks for reminding me! Keep it real girl. Jo xxxxxxxxxx

waldo said...

Hi, I love this post (not just because I am having to make myself read Eleanor Oliphant - it hasn't grabbed me yet)! I think many blog posts leave us feeling that we can't possibly achieve everything the author has.

The puppies will suddenly grow out of chewing. At least my naughty black Lab did. We lost so many things when she was little - the laptop cable was a low point (as well as 5 dog beds) but she did eventually grow out of it!

handmade by amalia said...

Good for you, Meredith! You spoke up and the world didn't end and I'm sure you feel so much better for it. Perfection is boring.
Amalia
xo

Jo said...

Eleanor came home from school with headlice once, we noticed just as we were leaving the house to take Daniel to a swimming gala, needless to say, we arrived late and all with wet hair. Puppies are hard work, I think you tend to forget once you've got an older dog, but they can definitely be harder than babies to deal with. I loved this post, no one's perfect and I much prefer reading a 'warts and all' blog that those which portray a perfect life as I know that's just false.

mamasmercantile said...

Sounds like a tough week, there has been some swearing in this household too this week I am using I am not feeling very well as my excuse. Here's too having a better week.

CJ said...

My littlest boy's favourite colour is red as well, he loves it. Sorry you're a bit overwhelmed with it all at the moment. I can relate to the puppy/small boy madness, although you have more puppies (twice as many as me!) and a smaller boy. I would also treasure a moment of peace and I get very snappy when I am trying to have one and I get interrupted. I like quiet in-my-head time, I need it in fact, and I don't do well with constant noise and demands. All day they ask me for things! And all the unending jobs about the place are very wearing, I completely understand your sentiments about it all. Wishing you a lovely weekend with some peace and quiet and even a little knitting time. Hugs, CJ xx

Between Me and You said...

So sorry you're under such stress at home and work. Try and catch some 'me' time soon. Thinking about you, Meredith.xxx ps Love the new spectacles, they really suit him.

linda said...

Come to mine Meredith I will find you a space where you can sit put your feet up and knit and crochet in complete peace to your hearts content. Wish you lived closer! Your life sounds crazy so many things going on so many things to deal with but it's good to vent and say it how it is, keep it coming we can take it. Your blog is your space you can say what you like! I hope you find some peace and quiet this weekend my friend. Love and hugs :) xxx

Araignee said...

There is so much to agree with here. I think of my blog as my diary and I try to be as honest as I can as to what is going on. I get comments all the time about being too hard on myself but that's who I am. I don't live in a fairy land although in this big muck up that is my life, I find my blog helps me sort out the good things I might miss in an otherwise crappy day.

Babajeza said...

I often notice that people are relieved when you share your dark thoughts, the troubles you have, the sorrows. But I have this one colleague who always has a solution and tells me what I must do. She never has a problem, she never does' make mistakes. So I won't share my thoughts with her anymore.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Life is tough. I'd go with boring from time to time. What would we do without girl friends? I wish you all the best for you and your family. Hugs, Regula

Delighted Hands said...

I often live the chaos you are describing but I can't write about it because the boys mother stalks my blog and I can't let her in on my life with the boys!
Another way she hurts me and the boys....
Know you are not alone.
I don't worry about politics-I can't watch the news-I won't with the boys in the room and I go to sleep so early I can't bear to watch anything. We do watch Peter Rabbit and they have the characters wear lovely knits which I enjoy! lol Give yourself a hug from me!

Nance said...

I'm a Big Fan of Keeping It Real (as you know by reading my blog). Life is lumpy, like granola. We do everyone a disservice by pretending otherwise. It's isolating when Readers come to us and imagine that their lives are the only ones full of bumps in the road.

Live your life, Meredith. Make no apologies unless you needlessly harm someone else (and I cannot imagine you ever doing that). And know when it's time to Ask For Help.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Meredith you are the best! Life is such a roller coaster and not easy on the best of days. I too don't trust anyone with that 'perfect' life. My home is a cluttered mess, I broke out in a rash all over my body from stress (not shingles thank God) and I'm not sure I see an end to any of it. Still we keep doing what we can. Just know I love you even more for your perfectly imperfect life!

Lilbitbrit said...

Life is messy. I think it does us all good to read that life has two sides the portrayed to the world side and what goes on in real life. Sometimes it can all seem a bit overwhelming. Life also seems to have it's up times and down times, and thank goodness for the times when we get a reprieve from it all. So I loved reading your thoughts and your life Meredith.

Betsy said...

What a great post Meredith. If we’re honest, none of us have perfect lives as you can tell by my blog. I have been criticized for sharing the “not so nice” stuff but hey, it’s my life and you are my friends. I could not imagine raising two rambunctious puppies at once, while dealing with a small boy and a demanding job like yours. They believed Chloe was 2 when we rescued her. A perfect age where she had outgrown all of the “puppy stuff”.
I hope you can have an hour or two of peace today my dear friend. I’ll pray for a better week next week but please keep sharing. Friends share life and it is what it is.
(Should I tell you that I’ve never read any of those books?) Ha!
Blessings,
Betsy

Helen said...

This entry made me smile and empathise 100% I think blogging is about going with the flow and writing what you feel about! Little Buddy looks so grown up, I like the new glasses :)

Anonymous said...

ohmygosh.
i absolutely love this post.
so? you really are HUMAN!
it's wonderful!
i also personally HATE punctuation. always have. especially the stupid comma. if somebody doesn't have the sense to pause between a thought then who am i to make them do it with a comma? but then i've had three concussions in my life. one from a soft ball hitting me in the forehead. i never thought of it as maybe the culprit for my dislikes. notice i didn't call it a problem! it's not a problem to me! lol. i also do not like capital letters. oh well.
have you tried getting many (at least a few) different chew things for the puppies cutting those permanent teeth? it might help. i don't know for sure. but it's worth a try. big rawhide chews. but they have to be watched. it would have to be big enough that they can't choke.
i don't read your blog for the knitting. i came from Claudia's because of little Buddy. and oh my. is it worth it! YOU who need R&R... and i dislike the word whom too. such strange old rules really. but i digress.
you have gifts you're not even aware of! photography being only one! and we're so thankful for you! xo

bittenbyknittin said...

Oh, what a bad time you have had lately! Things will get better, at least with the pups. Mine seem to have spring fever right now - sleeping a lot - but it is also mud season, so each trip outside means dirt tracked inside. I find myself wishing for a doggy bidet by the patio door, where I can wash their paws, then flush the dirt away.

Una said...

I wouldn't worry too much about the glasses. I have worn them since the age of 6 and probably needed them long before. The opticians worked out a prescription that was a compromise between distance and reading. The only time I tried bi-focals was about 10 years ago and they made me feel dizzy. If Buddy is able to read with the new glasses, they are probably correct.

Caffeine Girl said...

I have always admired you for keeping it real! I think you are a down-to-Earth person, and that comes through beautifully.
I have never noticed any problem with spelling or punctuation -- and I was a newspaper journalist for 25 years!
I also did not like Eleanor or The Goldfinch.
Like Delighted Hands, I can't describe as much of my life as I'd like because my mother uses information in my blog against me.
Still, my life is a cakewalk in comparison to yours because you opened your house and your heart to a special little boy and two amazing puppies! I am a few years older than you (I think; I'm 58), and I am mostly happy to be an empty nester. I do have moments of sadness because my children are adults and out of the house. But mostly I realize I'm lucky they are doing well.
I could say a lot about my job, but that would just get me in trouble -- and I still need that health insurance!
Your realness has made many of us care about you!

kathy b said...

Each word you write sends us reality and clarity.
I was very happy to be away from the NEWS for a week while we were in Mexico. It made me realize how hard it is on us all.
Puppies can be so exhausting. I know you will be very happy with them in a little while longer. I think you made a good decision. They will settle down soon.
Lil Buddy is so lucky to have you. Al reminded me this week that my being an imperfect mother as she grew up know helps her realize she doesn't have to be perfect. It was a kind thing to say.
Hugs to you. Big hugs.

Jeannie Gray Knits said...

Ahh, the joys of motherhood. My family tease me every Thanksgiving over an 'incident' involving the song, Alices' Restaurant. I just wanted to hear it 1 time without interruption.... and I was on my 6th or 7th attempt... when one of the kids interrupted me once again. I went into full on mental yelling-cussing-throwing-things-and-crying-breakdown mode. Ten or fifteen years later, it's funny but back then.... for the love of God, just let me listen to the damn song 1 time without interruption.

Take a deep breath, shake off the week and say a little prayer that Little Buddy got transitional lenses without the lines. Hopefully next week will be better.

My Creative Life said...

Arh Meredith, bless you. I know what you mean about wanting to keep it real. There are many things in life that I think but do not say in blogland, as I know it's not what people want to hear. I never write about Jesus either despite how very important He is in my life. He gives me peace of mind and my life would be nothing without Him. But I leave Him to one side in blogland.
I suppose we all leave something of ourselves out of our blogs - to protect our careers, our families, our sanity. I think we all try to be as real as we can and accept each other. I think you are an amazing lady who is trying the best she can in a busy life. Your family love you and one day it'll get easier.
NB in case you don't see this on my blog reply, ref audiobooks- (A few I've borrowed as CD's from the library but the others are all free downloads through the library. Libraries around the world subscribe to this service, my county library have 2 different ones online. I can borrow them for about 3 weeks at a time and listen on my phone or whatever device I download them to. Enjoy the weekend) Cathy x

Tracey said...

Ah, bless you Meredith 😊❤🌼
I related to much of what you wrote xxxx

The Well Fed Wheel said...

I'll trade you realities.....LOL....mine has been off the charts here since last October and doesn't look like it's going to get any better for a while either. But for safety reasons I can't speak of it on my blog. I love that you keep it real and those glasses are totally cool!!

Melanie said...

Oh, Meredith...I wish I could reach through my computer and give you a big hug. I give you a lot of credit for being so honest and open on your blog. I have to say though, nothing you said surprised me. I would think that ALL of our lives are pretty messy. My life is far from perfect and I too, feel spread thin and crabby a lot of times, and hey, I swear, too! I get aggravated with my cats (they're probably not as difficult as dogs, but they can be a pain-in-the-arse, too), my husband, and son - to the point where I just want to run away sometimes. And for the record, I didn't like any of those books you mentioned either. Sending you love and hugs and peace for better tomorrows. xoxo

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

Hugs Meredith. Reality check touched so many of your readers, me too. I popped over from Claudia because she loves you dearly.
Joy

Anonymous said...

Nobody is perfect, ofcourse. I think you're very brave to tell us this.
And it's normal that you sometimes lose your patience or get angry. Who doesn't?
I also try to keep my blog happy and positive, as I need that to counter the negativity. When I read the news, I almost get depressed by what happens in the world. And thus I persist in writing happy and funny posts, about nothing else than crochet (most of the time).
But like you say, we can't ignore reality. So well done.
And I hope your blog will be named Mere-will-knit-again-someday!
Big hug,
Sigrid

gaia said...

Dear Meredith,
Things will be better, so don't worry. The glasses are so cute!
Hugs,
Gaia.

Unknown said...

Hi Meredith,
I have read Claudia's blog for years and, naturally, gravitated to yours. I am so in line with you about being honest. I look at Instagram of family and friends and literally have to turn it off and go outside. So tired of everything being shown as picture perfect. It's just a lie or, at best, only a half truth. I think that's how our current president got elected, really. He put that honesty thing out there and that's what people crave. Not going to comment about him any further, as I never bought into it,but a lot clearly did. We all just want honesty, however we can get it, so thank you for this post. ~Brooke in OKC

Mrs. Micawber said...

I'll bet a lot of us read this post with relief, and a huge feeling of YOU TOO??? :D Thanks for the honesty! It's refreshing.
I hope things can settle down a bit for you Mere, and I heartily wish that you may find a quiet hour to knit or crochet in solitude. I really struggle with that too.
P.S. Your punctuation always seems fine to me! Hugs to you.

Threads of Inspiration said...

Well Meredith, I think this is my favorite blog post I have read - ever! Life can be pretty crazy and down right awful sometimes. I know I'm dealing with my fair share of things that are going haywire right now. Keep writing, the good with the bad, punctuation or not. I love reading your posts. Sending you a big hug in hopes that the doggies quit chewing, Little Buddy is well rested and you find some peace.

Unknown said...

Loved your post. I could identify with it all. All I know is if I ever had to hire a wife for my husband and mother for my kids I certainly wouldn’t hire me... Just saying...
Eileen

Anonymous said...

I'm a great admirer of both you and your sister. You two must have had a terrific Mother! I've permanently gone out of the puppy business ever since I awoke to the sound of puppy eating the bedside table - there's a real need for people who adopt older dogs and I'm filling that niche. Another popular novel that I didn't like was "Girl on the Train." I think the political climate we're having to endure going back to the campaign (was that 2014-15?), has us all on edge -- no wonder it's getting to us as a nation.

Take care of yourself, -Eileen in Fla.

Gracey is not my name.... said...

My motto in life is: It is what it is.....I just go along...I'm pretty good about being flexible, unless I'm home from work and in my lounging outfit and I suddenly have to go back out....I got lice one year from my students....I had just cut my hair 12 inches or I would have been much more upset...sorry about the glasses...

You have to give yourself a break.....things will settle down...just takes time...I am always real...you get what you get and if you don't like it(me) you can move on....

HUGS to you...

Lorrie said...

Dear Meredith,
A little (or a lot) of reality is very refreshing in make-it-pretty blogland. We all have days like yours. I think you are a remarkable and loving woman. You will knit again, I'm sure of that.

Crafty in the Med said...

I appreciate your honesty Meredith.
IMHO we don't live in a world of make believe! Admittedly it is nice to dream for a little while but we have to be realistic. In our world we have to deal with the good and unfortunately the bad bits too.At least fighting the bad bits and pulling through makes you feel that the good is so very worthwhile.
It sounds to me as if you have a lot to handle! Although we are multi-tasking goddesses don't think you shouldn't have some quality time now and again!

keep well

Amanda xx

karen said...

I agree with everything you say. I hope you do find the time to be by yourself and have no one interrupt you! Also I hope you can squeeze in some exercise time. It's not easy with a houseful is it?

Hindustanka said...

Hi Meredith... So happy to see your Little Buddy :)) Hugs to him!

You won;t believe but I was just thinking about you and how you guys are just few days ago... We had many things to do in our life, as we are moving to a new country... Hope I can tel my story in my blog soon.

and, well about your mood (or no-mood).. my husband has been telling me that I am way too irritated and intolerant these days too... I cant help it at times. And I can relate to your wish to simply sit quietly and do something what I love - for at least a couple of hours... it happens, and I have no guilt of wishing so :)) take care and have a nice week!!!