Knitting, A Book Review, and Contemplative Floor Scrubbing

:: Knitting, A Book, Review, and Contemplative Flooring Scrubbing ::

I hand scrubbed the floors this afternoon. A bucket, hot soapy water, an old rag, and me on my hands and knees. Now before anyone jumps to any conclusions about my sanity just know that I have no reason for doing it other than I wanted to clean the floors. I have not completely lost my mind and I am certainly not looking for any adulation for completing what might seem like a futile task considering I have three small children. I just felt the need to clean the floors. Have you ever just done something because you feel the need to do it? It might seem weird to some people who detest cleaning but put it in your own terms and life. For me, cleaning is cathartic and it restores order once a week to my little chaotic world. It also gives me a chance to think about everything. When I have this rare quiet time I am really able to think about the week, experiences I have had, and what I want out of myself and my life. I love this time even if it is over a toilet scrubbing away the little germs because I feel like we don't really think anymore. We spend so much time being entertained or occupied with something shiny and flashy that our brains just go into auto-pilot. I am just as guilty as the next person of this and I am always trying to break myself from the vortex of constant stimulation. So, while cleaning the floors in the silent house this afternoon ( the babies were napping) I had a few thoughts...

* I need to continue working on being in the moment and not have one foot in the future all the time. Life is going by quickly and while it is great to dream of the future I need to continue enjoying the moment because you only get one chance. 

* I have decided to go down a different career path and leave the teaching profession completely. I am home right now with the children but when they are older I will want to go back to work in some capacity but teaching is not the thing for me anymore. Time to start thinking about a different career path and what I need to do to get there. 

* I was also rehashing a conversation I had with a neighbor the other week while waiting for the school bus. Ce-Ce was picking up fallen leaves to take home and keep in her little "treasure" box. This woman was explaining to me that she and her daughter take leaves, press them, and send them to her sister in Southern California because she doesn't get to see foliage like this. She promptly qualified her story with saying "I guess  it is really dorky of us, huh?" as if her expected reaction was for me to give her a weird look. I am certain she did not do this consciously and I think she is a very sweet woman. I know this because I do this all the time! I always defend or belittle what I do when someone makes a less positive remark to something I have done or any interest I hold. Why do we do this? Are we that foregone that we can't accept others passions, interests, and hobbies. When did society become so opinionated? Personally, I love meeting people with similar and different interests because I know it gives the world so much more depth. So, after this conversation I decided that I wasn't going to be apologetic for who I am and what I do. I am going to own me and rock it. 

Subsequently, I told my neighbor that I thought it is was kind of her to think of her sister in such a way. I just love thoughtful people! 

Oh my brain just goes a mile a minute. I used to just think these things and let them go. But now I have a blog and I can share these thoughts. Some may not agree with my words but that is okay because they are just that my words. 

With all this thinking, it is a wonder I get anything else done but happily I am a knitting fool these days. It is a cold weather. It just gets me in the mood to make little woolen things. I am working on finishing a pair of slippers for baby, a Milo sweater vest for baby, and a hat for myself. 

I also finished reading The Steady Running of the Hour by Justin Go. It turned out to be a good read. The story bounces between the present and past (1915-1924 era) as a young man tries to track down his past in order to claim a trust that has been little to his grandmother. The character, Tristan is running all over Europe trying to piece together the doomed love story of his great grandparents. He is not favorite part of the story and I think he is a flat character. However, the story of Imogen and Ashley and their doomed romance is something to read. I wont give away much more because I don't want to be a spoiler of a good story. 

I have checked out a book titled Through the Black Spruce and I am going to give it a try but my back up book is The Sea by John Banville.