I am in the middle of a book recommended to me. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. A little girl in a house of brothers and a gruff grandfather that no one talks to except Calpurnia discovers he is not so bad after all. He teaches her science and she discovers she loves learning this more than her girly duties of needlework, knitting, and fancied up appearances.
In one section she speaks about her friend Lulu and her "mouse work" of knitting and needlework skills. Calpurnia thinks it is boring and droll but Lulu excels at it. I can so relate. In my little group of homeschool mothers I am the only one that does not knit. I can crochet simple blocks but I cannot make complex patterns. I get bored and set it down. It is very time consuming and SLOW. I cannot stand knitting. I have had several friends attempt to teach me and they leave more frustrated than i am doing it and I hate it! No one offers to teach me anymore. They have learned a valuable lesson. What that lesson is I do not know but I am sure a valuable one!
I wonder what kind of brain it takes to knit? My friends seem to have it. They seem to "get it" to the point strangers ask them where they bought their scarves, cowls, sweaters, etc... One has traveled with others and was paid to work in booths at conferences and she is attending yarn school soon.
I have never been much of a girly girl. I am always in awe of girly girls, or as Calpurnia says, "sappy" girls. Ones that primp and fuss about that last little hair. they pick at their clothes to get off that tiny piece of thread that even a hawk could not see. Dressing inappropriately to activities; fancy sandals or high heels on a hike/long walks, evening looking dresses to amusement parks. Make-up to the pool and fuss about water getting on their face (even old ladies do this at the pool) or fixing up your hair like it was your first date to go swimming. It is like a logic was thrown out with the bath water! I like to dress up but I don't have much occasion for it. I am not going to be silly and dress up to go to the park. I think jeans, yoga pants, and shorts are ideal for my daily lifestyle. I dress for function.
I also find most "girl" activities a complete drag. I would rather be out shooting arrows than painting my nails. I remember my mom begging me to put on a dress for Easter. Oh how I hated all those ruffles and those terrible scratchy fabrics. Tight, miserable, and you couldn't do a damn thing. "Don't you go outside and get muddy!" Well why the hell not? Mud was far more satisfying to wear than some stiff frock with bows, buttons, and lace. They never came in nice colors either. Always pastels; powder puff gagging blue, pasty yellow, pitiful pink, and god I am going to throw up sea foam green!
If that was not bad enough you always had painful patent leather shoes that would scuff if you looked at them harshly. You really couldn't walk in those boards covered with shiny pleather!
They were only meant to be seen in those staged photos sitting on a dirty gray carpet that some kid most likely peed on and a fake washed out scenery with a stuffed bunny in your lap.
Some of my girly girlfriends talk about getting together to do hair and make-up and I cringe when I hear this. Why can't we get together and smoke some meat, tie-dye some shirts, and dig a pond?
I find it hard to fit in. I am not manly enough to hang with the men and sometimes not girly enough for the women. Oh where oh where does my weirdo fit in?
I have no point. Just stating I am not sappy.
In one section she speaks about her friend Lulu and her "mouse work" of knitting and needlework skills. Calpurnia thinks it is boring and droll but Lulu excels at it. I can so relate. In my little group of homeschool mothers I am the only one that does not knit. I can crochet simple blocks but I cannot make complex patterns. I get bored and set it down. It is very time consuming and SLOW. I cannot stand knitting. I have had several friends attempt to teach me and they leave more frustrated than i am doing it and I hate it! No one offers to teach me anymore. They have learned a valuable lesson. What that lesson is I do not know but I am sure a valuable one!
I wonder what kind of brain it takes to knit? My friends seem to have it. They seem to "get it" to the point strangers ask them where they bought their scarves, cowls, sweaters, etc... One has traveled with others and was paid to work in booths at conferences and she is attending yarn school soon.
I have never been much of a girly girl. I am always in awe of girly girls, or as Calpurnia says, "sappy" girls. Ones that primp and fuss about that last little hair. they pick at their clothes to get off that tiny piece of thread that even a hawk could not see. Dressing inappropriately to activities; fancy sandals or high heels on a hike/long walks, evening looking dresses to amusement parks. Make-up to the pool and fuss about water getting on their face (even old ladies do this at the pool) or fixing up your hair like it was your first date to go swimming. It is like a logic was thrown out with the bath water! I like to dress up but I don't have much occasion for it. I am not going to be silly and dress up to go to the park. I think jeans, yoga pants, and shorts are ideal for my daily lifestyle. I dress for function.
I also find most "girl" activities a complete drag. I would rather be out shooting arrows than painting my nails. I remember my mom begging me to put on a dress for Easter. Oh how I hated all those ruffles and those terrible scratchy fabrics. Tight, miserable, and you couldn't do a damn thing. "Don't you go outside and get muddy!" Well why the hell not? Mud was far more satisfying to wear than some stiff frock with bows, buttons, and lace. They never came in nice colors either. Always pastels; powder puff gagging blue, pasty yellow, pitiful pink, and god I am going to throw up sea foam green!
If that was not bad enough you always had painful patent leather shoes that would scuff if you looked at them harshly. You really couldn't walk in those boards covered with shiny pleather!
They were only meant to be seen in those staged photos sitting on a dirty gray carpet that some kid most likely peed on and a fake washed out scenery with a stuffed bunny in your lap.
Some of my girly girlfriends talk about getting together to do hair and make-up and I cringe when I hear this. Why can't we get together and smoke some meat, tie-dye some shirts, and dig a pond?
I find it hard to fit in. I am not manly enough to hang with the men and sometimes not girly enough for the women. Oh where oh where does my weirdo fit in?
I have no point. Just stating I am not sappy.
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