Spring things continue to pop at the farmette. The onions look like fine green hairs emerging from the ground. The peas are starting to wind their way into existence. We’ve had our first rhubarb crumble, and the strawberry plants are producing little green and yellow fruit. New growth is everywhere.
Yesterday, my niece took a tour around the property scoping out spots for her prom pictures. Speaking of growth, I cannot believe for a second Rachel is 18. Cripes. On the one hand, it is fabulous that she has matured into a smart, gorgeous grown-up, ready to make her own way in the world. On the other, I can’t help but miss the wee girl who fell asleep in our hammock on a bright summer’s day. OK...getting sappy. Snapping out now.
Changing gears at my age will do that to you. Or maybe it’s just the age. I’ve noticed not only a much higher sappy quotient (honestly, weeping about animal videos on YouTube), but also a ridiculous amount of forgetfulness, a generous helping of dithering and a bit of trouble with eye-hand co-ordination (as in getting the spaghetti to the mouth without dribbling tomato sauce on the white blouse).
But that’s ok. I can deal. I have figured out some helpful tools to get around the drawbacks of middling age:
Lists. I write lists for groceries, honey-dos, household items, seeds, plants, business goals and just about everything else. I remember a funny New Yorker cartoon that showed James Joyce's fridge list that said something like ‘bread, milk, eggs, forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race’.
Calendars. I have hard copy and electronic calendars with reminders that go off a half-day, an hour, and a half-hour before whatever my appointment is (hair cut, webinar, interview, lunch date). Excessive, but necessary for me, at least.
The blackboard. Stuff that needs to get done THIS WEEK goes on our blackboard in the kitchen. Vet, doctor and dentist appointments go up there, along with other must-dos. With five cats and some with special needs, it feels like we visit the vet every other day. But they are soooo worth it.
Rob. So my latest trick is to show my husband where I’m storing something - say the manual for the barbecue or the base for the Christmas tree. You know, the stuff you don’t need until you really need it, then can’t find it, and you swear a lot as a result. I figure if both of us know the location, at least one will remember when the time comes. Unless we both have a brain-fart, in which case we’re up the chute, anyways.
We all have our coping mechanisms. I’m just glad to be getting older (experiencing new growth?) in a time and place in which I feel most comfortable - with the people, pets and gardens I love down on the farmette.