August 22nd, 2023

On a fairly regular basis, ideas pop into my head about what to blog about.  It might be something I've recently done, or places we've gone, things we've talked about or read.  And it sparks an idea and I immediately write it down in a little notebook that I keep at my desk for just such things.  

Then, when a day comes along that is a blog-writing sort of day, if I don't have another plan already, I consult the book of ideas, get re-inspired all over again and get to work.   This morning, I sat down, blog construction page opened and blank and ready to roll, my fingers were poised over the keys and.........................nothin'.  Bupkus. Zippity-do-dah, zilch, zero, nada.  So naturally, I consulted the idea book and, holy cats!  I had already used up all of the ideas! Now what?

I blame August.  It's  such a blah month.  It's hot,  it's boring, and it's still freakin' summer even though by now everybody is over it..  August is like the guests who stay too long at the party. NO matter how many hints you give, they linger. 

Even my desk calendar for August is dull.  Other than my museum days schedule, it is virtually blank and that NEVER happens. Usually my desk calendar is an absolute wreck with all of the days full of different colours of ink and markers, little sticky notes slapped on here and there and things written in the margins with lots of not at all helpful arrows.   August's calendar page, on the other hand is very nearly pristine.  

I suppose I ought to appreciate it for it's calm in an otherwise whackado world but it surely cuts down on subject matter for blogposts!  

Perhaps if I led a more interesting life it would be different.  There would be scads of things to write about every week!  Heck, there would be things to write about every day!  Imagine living that life?  Always on my way to here or there, thither and then yon.  Always doing, and seeing and being and going.  Busybusybusy. Gosh just thinking about that makes me tired.  I guess I'm more hardwired to a quieter life.  But not quite as quiet as August.

I honestly didn't realize just what a snore my August life was until I was on the phone with my sister recently. She had been away for a few weeks and we were catching up.  I asked her what was new - an innocent enough question - and  my goodness!  She is busy and going and doing and it was so exciting and fun to hear about!  But somewhere along the way she turned the question around to me, "So what's new with you?"  And I had to pause to think about it.

Quite honestly, nothing was new, or exciting or interesting or worthy of mention really.  So I said, "nothing really, just y'know, ordinary stuff". And my voice trailed off and the answer just kind of hung there in the air in silence and then we promised to get together later this week.

Ordinary Stuff is the truth.  There is nothing whatsoever wrong with ordinary stuff.  Most of our lives is just ordinary stuff.  People get up, they go to work, to meetings and they get their jobs done.  I stay home and get my job done here.  I clean, do laundry, cook and bake, and do some yard work.  Grocery shopping gets done and errands get run and books get read and seriously, that is my regular life.  There is a comfort in the predictability of it all.

But usually, in non-August months, here and there, something different drops into our lives.  And that livens things up a bit for awhile. Because one unusual, unexpected thing frequently leads to others which leads to others which then lend themselves to yet more non-ordinary people, things, places and ideas.  How very exciting! Except in August.

So anyway, that's that.  Ordinary August.  Luckily, the ever so boring month of August is heading to a close and I see September on the horizon.  September will be far more interesting, I have no doubt at all.

And in the meantime, I am going to get on with my day, try to get excited about washing towels and sheets,  cleaning bathrooms and doing the ironing.  Hold me back, I'm not sure I can stand the excitement!