After writing “these ladies cleaned up nicely” I decided to
google the phrase to pinpoint where it came from. The earliest reference I
could find was a 1989 Seinfeld clip of Kramer saying it to Jerry when they were
both wearing tuxedos, but my search was brief and I could have missed something.
I did learn that the phrase appears on a list of eight things you should never
say to anyone. Apparently, many people take it as an insult. People used to say
it to my husband and we never took offense. He got grubby at work and play and
did clean up well going from chimney sweeper dirty to GQ Cool. Language changes
over time and thank goodness for that. Otherwise we’d all still be talking
like Shakespeare: “What art thou that usurp’st this time of night…” but on the con
side of changing language is we have to keep current. Last year a snowflake was just a beautiful ice crystal, this year it's anyone who is easily offended or can't deal with opposing
opinions.
I already knew and like half the women in this book club
from various activities around the senior hall and this party was an
opportunity to get to know the other half. One lady, I learned, I will be avoid commenting on anything she says about current events. When the topic of what
people watch or don’t watch on TV came up she announced, “I never watch
politics because it’s always changing. ALWAYS!” Say what? What can you
watch on TV that isn’t changing, a color pattern late at night in 1955? And
when the waitress left the room for the last time the young girl said, “Happy
holidays, ladies!” to which the woman who claims she doesn’t watch politics
screamed out in a loud booming voice, “It’s Merry Christmas! Christmas is back!”
Okay, that was my queue to buy a Starbucks coffee on the way home since they’re
so-called foot soldiers in the so-called war on Christmas. I got so buzzed up
on coffee last year over the red cup controversy that the car thought it was programmed to go to Starbucks drive-thou on every trip out of the garage.
Another lady said she never watches TV because it makes her
mad when a certain person comes on which I assumed was Mr. Trump but it could
have been Captain Kangaroo for all I know. The vast major of those around the
table of twelve said they hardly ever watch TV or they just watch PBS or classic movies. I kept quiet about the
fact that turning on the television is the first thing I do in the morning and
turning it off is the last thing I do at night. One woman said she thought
people who watch cable news are always angry and the ‘color pattern’ lady agreed.
Am I always angry? I must be a good actress if that’s true because I’ve never
been accused of being perpetually angry…nor am I a Snowflake. I would never,
for example, scream out, “It’s Merry [frigging] Christmas! Christmas is back!” which
was an angry, joy-sucking political statement if I ever heard one.
Party talk aside---the political kind, not the be merry kind that dominated most of the luncheon---one of the ladies at the party makes salves and potions out of essential
oils and she brought a basket full of products to give away, so I went home
with a gift that I love for the tin it came in. I love tiny seed-saver style
tins even though I have no garden or seeds to save. I do have some seed savers
with glass tops that I use to display special stones or sea shells. Want to
hear another confession? When I empty out a pickle or other glass jar that has
no printing on the lid, I wash it out and fill it with stones or shells. I know
that sounds hoarder-lady like and the photos above and below probably bear witness
to the fact that I could be headed in the direction. If you ever see me at the recycling
center picking through glass jars please do an intervention. ©
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| yes, that wicker planter is filled with rocks |
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| my sun porch is running out of empty windowsills |
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| seed savers |
