But we baked cookies, took an amazing boat ride, and attended a Christmas celebration in Delaware's city of Seaford.
And goodness, you'll never guess what the child wants to be when she grows up!
Pic of the Day
Quote of the DayGrandparents Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting. ~Author Unknown |
| Web Site Worth the Visit A Comprehensive Christmas Site Songs, stories, pictures, lore...just in time to help out with Christmas festivities, this site has all things Christmas. CLICK HERE |
| TIDBITS RANDOM TIDBITS There are people who have formed a group called BND. Instead of Black Friday its "Buy Nothing Day" *** Numerical signs such as "Two for the price of one" or "Limit three per person," cause shoppers to buy 30-90% more than they otherwise would. *** Few tips you should remember: * Don't put wallets, loose cash or credit cards in your coat pockets. * Don't carry too many bags into stores. * Don't fumble with car keys. Have them ready. * Don't keep packages in plain view in your car. * Don't make trips to the car to drop off your packages. *** "Black Friday" As it is known in the retail industry, supposedly because it's the day retailers turn the corner and see their balance sheets move out of the red and into the black. *** Not the Biggest Day The highest sales day is usually either the last Saturday before Christmas or December 23. Black Friday generally ends up ranking as the fifth biggest sales day of the year. *** 2-2-4 Formula # 2 hours. Store all leftovers in the refrigerator or freeze no more than two hours after cooking. If food has been out more than two hours, toss it. # 2 inches. Use shallow containers, about two inches deep, to store food. This will allow it to cool quickly and evenly, foiling pesky bacteria. # 4 days. Eat leftovers within four days. Holiday food kept longer than that should be thrown out. Freeze anything that is not going to be used within four days. |
"So What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up"?
Though I'd been asking this question of little Kaitlyn Mae over several visits, a)I wasn't even sure she understood my query re her future and b)if she understood she didn't seem ready to make a career commitment. For Kaitlyn tended to get a blank look in her eye when I asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. I understood. Goodness, the child is only three years of age but my question was a serious one.
So I was delighted when, upon this most recent visit, Kaitlyn told me with joy that she has decided what she wants to be when she grows up.
It was what she told me what she wanted to be that left me speechless.
First, the boat ride.
Yes indeed it was Kaitlyn's first boat ride and due to a convergence of fine fall weather, a deserted resort ocean area and a handy boat it all came together so fine, finer than if it had all been planned for weeks in advance.
I drove down to Ocean City Merryland to pick up Kaitlyn Mae for her visit. Whenever I am down that way I like to stop by my niece's house and pick up any paperwork for the beauty salon on which I consult with my niece. When I informed my niece I would be stopping by for some paperwork exchange, and that I would Kaitlyn with me, my niece suggested we could all go for a boat ride.
The weather, even with us having normally mild autumns, was warm even at this. I knew Kaitlyn had never been on a boat and was excited about going.
We had a wonderful time.
The moon was big and bright and even though it was still daylight, we could see the moon. I don’t know why but we sure showed that sky to Kaitlyn and pointed out that the sun and moon were both out.
Kaitlyn, snug in her life jacket, loved her boat ride.
We rode around the mighty Atlantic Ocean and even took a jaunt along the famous beaches of Ocean City Merryland. The condominiums and big hotels jutted out from the land and it was a beauty to behold. We rode by the many mansions of the entrepreneurs who found the American dream in that resort town on the ocean. Eventually we stopped at a marina and Kaitlyn thought climbing the ladder from the boat onto the pier to be a most fun thing to do.
During the rest of our visit we made cookies, played with the computer, took the big horse-dog for walks and one evening we took a ride up to Seaford, Delaware to join in on that town’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
We were turning in on the night of the Christmas tree ceremony when Kaitlyn matter-of-factly informed me that she’d been thinking about what she wanted to be when she grows up and this alone surprised me. I didn’t think she knew what the hell I was talking about.
“I want to be a baseball player,” Kaitlyn told me firmly and without guile.
“A baseball player?” I asked, slowly and with skepticism. Surely the child was playing with my head.
“Yup,” she said then pulled the covers over her body.
Once upon a time I was a Women’s Libber of the highest order. I absolutely despised men; they were the male chauvinist enemies. I subscribed to MS. Magazine and one time even marched on Washington D.C. in protest at Ronald Reagan’s inauguration. Now I am a Conservative and proud of it, older, calmer and hey, now I love men.
Now my granddaughter wants to be a baseball player and I am flabbergasted.
Go with me here, at age three I understand that Kaitlyn is engaging in fantasy think. Like little boys who want to be cowboys or dreamy girls who want to be princesses. Kaitlyn evidently watched a baseball game or some such and decided maybe she’d like to do that some day.
In my Woman’s Liberation hay day, a proclamation by my granddaughter to a career as a professional baseball player would have set me off. The next day I’d be marching against the American and National Leagues that females should not be denied the chance to play baseball just because they don’t have a penis.
I’d be circulating petitions to force the mighty baseball leagues to allow female players and hey, I’d likely be playing my options for a Supreme Court case.
I have no idea if Kaitlyn understands that only males are professional baseball players although I know there are women’s softball leagues. I doubt that Kaitlyn was referring to any unknown women’s softball team with her wish to be a baseball player. I suspect Kaitlyn intends fully to play with the NY Yankees, maybe even the Baltimore Orioles.
See, I’m a big believer in dreams. People with dreams and goals are good people. They don’t around killing others or getting into all sorts of trouble. People with dreams are busy working toward their dreams. I think it’s a good thing to encourage children to have dreams which is why I asked Kaitlyn about her future even when I thought she didn’t understand a word I was asking.
When Kaitlyn told me her dream it was like it all came into place. All my life I’ve fought for the rights of women and don’t discount the fact that I have suffered discrimination and sexual harassment in my lifetime that I hope Kaitlyn will never have to endure. It wasn’t as if there weren’t some social wrongs that had to be righted in my day, is what I’m saying here.
In the almost full circle of my life, I then faced a wide-eyed and pragmatic blue-eyed angel of a granddaughter who matter-of-factly declares she wants to be a baseball player and I knew she could not due to her sex.
I asked myself, did anything change through my lifetime?
My older and more conservative self has finally acknowledged that there ARE differences between males and females and any attempt to make them equal is an attempt to change Mother Nature herself. Global warming notwithstanding, humans do not have the power to change nature, it’s as simple as that. I don’t think females belong in the front line of a war but in my younger days I thought women should definitely be toting a gun along with her male colleagues.
I pondered if I should mention to Kaitlyn the problem with her career goal.
After three days and a lot of fun, I kissed Kaitlyn goodbye. I never said another word about her expressed career goal.
She’ll figure it out someday. If she doesn’t like it, let her march on D.C.
My Women’s Lib days are over. More than anything I want Kaitlyn to be happy and productive and avail herself of the opportunities of this great country. Yes I want her to someday find a man who loves and cherishes her and hope she finds happiness that way.
Besides, who the hell knows, someday she really MIGHT play for the New York Yankees. I’m not dismissing it out of hand is what I’m saying here.
Insert wink here.
More Kaitlyn posts HERE
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