Week 16 Life Skills

What stood out as something you'd like to take on in your own life. Will you knit an apron? Read or write a short story? Comb through your personal kit and caboodle to weed out the unnecessary and only keep what you love? Watch a bulb grown in water on your kitchen bench? Plant some herbs? 

This week's reading is about being able to bake a cake, grow some plants, knit a pair of socks, make an apron, etc. 

I always wanted to write children's stories.  I had all these ideas but never really go them into a story.  So one day last year I sat down and wrote that story. I can't talk about it because I need to finish the characters I am sewing for the book and give it to the person it is meant for. Maybe later in the year I will share it.  Maybe even one day it will be published. But if not, I can check this off my list of things wanting to try.

When I was young my father felt it was necessary that I learn to do everything he and my mother could teach me.  My paternal grandmother taught me to crochet and knit as she thought they were life skills I might need some day.  Boy was grandma right.

We also had Home Ec in school and the boys had shop. After I graduated HS the girls were finally allowed to take shop and auto mechanics.  I can honestly say I have never made a cottage cheese pie, but I did supplement my learnings at home into my learnings at school.

It is easier to just go to town, throw down some money and buy whatever you want. That is why there are so many small businesses today, people have got lazy and don't want to take the time to make things themselves.  I am not a fan of eating out cos I like to create my own flavors and there are things like onions and basil that don't like me and I don't eat salt or pepper either.   I prefer to bake and sew and knit and grow my own flowers and some herbs.  My generation was taught to be sort of self sufficient.

Recently I read the series One Second After.  That scared the life out of me and made me realize I need to become more self sufficient should we lose all power some day.  What would you do?  Could you take care of yourself and your family and neighbors?

I feel sorry for kids today because they don't know how to do anything.  They can't do laundry, the dishes, cook, or even sew a button on.  They have been raised in a throw away society.  They have also been taught to just go buy it.  Imagine when my generation is gone and they are on their own, well I don't want to think about it.

I make my own stuff because I like the satisfaction of making my own things.   There is that good feeling when you finish a pair of socks, make a new apron, embroider a new tea towel, bake a loaf of bread and have that first slice right out of the oven with lots of butter, growing my own herbs to use all year long.  I am glad I was raised when I was to be able to learn how to take care of myself.  

If you always wanted to learn how to do something just do it, if you mess it up it does not matter, try again. If is not your thing, find your thing and enjoy it.