Mary, Mary Quite Contrary How Does Your Garden Grow? 7-21-2010
Well, that’s an easy question to answer. My husband of 40 years tends my garden and I love to look at it. Notice I mentioned, look at it. I do not enjoy weeding, pulling out roots, slapping the bugs, batting away the gnats, looking sweaty and red in the face. Call it vanity or call it reality as long as I’m not holding the handle on the spade.
You should see my husband’s vegetables, some tomatoes in pots and some in the ground. It’s a contest to see which variation on the theme wins the blue ribbon this summer. I’m voting for the varieties in the ground. I’m voting for winning the prize of how many ways I will serve them. See, that’s part of the deal over here, he plants; I cook. Do I like to cook? This is where the pan gets sticky because you must understand that for 38 years I actually did love cooking but I would rather eat light fare now, the kind that is served in a cool bistro and I don’t just mean air-conditioned.
I like Fork Restaurant in Philadelphia. It isn’t just because the food is great but because I know a bartender there who happens to be an improv artist by day. Two weeks ago she introduced me to another gal bartender and together we thought up a great game of what drink would you name after yourself.
I love those kinds of games as what kind of bird would you be for the 5 and under set or what kind of video game for the 8 year old boy group. The question What kind of drink would fit your personality? adds a different level of expertise and a few years to ones driver’s license, more than a few in my particular case.
My husband listened sweetly to us women playing around and laughing and decided he wanted in. “I would be named Champagne,” he says. I snapped my head around with that one. Not because he isn’t cheerful because, he is, but his joining in so spontaneously afforded me an opportunity to hear his version of self-appraisal. I thought of the possibilities a lesser man of minor sophistication might have chosen and just smiled.
Sometimes it’s better for a wife to do just that, just smile.
July 22nd, 2010 at 7:46 am
Hello MJ, what a lovely blog post! I would be named Cosmo
July 22nd, 2010 at 9:03 am
Well, Penny, I’m delighted to hear what you would name yourself. I would name myself Jack Old Fashion.
But that could change depending upon the season of my life.
July 23rd, 2010 at 8:56 am
Oh yes! This post has a blue ribbon pinned to the right corner.
Especially “where the pan gets sticky”!
I too (shock) love those silly childhood games and still play them, when bored.
Your husband’s response surprised me. The Animus? And yours–Jack Old Fashion– The Anima?
As for me…back to my cold Rombauer Chardonnay.
And Judge Blah? Vodka Tonic (must be tonic out of a bottle, not a gun) with Absolute. Not surprising an old judge wants absolute. I, myself, will go with Grey Goose.
July 25th, 2010 at 8:46 am
Dear Cheri, Dear Rombauer Chardonnay,
A blue ribbon from you and I’m in heaven.
My husband’s response from the anima (feminine) probably a hint of the 40’s female psyche and mine from the animus (masculine) and the 40’s also though never because Jack is a favored name but because I can spit out nails with the best of them.
A good friend and colleague of mine used to hear some of my dreams and she would laugh and tell me, “MJ, I don’t ever want to wrestle with that animus of yours.” But interestingly, she has a very strong animus herself and we met in Switzerland on a study program at the Jung Institute where both of our masculine psyches got to explore the depths.
July 26th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
Tell us about that experience (the Jung Institute in Switzerland).
July 29th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Thank you, MJ
July 29th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
Well, Cheri, as always you inspired me to speak of my Jung Institute experience in my newsletter that went out today so I’ll direct you over to my book site http://www.wheneverydaymatters.com/?p=93
I cannot express how much I enjoy our relationship. Thank you.