Well, that was quite a volcano on my last post. I love the debates, the differences, even the justification for Trump voting. I don't have to agree but I certainly can listen. Nothing cranks the handle more than politics and religion.
I remember being told that they were absolutely taboo topics at the dinner table and no polite family would ever broach them if they wanted to keep their guests' stomachs in operating condition.
Civil discourse is the hall mark of a well bred mind. So I was told.
We had debating teams at school. Taking opposing sides to positions. It forced us to study up on topics. I remember being on the Jewish side of a Christianity-Judaism debate - and this in a private Catholic convent school - so I had to research in the City Library and learned so much I wanted to convert on the spot. Then again I was one of those irritating teens who'd read about communism and wanted to strut down the main street with a placard demanding union rights for workers.
Nothing has changed in me anyway. I'm an enthusiast. If something fires me up I want to know all about it.
You'd never know by the sedate tone of this post that my water heater has bust, would you? I'd love to have given a long whine here but know that my handyman is taking care of it all tomorrow. Daughter popped in today unexpectedly, she was out on a drive and wanted to go for an aimless spin with me ("giving mother an airing", she calls it).
We love these aimless spins. Dropping in here and there as the mood takes. I left the millions of wet bath towels all over the kitchen and the utility room, bragged briefly how I'd managed to shut off the water to the tank all by myself, and we headed out.
I'd gone out for a solo airing yesterday and dropped in on a friend and we stuffed ourselves with scones and cream and had 4 kinds of homemade jam and drank tealeaf tea for 3-1/2 solid hours. And talked Trump and local politics and religion and feminism and books, lovely books.
Even with a squelchy house I don't lose the run of meself.
Adulting feels good.
oh, I hope the water heater is fixed and all is cleaned well. When that happened here, I had a claim for water damage and replacement of floors...
ReplyDeleteMy house is weird, E. All old wood and planked floors. The utility room is upstairs directly over the kitchen so it poured down. It's dry now, one good thing about wide-planked floors. It will be sorted tomorrow, fingers crossed.
DeleteYours sounds far worse!
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That's right: no religion or politics discussions at all. I still bristle when someone assumes they should know how I vote? We here have a "secret ballot" don't you know? I think that was very good, because I'll vote all over the place, or not at all sometimes. I think it's a stop-thought to just attach yourself to one party, whoever they put forth, and assume the other candidates are evil incarnate.
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear you've been aerogated. I wonderd as I read, but what did you do with Doggy, and then remembered. I know you won't get another, but had you thought of fostering a poor stray until it's been familied? Because they usually need reassurance, and loving up and spoiling poor creatures so they will appeal to someone.
Yes, I have thought about that, or taking an older dog but as my future here is uncertain at the moment, I can't commit for any length of time.
DeleteThough multi-dog owners have offered me "loans" which I find so touching.
Ansa is also still very raw with me. I'm not over the crying yet.
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Our old cat is hanging in there. We will be very very sad when he goes.
ReplyDeleteIt's losing a huge chunk of your heart and spirit.
DeleteI'm still looking for her everywhere.
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When I first started blogging many many years ago an 'online friend' told me never ever to talk about politics or religion - like at dinner parties, it just wasn't done! Yet these days there are oodles of blogs that seem to touch on it in one way or another.
ReplyDeleteUgh, our school debates filled me with horror. 'They' had the bright idea to pick leaders, who then picked teams (popularity wins, geeky ones come last), then when the girls were all gloating (or feeling annoyed) over which team they were in, the mistress would announce - without notice - the subject to be debated/discussed.
Good to hear you've been taking the air - is there any off that white stuff lying on the ground yet
Cathy @ Still Waters
We're having a balmy November Cathy. Glad of it with doors all open and water from the tank pouring outdoors as I type.
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You didn't say who is in your photo with the old car. Who dat?
ReplyDeleteI should have mentioned Daughter and I always dress up before pulling the Daimler out of the coach house.
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You gals cut quite a figure!
DeleteThat's a great thing about debating teams at school. They sometimes force you to argue the side opposed to your own personal view, which means doing research and considering other ways of looking at things. It leads more factual, well-reasoned and more civil discourse -- and may even get people to understand their opponents better. Would that we should all do this, esp. before spouting about an election, or posting on our blogs.
ReplyDeleteI must admit Tom to finding in difficult to understand the Trump supporters but I hear the pain and fear of their concerns.
DeleteDebating taught me a lot about tolerance.
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>>I'd gone out for a solo airing yesterday and dropped in on a friend and we stuffed ourselves with scones and cream and had 4 kinds of homemade jam and drank tealeaf tea for 3-1/2 solid hours. And talked Trump and local politics and religion and feminism and books, lovely books. << This just made me jump for joy. Good for you and I hope you do this lots more.
ReplyDeleteMe too. DKZ. I'm basically a loner and sometimes need nudging. But it's always worth while.
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Scones and four kinds of homemade jam? I wonder, does WestJet fly Newfoundland? You sent me to my fridge for my one kind, high bush cranberry and crabapple. Went down a treat with sauteed chicken breast. I find them sooo dry don't you. ;)
ReplyDeletePatridgeberry, blueberry, rhubarb and my contribution cranberry-marmalade. Yours sounds lovely too. I love the tang of my marmalade with some blue cheese.
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May you have many more adultings and airings.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ramana! 🙂
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Oh! cranberry marmalade with blue cheese! Sounds wonderful! Must try with my lime-quince jam. I hate water tanks, they don't give any warning at all, they just spill their guts wherever they happen to be, and why do they always install them where they'll do the most damage?
ReplyDeleteSpill their guts - love it. I'm the one who decided my utility room should be upstairs avec said water tank,right over the kitchen. Brilliant.
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It's always instructive to try out the arguments directly opposed to one's own. You can learn something even if you still return to your own point of view.
ReplyDeleteSo true Nick, I try and keep an open mind. And boy it sure gets tested several times a day.
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