Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

My wife and I had this conversation regarding a drawer which the front came off:  I told her I did not want to nail it together.  I have trouble hammering a nail in straight.  I preferred to glue it together.

When I told her this. (???) She insisted I nail it together.  Her attitude is ‘You can do anything if you set your mind to do it.’  It is true that some things I give up on too quickly.

This was different.  I really do have difficulty doing this.  I do not have fine manual dexterity.  There is not much margin for error.  People do have limitations.  I am aware of some of mine.

I never would have become a carpenter.  I would have starved.  Any time I do something requiring finer manual dexterity I have lots of difficulties and fumble around.  There is no way around that.  I can’t will it away.

Tags: carpenter, hammering a nail, manual dexterity, my wife, people do have limitations
Posted in humor, knowledge&learning, local, marriage, relationships, wisdom | No Comments »

You do not need special equipment to write (nor a degree) just a pen or pencil that writes and some paper.

You can write anywhere or on anything available.  No special journal or special places.  Anywhere.  No excuses.  All those specials conditions just get in the way.

I always carry two Bic pens on me (in case one peters out).  They are cheap.  No special or favorite pen.  I write in blank books.  They are plain notebooks.

I try to get different colored ones and always keep the most recent in the same place.  But if my “muse” is telling me to write and I am not near my journal I grab the nearest paper within reach whatever it is wherever it is.

I am not bound by my journals.  Again, you do not need special equipment to write.  No special degrees.  Just do it.  Everything else is excuses.

Tags: Bic pens, journal, my "muse", no excuses, notebook, paper, pen, pencil, write, writers, writing
Posted in knowledge&learning, time, wisdom, writing, your job/mission/profession | No Comments »

Two cats of ours were months overdue on their shots (we have seven).  Of course, they are the wildest and hardest to catch.  They did have appointments.  And I could not catch them.  All of a sudden, it had become my responsibility.

And I was taunted and criticized by my other when I could not find them no less catch them and then put them in the carrier.

Today, I was reminded, again, two cats are overdue for their exam and shots.  My wife previously caught them.  Somehow, it had become my responsibility.

I refuse to be told I am less than a man because I am unsuccessful in locating them much less grabbing them and placing the squirming cat in the carrier.  This is all absurd.

She insisted I make an appointment for two at one time.  We save a little money.  I refused.  I remember my prior treatment by my wife.

I did not want to be criticized again.  We also have four dogs.  The dogs do not hide under furniture or can’t hide period!

Even my vet says it takes two to catch a cat.  This all seems very unfair and I refuse to make any further appointment for a cat until we work this out to my satisfaction.

Tags: argue, cat carrier, cats, dogs, fight, four dogs, how to catch a cat, my wife, pets, seven cats, veterinarian
Posted in animals, humor, local, marriage, money, pets, relationships, time | No Comments »

I want to get up slowly (when I can).  First, I may throw some sweat pants on, make coffee and wake up gradually.  I don’t always have that privilege, but most times I do.  The dogs always want to go out in the yard immediately and are not shy about it.

I often get up before my wife although that is not always the case.  If she is still sleeping I try to walk around quietly.  I make sure our “menagerie” has food and water.

After I am sufficiently “coffeed up” and I am awake I start looking around and figuring out what tasks need my attention.

Before that though, if my “muse” is telling me to write or edit, I obey it, then return to my duties.

Before all that, after I am fully alert I may do a quick devotional and sometimes find myself thanking the Lord for all bounties.  This often happens spontaneously.

My wife may have some requests for tasks that need my attention.  At some point, I check our postal box and peruse our mail, being careful to put our bills in the proper file.

In the afternoon, I sometimes have appointments to go to (usually doctor’s or blood work).  This is typically my routine.

Tags: bills, blood test, bounty, daily mail, daily tasks, doctor appointment, feed the cats, feed the dogs, God, lab work, let the dogs out, morning coffee, morning devotional, my "muse", my daily routine, my duties, my wife, pets, post office box, thank the Lord, wake up slowly, writing
Posted in balance, God, health, life, local, marriage, mental health, pets, time, writing | No Comments »

All I want to do is hibernate today:  it is 23 degrees out.  I am trying to think positive.  A month of winter is gone–almost.  No snowstorms yet.  Meanwhile I glance out my large living room window periodically and watch the multitude of birds feeding on the sunflower seed I have strewn on the ground and placed elsewhere.  Soon night fall will come and in two days a person will check our chimney (and clean it if it is necessary) and it will be safe to heat our house with coal and wood and it will be toasty, again, in our house.

Tags: bird feeding, bird-watching, birds, chimney, coal stove, heat, hibernate, snow, sunflower seed, winter, wood stove
Posted in birds, life, local, nature, seasons, time | No Comments »

It was a shock when I learned (via the internet) that John Dye died of a heart attack:  he was only 47.  John Dye was the angel of death in “Touched By An Angel”–a role he was perfect for.

He played the role on TV with such humanity.  The show ran nine years.  By the third he had become a regular.  His stance toward death was biblical but his touch was not heavy handed.

He left so many memories in that role.  Even in death he will continue to impact others who discover or view again the episodes of “Touched By An Angel”.  I am sure he is on the other side.

He did not bludgeon you with hell.  Sure it was a possibility.  He did not use that word.  He emphasized the positive–how much God wanted a relationship with you.  He was totally believable and he will be missed.

Tags: "Touched By An Angel", angel of death, Bible, Biblical, death, God, God wants a relationship with you, hell, John Dye, tribute, TV
Posted in death, God, time | No Comments »

Things are never more important than people.  Love is what makes the world go around.  Sure order in your house is important as well as the other objects in your house.

Nevertheless never more than the inhabitants who live in the house.  Sometimes a messy house is well lived in and often one you feel more comfortable.

I always get a little nervous when I enter a house and everything in it has its place and looks perfect–a showcase for a magazine.

To me, houses are meant to be lived in not just looked at.  That is often a source of conflict–how neat you want your house to look.  With kids, it is near impossible.

It is a little easier when only two people live in the house although in our house–not much easier.  Too many people are overly concerned about dirt and disorder.

I am well aware not every one has the gift of hospitality.  And there are many people who you just can’t drop by but the few I can I am grateful for.

Tags: comfortable, conflict, dirt and disorder in your house, gift of hospitality, God, grateful, house meant to be lived in, kids, love makes the world go around, magazine showcase house, messy house, neat house, order in your house, people more important than things, things in your house, well lived in home
Posted in balance, beauty, children, God, knowledge&learning, life, love, marriage, relationships, time | No Comments »

It is not necessary to be combative.  If your wife says something and you know it is not right or partially false, so what, let it go.  Do you think you are right all the time even when your wife lets your comment go?  When it is necessary, correct your wife but only do this sparingly.  No one wants to be corrected all the time.  A lot of times she will realize, maybe, she is wrong (as well as you).  It is much more important to get along.  So be careful when you correct your wife.  You better have a good reason to do so.  Silence, sometimes, works wonders.  So pick your battles.

Tags: being combative, being right all the time, being right/being wrong, correct your wife sparingly, important to get along with each other, pick your battles, silence works wonders, your wife
Posted in balance, knowledge&learning, life, love, marriage, mental health, relationships, time, wisdom | No Comments »

It does me no good to point out my wife’s shortcomings.  We had a fight last night.  And I thought about this the following morning.

I will let the details go.  It does me no good to tell my wife you were wrong.  You did this and that.  Why should I mention my partner’s shortcomings?

I am well aware I err again and again.  That is why it is so important to let go of all your resentment of your partner at the end of the night.

We are all flawed.  We are commanded to forgive each other.  And start all over the next morning–to give each other a clean slate.  What right do I have to point out to my wife her shortcomings?!

I know how imperfect I am.  I do not have to be convinced of that.  So let your resentments go.  We are all sinners.  Do you have any doubt you aren’t?!

Tags: argument, clean slate, forgive each other, God, let go of resentment, marriage, my wife, relationships, shortcomings, sinners, we are all flawed, we are all sinners
Posted in God, knowledge&learning, life, local, love, marriage, mental health, relationships, time, wisdom | No Comments »

Couples have issues they never resolve.  Think about it?  If both partners agree on all issues, then boredom would step in.  No matter how hard you try there will be issues you can’t resolve.

In my case, I am sloppy and my wife is a packrat.  I may be sloppy but disorder does bother me.  Dust does not bother me as much as my wife although I am the same person who wrote a poem, “I Love Dirt.”

I can not change my partner.  I try but I usually fail.  And my partner does the same, tries to change me.  Both of us are usually unsuccessful in our attempts to change the other–radically anyway.

Our basic personality is set.  Couples spend lifetimes trying to smooth out the rough edges between them.  It gives you something to do and also makes your relationship more interesting although divorce is plentiful.

Many people give up on their partners.  I don’t know how many times I read a famous couple state the reason for their breakup is ‘irrevocable differences’.

Every couple is incompatible.  You work things out and there will always be issues that never can be worked out.  And somehow you need to accept your differences.  And respect them.  That is what makes the relationship work–respect.

Tags: "I love dirt", accept your differences, cannot change my partner, couples, disorder, divorce, dust, incompatible, irrevocable differences, issues you can't resolve, my partner, packrat, relationships, respect your partner, sloppy, work things out
Posted in balance, knowledge&learning, life, love, marriage, mental health, relationships, time, wisdom | No Comments »

My favorite dog “Tilla” had joined me in bed and was sleeping right along side of me.  There were no uncomfortable dreams last night.  I slept soundly.  I stayed away from fluids last night.  I usually wake up several times a night and had gotten in the bad habit of taking a quick swig of something before going back to bed.  This time I refrained from doing that.  So I got up less to use the bathroom.  I discovered “Tilla” sleeping along side of me at some point last night.  That is all I remember of the night.

Tags: dog sleeps on bed, dogs, dreams, last night, pets, sleep, sleep soundly, Tilla, use the bathroom at night, wake up at night
Posted in local, pets, time | No Comments »

There was a blanket of white when I got up.  It was a dusting–maybe an inch.  Through the back kitchen window I saw the ground and trees were completely white.  I immediately put some sunflower seed on my platform bird feeder and I am watching a brilliant red cardinal partaking of his meal.  This was the first snowfall of the season.  December and January have been mild so far–thirties and forties most of the time.  There has been no deep, extended “arctic” freeze so far.  I was delighted to see the snow.

Tags: arctic freeze, bird feeder, bird-watching, birds, blanket of white snow, cardinal, December, dusting of snow, first snowfall, January, kitchen window, snow, sunflower seed, winter
Posted in beauty, birds, local, nature, seasons, time | No Comments »