Monday, April 22, 2013

all wrung out

The past few weeks have been very, very sweaty for us here at the Grigoryev house. We were carless for awhile, so I figured our house arrest would serve as a good opportunity to get some house and yard chores done. There were hours of gardening, weeding, raking, pressure washing, etc. Add to that the fact that summer has started to weave its tendrils of humidity and heat into the air, and we spend a lot of time in or around our pool as well.

Also, me and my oldest took part in a parent/child race this weekend, which had us sweaty-wet and water-wet as well. You can read about that here if you like.

I don't know why, but there is something perverse in me that refuses to be motivated to do outside work when it's nice outside. As soon as the air starts to get nice and steamy, and the mosquitos are on the hunt, and an hour of work can suck all the water out of you leaving you unable to swallow around the sandpaper that was once your tongue, that is when I am inspired to run outside and pull weeds.

Sometimes I'm not even inspired. Sometimes I just go outside to put something in the mailbox, notice a weed, and five hours later I'm still in my pj's, covered in dirt, wondering what I was doing to begin with. But that only happens when it's hot.

There is something wrong with me.

On an unrelated note, do you think it says something about who we are becoming as people when a blog post without a photo is not something we're interested in? Am I the only one who sees a post that's all words and goes, "Deeerrrrp" or "I don't have time for all those words" or "where are the pictures?"? I'm totally admitting that I do it. And that bugs me. I don't want to be dumbed down, or only be interested in the online version of a preschool picture book: BIG PICTURES! SHORT SENTENCES!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be judgmental, I'm just wondering if anyone else finds themselves doing the same thing. Out of curiosity to see if anyone even notices this post, I'm not including any picture. Anyone?? Hello?? :)

7 comments:

Catskill Quilter said...

Well, I read every word - twice! I have noticed the same tendency in myself to look for pics, but it is still always the first line of the post that either hooks me, or not. (BTW, carlessness is terrifying to me! No wonder you are pulling weeds!)

Jenny Squawk said...

I read it all, but I'll tell you after two weekend vacations with no internet I was very behind in my blog reading. I only looked at a few posts and if that first picture didn't get me, marked as read. I finally caught up last night so I'll be reading for real again starting today.

Lynz said...

*hand up* Yuuuup. I admit it. I totally went "aaaw, no photos? *sad face*" right then. But I always love what you have to say so read it anyway. Coz I loves ya!


P.S. Have you seen this?!?

http://trilliumdesign.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/is-there-doctor-in-house.html?m=1

Leanne said...

I read it because I liked the title and I was wondering if you were ok. I am glad you are enjoying your garden and are fine. But often I scroll through the pictures when I am tired and stop when there is a quilt or sewing project that I want to know more about. i do read all day at work and also i read some books so I guess I don't see the blogs I follow as requiring a lot of prose to keep my attention.

Amy Seven-Stitches said...

I saw big pictures, short sentences in bold type and wondered what I was scanning over, so I went back and read it. Yep guilty of scanning through too often.

I've signed up for feedly and blog-lovin to check them out as Reader shuts down. They both focus heavily on pictures and deter you from clicking and reading the full story. I'm horrified at how lazy it encourages my reading to get.

mrs.deane said...

Hee hee hee. Lynz's comment had me laughing out loud.

My dear Jenn, you are funny - and spot on. But I'm definitely a sit down and read from top to bottom sort of gal. But I'm only faithfully checking in on about 5 blogs these days - with the occasional peek at a new one or remembered one here or there. Who has the time?!?

You had me laughing with your weed/pajama story. I'm totally guilty of a similar path, only mine is more like this: "I'm just going out to the car for a minute" but ending up outside for an hour long car cleaning extravaganza in front of neighbors whilst in my maternity yoga pants with crazy hair :O(

I've been doing a number of wordless posts on our blog lately, just to get some pictures shared. I feel like too often I'm writing too much, and spending a good deal of time writing it all out, which is very therapeutic for me. I'm not even sure more than three people actually read everything I write, so I guess it's good that I'm doing it more as a family memory album than anything else! I know a lot of people "visit", but do they actually read what I say? Should I care that they do or don't?

Anyway. I hope that you can enjoy the spring time weather, and that it doesn't get to humid or bug infested too soon.

Hugs.

Anonymous said...

i definitely skim blogs without pics of people that I don't know personally (crafting/ photography blogs) but I read my friends and families blogs pics or not so your safe :)