From Warm to COLD
Home again! Yay! We were in Hawaii, Maui actually and last year when we spent some time there it was just before Bill's hip replacement surgery, so we wanted to go back one year later because Bill has been walking over 10,000 steps (much over!) pain-free for one year. I felt a little spoiled having just returned from our Taiwan adventure, but the weather was SO GREAT. Yes, it's been freezing beyond belief in Denver, so it was actually well-timed.
I could sit on the bed and see the sea!
White ibis!
There was a shark incident on our beach. A snorkeler saw a shadow, felt a bump, felt PAIN and swam to shore. He survived but they closed the beach for swimmers and there were A LOT of helicopters and jet ski life guards around for our last two days.
My photos are out of order and I'm too lazy to cut and paste, so here we have our girls' having a Starbucks knitting lesson. It was so fun to meet them yesterday afternoon at the bigger Starbucks, hunker down in the cozy seats, drink hot beverages, and laugh and knit. It was snowing outside and VERY enjoyable and extremely snug inside. We stayed a long time and this mama LOVED a sweet time with our lovely girls!
Yes, we all wore boots!
The coffee break above was what I call PERFECT!
We're readjusting to the cold. Sweaters. Hot drinks. Knitting (I'm making Samantha a knitted blanket). Writing and reading (my two favorite wordy things to do).
Chili for dinner.
Oh by the way, Bill and I were talking while we sat in Maui and he said something that kind of hurt my feelers, but then began to make sense. I said, "I love homemaking." He said, "No, you don't." Hmmmm. He said, "You like being a homebody, but I wouldn't say you love homemaking." He explained further and said that when he thinks of someone who loves homemaking, he thinks of those who hustle about cleaning, straightening, GETTING THINGS done and that's not me. He said what I really like to do is sit at my computer (ha!) and read and I do those things at home, so that makes me more of a homebody than a homemaker. I sort of disagree, but I'm still pondering this distinction. What do you think? Do you think that only those who check things off impressive lists and are constantly scrubbing and tidying are more easily defined as homemakers and those of us who just like to be home are homebodies? Tell me.
It's good to be back at my computer, where I sit and spend lots of happy time (a little bit of sarcasm there).
How are YOU?
27 comments:
oh, i'm totally with bill's assessment (for me!) i do NOT like homemaking. i'm not a cook or baker (i can but prefer not to), i don't like shopping, decorating, detest housework (even though i keep an orderly home, it is dusty and the floors are tracked up by me and 4 dogs!) still, i LOVE being a homebody. LOVE!
your hawaii vacation sounds/looks great! the knitters are a cute crew!
So nice to have those warm scenes of the beach to carry you through the cold and cozy days of being a homebody! I think you can take the word homemaker and interpret it in many ways. A Homemaker doesn't necessarily mean you are a rabid home cleaner. Usually the habits of the woman in the house defines what makes the home a home. A comfortable place where people can hang without a vacuum running can be considered a home well made. Ha! I am a home economics major and believe me my homemaker projects are hit and miss. I'm uncomfortable in a house that is so tidy you are afraid to sit down. I could go on and on...
I think a homemaker is a combination of both. : )
What a wonderful vacation and you took fabulous photos, all of them!!
I am so glad you are home and you have all of those lovely shots of the beach. Too bad about that poor surfer.
I always think deep thoughts come from time well spent on the beach staring at the ocean.
I will have to think about Bill's assessment.
I love those lovely pictures of knitting class at Starbucks. I wish I could have been there. I would love for you to teach me to knit at Starbucks on a cold day with snow. :)
I hope you are settling in nicely. No matter what you are whether is is homebody or homemaking, I am glad you are at home right now being you doing what you like best.
I have missed you.
I agree with Happyone that one can be both a homemaker and a homebody. I like a clean and tidy house so I get done what has to be done usually by noon and that includes an hour's walking outside. Then in the afternoon I can read or go shopping or whatever I like, and not feel "guilty".
I've never been to Hawaii but I can imagine just how lovely it must be. Thanks for posting those pics.
Lovely photos of Hawaii brought back memories of a holiday on Oahu. How I would love to go back!
On this very chilly day, your photos of Maui are a welcome treat. Looks like you had a wonderful time. What a great coffee visit. I like that you got to get together. Oh how you all must have chatted. :) Kit
Pompom, I thing you are both half right. We are happy homebodies homemakers. Just think at how the house looks when we go away for a while.
I'm a bit of both. My house is very lived in and I like to be home. I like to cook and bake some time but not all the time. I like to clean and tidy but not all the time. I guess, I'm a homebody homemaker. Is that possible?
Great photos of your lovely daughter having a great time knitting.
Hugs,
JB
Beautiful pictures of Hawaii and I love the coffee break.
Homebodies and homemakers....we have a little bit of each in us, just depends on the time of day. Husband could be right in some instances.
I would have to agree with Julia.
Another thought....a homemaker is the nester...you put the house together to make it a home and you just happen to enjoy living in your nest. So yeah, we are both.
Karen, your photos of Maui are lovely; if I've mentioned this before, please forgive me but, many moons ago, Dave and I lived in Maui for a while. It was a such a lovely time.
As to being a homebody...I'm not fond of cleaning although I like cooking when there's someone to share a meal. I like puttering, does that count? -smile-
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, what lovely scenery! Am a trifle envious!x
So glad you are back, MP! I am jealous of both the warm weather in Hawaii and your knitting/coffee time. I think. Homemaker makes a home feel warm, inviting for all, and a place of love...you Definitely do that!
I think you've made a very lovely home for your family, which in my book makes you a homemaker! Homemaker isn't the same as housewife. A housewife bustles and tidies. A homemaker makes home a comfortable, cozy place to be. I think you do that, so you are a homemaker!
xofrances
What fun to take a trip to warm Hawaii during this cold snap. I'll say you had good timing! 'Tis cold here with the wind blowing and nothing to stop it. Brrr.
Homemaker vs. Homebody. I think a homemaker is a content homebody who likes making her house a home. I agree with April that the homemaker sets the tone of the home -- and to me, that means a comfortable, loving place, where someone will feed you, make sure the sheets are clean when you come, and make you feel like family. That can mean that the homemaker might even had you a knife and ask you to cut up veggies for the evening's salad or hand you the dish towel to dry the dishes. I'm not a clean-freak homemaker, but I like my home to be clean/tidy and I like a lived-in, loved-in look.
I think you do too.
So glad Bill is walking pain free now!
Jody
How fabulous Hawaii looks - bit scary about the shark though! I think a homemaker is all about presence and welcome, infact too much housekeeping can sterilise the 'home' feeling right out of a place! Comfortable, messy, lived in, well worn, all show signs of presence and say a place is home to me! So I think you are definitely a homemaker Pompom,
I think there is a definite difference between a housekeeper and a homemaker. The first is concerned more about doing stuff to make the place look great, the second about doing stuff to make the people feel great. Martha versus Mary. Perhaps we should all aim to have a little bit of both these fine women?
blessings x
So glad you had a lovely trip and thanks for sharing your photos....they took me back to Barbados for a few minutes...away from the rain and cold here in the UK! I love that glass pineapple! Are the girls your daughters? Aren't they lovely? Looks like you had a cosy time with coffee and knitting. I think you are a homebody but I also think you're a homemaker. I think of a homemaker as someone who likes to make their home cosy and homely, welcoming and comfortable, not necessarily cleaning all the time, in fact too much cleaning can make it unhomely!
You have done a lot of traveling. And then to come home to such bitter cold. I like this discussion on homemaking. Is your husband thinking Martha Stewart homemaking? And you are thinking of a more realistic homemaker. None the less, we are homemakers in varying degrees. And I do think that today's homemaker has so much more to do and more choices in life that we don't have to be a slave to the house. At any rate, your family loves to come to grandma's, so I'd let that be my gage on homemaking. Besides, at our age after a nice career where we worked hard, we deserve the right relax. Have a great week. Stay warm.
But you DO MAKE YOUR HOME. Therefore, sorry DH, she is a HOMEMAKER.
LOVED the photos of Hawaii, but loved even more the photos of your beautiful girls. Lucky you, lucky them.
Love the three pairs of boots under the table and the rainbow yarn.
XX
S
Sorry I missed this post yesterday! I've been falling asleep in my recliner the last couple of evenings and not getting around to all the blogs.
Hmmm...if you're a homebody, I think I'm one too! I see what Bill means, but I suppose we all have different pictures that come to mind when we hear a word. It sounds more to me like he's describing a housekeeper. Someone who does a lot of housecleaning and checking things off of a list doesn't necessarily make a cozy retreat for their family, which is more what I think of as a homemaker. A homemaker makes a home for their family to enjoy and feel loved in. A housecleaner may spend lots of time obsessing about whether things stay clean and may actually make their families feel less at home. You do a lot of things to make your home cheerful and homey, so no matter what word you use, you're a great mom/wife/grandma! I love being a homebody and look forward to getting home, putting on comfortable clothes, making something good to eat and then reading, drawing and seeing what my blog friends are up to! :) Yay, us! :)
I love love love that pineapple light!!!!!!!!! Sorry! I have a thing for pineapples! Back to the business in hand... So glad you had a wonderful trip, it must have been wonderful to be in the warm and sun and to celebrate a year of pain free for your hubby! I know what you mean about the homebody thing, I am definitely a homebody, I love to be at home more than anywhere else. If we go away, it doesn't matter where we are, or how good a time we have, I am always glad to be home. I enjoy going away, but love coming back! As far as being a homemaker - and you can be both a homebody and homemaker as far as I am concerned - I guess I think of that as being someone who spends time in their home, making them home homely and enjoying their home. It doesn't mean a manic cleaner or someone who is doing things all the time. A home is a comfy place, not a perfect place! I hope that I have a mix of doing things, keeping the house clean and tidy and jobs done as well as doing things to make it homely and nice too. I also spend a fair amount of time doing the homebody things too!! xx
The ones who are always running around, cleaning and dusting and cleaning so more.... Are.... OC! -grin-
Anyone who loves to live in a warm and inviting home, and thus, has to make their home, warm and inviting... Is a Homemaker.
:-)
Tessa~
Homebody, covers anyone, who is happy at home. Not needing to be galavanting all over the place, all the time.
And that trip must have been wonderful!!!!!
Well, that Bill, he hit the nail on the head. I'm a homebody with serious hermit tendencies. My house is mostly tidy but more out of guilt than anything. Ha. I don't know what will become of us when the children all leave and I don't have feed so many people. We will nibble on bread crust, I suppose.
Lovely vacay pictures and I think you deserve all the tropical you can get for living in CO. (Maybe that is the key...I need to move to CO.)
And that knitting session looked like so much FUN. Ya'll are just beautiful people. :) Love ya, Pompom. Stay cozy.
Haha -- my very favorite thing you said in this post is that Bill "hurt my feelers." Is that a family saying? because it's adorable :)
Love those relaxing photos of the water and palms. Sigh. And your knitting girls are so precious. How lucky you are to have them so CLOSE by.
Well ... I think it depends on how a person defines a "homemaker." Clearly, Bill has a definition in his mind, but perhaps your (or certainly my) definition would be very different. What is a home? A clean, tidy place? Or a building where a family live and love, and where people feel welcome and are hugged and fed? I think making a HOME is more of a spiritual exercise, and the cleaning and bustling are a technical part of it, sometimes. But an elderly, bed-ridden woman in a little cottage who is loving and receptive to her guests (even if they can only chat with her as she lies in bed) is still a homemaker. She is exuding the warmth of love into the living space around her. But the difference in definitions may just be a difference in temperaments, and that's okay. But it's good that the conversation started you both thinking on it. If Bill's definition of homemaker is limited to cleaning and bustling and tidying, then he probably needs a separate word for what YOU do, which LOVE being home. After how hard you've worked as a teacher, and how long you stayed in the classroom, it's very important that you love your home :)
(Oh -- I forgot that he did have a word: homebody! And that's a very good word too! Some people think of it as negative, but I don't. I'm a homebody too!)
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