A Life of Consistency

You’ve got to love the life of consistency. I would, if I had it, but I don’t. So, I just go with the flow as best I can.

So, what earth-shattering event rippled the glass-smooth surface of my lake this time? Restrictions. Yup, I got slapped down a bit by Mary* when I dropped by unannounced, walked in, and delivered a small Valentine’s Day gift. I got slightly castigated about the gift, too, but I was expecting that. No, I was reprimanded about dropping by without warning and just coming in.

OK. I hear a lot of you thinking that of COURSE I should call first and knock before entering. And I used to. Here’s the thing: over the years I’ve been told that I’m family, that I should just come in, and that I should drop by randomly…I don’t need an invitation, yada yada. So now the rules suddenly change. The reason given was "sometimes we are out in our underwear," but honestly, that isn’t the best reason I’ve ever heard. Even when it’s known that I’m there, the dress code can be, shall we say, pretty casual sometimes.

Of course I will bow to this "request". I really have little choice. But it rankles. I can’t help but feel like I’ve been demoted. Sure, some of it might be Mary* being in the midst of quitting smoking, but it could also be one of those times when she pushes me away. You’ve read about it here before…getting pushed away and then let back in seems to be this emotional cha-cha that we do.

The tough part is that I never know who is going to be at home. The problem with that lies in me not knowing who to call when I want to announce my impending arrival…you see, there is no single house line–everyone uses cell phones. (Ah ha! Clear evidence of how the main characteristic of cell phones…their individual portability…can be a liability.) I don’t want to wake people needlessly. I don’t want to disturb work stuff (when they aren’t home). And the fact is that this group isn’t always the most reliable when it comes to replying (though Scarlet is pretty good about it).

It’s just so ironic how trying to be nice and attentive can still land you in hot water. I can’t help but think sometimes that maybe Thoreau had it right. Maybe I should start looking for a quiet pond or lake somewhere (as long as it has Internet connectivity…lets be real).