Which way did May go?

May flew by in a wink and a fury.  Everything about it seemed to be a challenge for me.  Gretchen dubbed the chapter “Leisure.”  I think that’s a funny little irony right there.  For years, May has been a boom month for me.  When I was being interior- designer- girl, everyone wanted everything delivered and installed by May something.  Mother’s day, 500 guests, graduations…even the crust edge of wedding season starts in May.  I think I’ve personally witnessed more nervous breakdowns in May than in any other month in the calendar.    Their home may have been last updated when Ike was in office…but damnit…this year will be different.  Unfortunately most of my clients made their proclamations on about April 28th.  That doesn’t leave much room for second guessing selections and leisurely shopping.  Those are the moments when you witness a persons true core.

Coffee house days were much the same.  But instead of sofas and swags, it was cookies and cakes.  Panic, panic, panic.  Not by me, but by the customers.  I always had their orders ready a little early, but learned to not call to let them know.  Telling some women they could pick up dozens of cookies early  “if they pleased” was like throwing a match on a mattress.  Pretty dicey business.  For some, just knowing cookies were sitting neatly tied away in white boxes on a counter before they were ready to pick them up…well…some were relieved and thankful…others took it as a sabotaging mock of their inadequacy as a hostess.  That’s how the breakdowns and crying happened in honor of May celebrations. Usually strong, adult women could be felled by cookies ready ahead of schedule.  Ouch. 
Maybe its the weather?  Everything is up and down, humidity, temperature…take a sweater?  Sunscreen?  Parka?  Or maybe its the nature of the season..  Being the fifth month, May is just what it says it is.  A lot of unknowns~ a lot that may happen.  Five is the numerological representation of chaos and fitful changes.  A cycle of “5″ is marked with many beginnings and endings all swirling together and fighting for attention.  Sort of like when 8th grade is finally done, highschool football with the big boys begins.  A moment of relief, followed by a new worry.   I think that’s how May becomes a run- as- fast -as- you- can month for most of us. 
Gretchen just hasn’t come to that point in her life yet.  Dont get me wrong, I love her.  I actually follow her blog and get a daily dose of happiness delivered to my inbox each morning.  But leisure during May is way too much to ask of my nature (reminds me of “celebrations” and sobbing over cookies and end tables).

Then there’s the other two suggestions:  Go off the path and Start a Collection.  Hmmm.

  In all honesty, I’m way ahead of most people on the Start a Collection idea. This is where I can excell!  As I read those paragraphs I started trying to list all the things that I already collect.  I’m pretty much on my way to an appearance on A&E’s show Hoarders.  The short list was flow blue china, antique flatware, pretty much anything silver and antique, etiquette books, obscure local history books, playing cards, vintage jewelry, books with silly titles (King Dork really cracks me up),blue willow china, cookbooks, stuff with birds… I really need to stop the list before I embarrass myself.  Oh, and there’s that little Wizard of Oz fetish I have….man!  This is starting to look bad..
I decided “Go off the path” would be the healthiest and most productive project for my May happiness.  So I jumped off the Yellow Brick Road (whoops) and landed with Gretchen on an “ Interest Log.:” I’ll let you know how that goes, right now I’m busy collecting interests for my log…:)

About these ads