Friday, March 21, 2008

The post that was hardly a post at all

I haven’t posted for so many days (OK, three or four). That is so unlike me and here all of you are hoping and wishing and waiting for a new post – just as miserable as can be. And yet, I have nothing particular to post. The trouble is these blog entries always seem to be about a particular thing, and what of when you have no “particular” thing to write of? That is certainly seldom a problem for me as there are often ever so many particular things floating about in my head just waiting to hop out onto the page. Alas, lately there has been very little going on up there (in my head) that is more than small and random – hardly worthy of a post (I do like those two words: particular and post).

Even now, I have no real intention of posting, but here is what happens: I come up to get ready for bed – you know, wash face, remove contacts, etc. Mike thinks this process is rather slooow, so he remains downstairs flipping through the TV channels. The plan is that he will arrive up here just as I am done with all my little rituals. And what of when he doesn’t arrive? Well, I begin fiddling around with blogs, or reading, or anything other than what I need to be doing which is going to bed. I’m so tired. Why won’t I go to bed? The trouble is, Mike has probably fallen asleep on the couch, but I don’t like to go to sleep with out him, so I wait up. Couldn’t I just go get him you ask? Well, certainly, but I keep thinking to myself something like, “he’ll be up in a minute, I may as well read this email while I wait.” And of course it’s always entertaining, so I don’t go get him, I wait. Eventually he does come, but I’ve been awake the whole time, while he’s had a nice little snooze, so even though we both go to bed at the same late hour, I don’t think I’m getting the same amount of shut eye.

Oh well, sometimes he doesn’t get an unfair extra nap. Sometimes he is watching the end of a Star Trek episode or a PBS documentary. Tonight I believe it is a Lewis and Clark one. It actually was very good, but I knew it wouldn’t get over until 11:00 and I didn’t want to get sucked in. Of course, now I am up here wide awake at 11:00 anyway! Why oh why?

Well, how’s that for a post? I feel like saying, “HA! I fooled you!” So, at least I will add something overheard today that I liked (it began with Daisy’s first loose tooth).

Daisy: Mom, I think I can feel the root of my tooth.
Goldie: Root? What’s a root?
Daisy: Did you know how trees have roots?
Goldie: Yah, I did know that.
Daisy: Well, your tooth has a root . . . like it has been planted.

Mike has finished the documentary and related it's ending to me. Now I want to post all about that. I won’t, but poor Lewis. He had horrible bouts of depression, etc. The rigors of the trip kept it somewhat at bay, but in the end he committed suicide. And Sacagawea was only like 16 and so cool and intelligent and just impressive to the whole group. She’d been sold to her bum mountain man husband who had another wife and didn’t seem to have done anything worthy of such a personality as she. She carted her newborn son along for like 1 ½ years helping the crew. Apparently when she died (shortly after the birth of her daughter), her children were sent to be raised by Clark.

8 comments:

Perla said...

well, i think we should post about nothing in particular any time we fell like it and those are really cool journal moments to be remembered one day of what a typical evening was like at this point in your life. and tell us more about lewis and clark. i don't know much. maybe there is a good book to read about sacagewahjkehaolha (sp?)

Nancy said...

Well . . . Shan asked, so . . .
OK, really, I never knew anything about Lewis and Clark, but they are big time stuff up here because they spent time with an Indian group in the area, and the Pacific was the end of their journey. It really is fascinating though. I think it was Jefferson who was so curious about the west and had heard about Mammoths still living and cooky stuff. He commisioned the expedition asking Lewis to lead it. Lewis wrote and asked the very likeable and admirable Clark to do it with him. There was a group of about 35 or so that headed out following the Missouri river. The US didn't yet stretch very far, but just before they left, Napolean of France sold us tons of land (the Louisians purchase) which extended our land by over twoce what it had been and made the expedition even more interesting. The hope was that they would find the "northwest passage" (a non-existent waterway between the Atlantic and Pacific). Anyway, the journey ended up taking 2 1/2 years. They were supposed to keep detailed journal entries every single day (that was the only sign of when Lewis's depressions hit -- lack of journal entries). They sent stuff back whenever they could. About a year in, they were staying the winter near some Indian tribe and that is where they met Sacagawea. She had been kidnapped by the tribe when she was 10 and then sold to this trapper at like 15 or 16. They were very impressed with her and as they were going to be crossing Cherokee (I think that was her original tribe) land, they wanted her along to help them trade for horses and other things they might need, so they hired her bum husband so she would be there. Lewis didn't write much about her, but Clark's detailed how invaluable she was to the group. SHe had a baby right as they left and hauled him along for 1 1/2 years. When they left her and her husband, Clark promised her that he would let her son come and be raised by him when he was old enough (we read something about her husband being abusive, or maybe she just wanted him to have more chance in the world, I don't know). Anywho, the PBS documentary said she died a few years later after giving birth to a girl and that both children were sent to Clark. WE tried to find some stuff on line about it and there is some confusion over wether she died or lived to old age else where, though on CLark's logs he listed her as dead and I'm sure the PBS folks researched it fairly well.

Nancy said...

P.S. Oh, so the reason there little trip was such a big deal isn't just because of the adventure of it all, but because they kept such totally detailed journals and maps that it is pretty much the only glimpse we have of our country in the early 1800's -- you know, Indian tribes, insanely huge herds of buffalo, tons of grizzlies, etc. Three of the memebers of the group headed back out later. Two were killed by Indians and one escaped and travelled basically naked for like 100 miles. When he returned he told about a crazy place with stuff bubbling out of the ground, etc. and everyone thought he had gone insane -- but it was Yellowstone.

Sheesh, stop already!! It's just so interesting . . . and I never think it is initially. Mike switches over to a documentary and I am like , "awww," but then as I'm sitting there thinking "where is the entertainment?" I get all interested and learn a thing or too. I'm glad my husband likes that stuff so much.

Gracie J said...

Who knew any of that about Lewis & Clark? I didn't know anything apparently. I love those PBS documentaries.

I have a similar going to bed problem, only it's exacerbated by the fact that I have no husband that I'm waiting for so I'm endlessly staying up late sending emails, reading, watching the latest episode of "Arrested Development" on DVD or working. I think if it's your bloggedy, blog, blog you can post whatever you damn well please. And Ana quite enjoyed the dialouge that went on between Daisy & Goldie. Kids are funny.

Lover of Sweets said...

Wow! Thank you Professor Nancy for all of that good information on the Lewis & Clark expedition and on that superb woman, Sacagawea. I remember learning all baout it in fifth grade. We even put on a program and sang a song that went like this : La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la Lousiana! Louisiana (CLAP) la la Louisiana! La la la la la la la la Louisian! It's a la la la a la la lot of land!!!
Thanks for that memory.

Salty Incisor said...

If you can't think of anything to post about just do it in your comments section...haha
Very informative.

Nancy said...

Tash -- it's Shan's fault . . . she said "tell more" and once the flood gates are openend they can not be stopped!!

P.S. Just when I mention the cool turtle picture you become a little chick? I like it.

P.P.S. Priscilla, that song sounds so awesome!! I hope you will perform it at the next Christmas Eve party.

Anonymous said...

Good post for not being a post! I like the info. about Lewis and Clark - and we can all relate to the bedtime struggle with our spouses. I mean really, "No Marz, I'm awake. I just want to be with you. I'm fine - my eyes are open!" 5 minutes later he's asleep. Why oh why? Very sweet - but goodness - he knows he's going to fall asleep - and he is in dire need of said sleep (now I'm talking like Nancy, "Said Sleep" - ha ha). I sure do love him - even when I have to wrestle him upstairs to get some "real sleep".

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