February Follies

Thankfully, the blahs of January have finally come to an end, and I made it through. But now that February is here, I feel the opposite—I’m being stretched too thin! No, unfortunately, I’m not becoming thin. So what does this popular phrase really mean? Being stretched too thin means feeling overwhelmed and exhausted—your efforts lose effectiveness because they’re spread across too many responsibilities. It’s like trying to spread a small pat of butter over a whole loaf of bread. (Okay, maybe not the best comparison for me!)

To begin with, the sheer number of special television events created a major conflict of interest. The Super Bowl, the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and the Winter Olympics were all scheduled for the same weekend. As an avid fan of all three, I quickly felt overwhelmed. I briefly considered recording some of them, but dismissed the idea—after all, what fun is that?

Fortunately, these major activities were staggered, so I was able to enjoy all three, though I must admit I occasionally dozed off during the late-night events. Some Olympic winter sports appeal to me more than others. As a native Minnesotan, I ice-skated and snow-skied in my youth, but I never tried anything as daring as the ski jump.

Olympic figure skating showcases an array of artistic spins and athletic jumps, such as the Salchow, Lutz, and Triple Axel. Growing up in a frozen tundra, I attempted all those fancy maneuvers—though never on purpose. Simply trying to cross an icy parking lot at school or work offered me more than enough harrowing opportunities for a gold-medal performance!

Minnesota has no mountains, so I didn’t have much skiing experience. I tried a few cross-country trails, but downhill skiing wasn’t an option for me until I moved to California. Here in the Golden State, I  managed to make it all the way down the steep ski runs—though not always on my skis! No need for more detail!

Curling is one Olympic winter sport that unexpectedly caught my attention. It’s much more interesting and complex than it looks at first glance. After watching it for hours, I did some research and found insights that might even apply to my day-to-day life. Take, for instance, the special shoes worn by the curlers. They’re engineered for optimal performance on ice, with each shoe serving a different purpose. One shoe features a Teflon sliding sole for smooth gliding, while the other has a rubber gripper sole on the hack foot to provide traction.

Over the past few years, I’ve had a few embarrassing walking incidents—and not always on ice! I’ve done my fair share of slipping, gripping, and tripping. Maybe I’ve been wearing curling shoes this whole time without realizing it. Honestly, I’d be relieved if that were the case.

Another fascinating thing I enjoy about curling is watching the men sweep in front of the rock. I had no idea they could be that good at sweeping. It’s also comforting to see that the curlers have normal, relatable body types—not necessarily muscle-bound or lithe. Suddenly, Hubby seems more appealing.

Valentine’s Day always seems to come with a bit of pressure. Should I get Hubby anything? Will he get me anything? As it turned out, he came home with a bottle of peach champagne from Trader Joe’s. He’d even asked the checker if the fancy pink champagne could stand in for a Valentine’s card, and she’d said yes—I suspect she was about nineteen. I made Hubby lemon bars, though I first had to coax him into going out to pick the lemons. In the end, it turned out to be a good day.

So now it’s Presidents Day—what to do? Some people spend the day visiting museums or historical sites, or doing something educational, like reading biographies or watching documentaries about U.S. presidents. Talk about a yawner! I think I’ll watch the news, work on a puzzle, and maybe finally finish putting away the groceries I bought at Costco a few weeks ago!

Now we come to the real reason I feel stretched too thin: income taxes. Fortunately—or unfortunately—I’ve received all our tax documents and must begin the arduous task of filing them. I could procrastinate, but it has to be done sooner or later. I even looked up the word “procrastinate.” It means intentionally delaying, postponing, or putting off tasks that need to be done. It’s a common behavior, often mistaken for laziness, but it usually stems from anxiety about the task itself. If that doesn’t describe what it’s like to prepare taxes, I don’t know what does!

I recently experienced a paradigm shift, and it overwhelmed me because I never imagined it would actually happen. What is a paradigm shift? It’s a fundamental change in attitude or perspective that transforms how you think or work. For me, that shift has to do with gardening. I’ve always taken great pride in my plants—both indoors and out. Wherever I’ve lived, I’ve surrounded myself with greenery. When I lived in Germany, I cared for more than 100 plants. They lined my windowsills, softening the view and helping to block out the gloomy gray skies.

I became quite skilled at growing African violets, and before long, every windowsill was lined with them in every color. One morning, while my son was eating breakfast, I decided to take his picture. In the photo, he’s wearing a purple plaid outfit at the green paisley kitchen table, African violets in a rainbow of colors filling the background. When I looked at it later, I almost puked—it looked like a kaleidoscope!

When I retired, I studied for and passed the Master Gardener exam, a demanding four-month course that included both lectures and hands-on projects. I loved the experience and met many like-minded people. I still have a name tag with my name and “Master Gardener” printed on it. Would it be gauche to wear it while playing bridge? The bridge center I go to sells custom name tags, but I wonder why should I buy one when I already have a distinctive name tag of my own?

While living in the Bay Area, Hubby and I had a beautiful community garden, which I’ve mentioned often in previous posts. After moving to the desert, we tried to start a community garden again. It didn’t match the success of our Bay Area plot, but it wasn’t a total failure either. I did learn how to grow tomatoes, radishes, basil, and oregano. Unfortunately, oregano was eventually banned from that garden. Why? Aren’t there any Italians here?

Oregano is often restricted or banned in community gardens because, as an aggressive perennial, it can quickly take over shared spaces and spread into neighboring plots, making it very difficult to remove. Like mint, its invasive growth habit can disrupt the tidy, organized, and cooperative spirit of community gardening.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized I can no longer manage a community garden. One morning, I suffered heat exhaustion and lay on the ground for more than an hour. What frightened me most was that no one came to the gardens during that time. And even if someone had, they probably would have assumed I was a homeless person sleeping or passed out, since I was wearing old clothes and was covered in dirt and sweat. After that incident, Hubby refused to let me go to the garden by myself. Where’s the fun in that? He’s always trying to stop me from doing anything wrong. It’s so irritating!

So what’s my paradigm shift? I’ve turned to silk flowers. Our outdoor containers are now filled with UV-protected blooms that won’t fade in the intense summer heat. I have to admit, they’re beautiful—and they don’t need fertilizer, water, or soil. They look so realistic that hummingbirds still flit over to check them out. Of course, my new artificial flowers have no scent, but Hubby has taken care of that. He ordered some exotic jasmine seeds from an online ad, not realizing they were being shipped from Ireland. It took them a month to arrive! I’m going to give them a go by planting them outside, even though they’re meant for cooler climates. It’ll be a challenge!

Maybe my paradigm hasn’t completely shifted after all, and there’s still a latent desire to feel that earthy soil and breathe in those fragrant aromas! I’ll let you know how that turns out!

Is February a special month for you? Please let me know. Your comments are always welcome and appreciated.