“Just because it’s June, June, June”. A line from a song found in the musical Carousel, yes. But for now, the motivation behind an experiment that I have been mulling over for awhile. Many of you who know me are aware that I am single. Not yet married. No kids. One dog. And I have, of late, been journaling my adventures. Yet, was too shy to put them out there on the world wide web. However, it’s June, and so here I am willing to bust out all over just for you. I am hoping to share a bit of my journey in the single life for the month of June. And I shall see how it goes. If you find it helpful, I might continue the process. So for now, please enjoy:
I have approximately 4 full sets of china and stoneware. My mom jokes that I need more dishes. When my cousin and her family of 5 came to visit me one summer, we could have eaten all week on my collections and never have had to wash the dishes- once. We could have just set them in the backyard and kept going through the cabinets. Luckily, we ran the dishwasher. A LOT!
I just love china and silver. And I love to entertain. But when you are single, people do find it a bit odd that you have the ability to feed a party of 12 at the drop of a hat and produce a full silver tea and coffee service post meal to boot.
The point is, I have a complete collection of homemaking books, cookbooks, napkin and towel folding books, etiquette books, and parenting books that take up precious space on my shelves. I have never given one of them away and I don’t plan to. None has ever made it to the goodwill. And they probably won’t. I keep thinking that one day I will need them all. Why? Because deep down, there is that undying, relentless internal hope that “it†too, can happen to me. The big “Mâ€.
Marriage.
Say what you want, but you can’t deny that it’s a universal “thing†in most women. I have found that most girls I have met or spoken with or observed think about marriage at some point if not most of their lives. They just pretty much plan to grow up, get married, and have a family. It’s normal. And it’s OK.
I remember years ago carrying a piece of paper that had the list of names I had decided upon when it came time to name my first child. (Which I knew would be a boy by the way.) I knew, too, that one day, (post wedding of course) I would promulgate holiday gatherings, prepare scrumptuous and creative meals and plan educational and memorable family vacations.
I saved linens from family members and on trips to the various countries I visited. I collected all types of culinary tools, articles, and cookbooks for years. And as a hobby, I devoured any etiquette book I could get my hands on while even a pre-teen. I filed away books that would teach a child history or how to read and I made notes in my spiral bound journal from talks or seminars on how to be a good wife and mother. Without a doubt, I knew that when I grew up I would be the best mom and homemaker — ever.
But it never happened. At least, not yet.
Stacks of books, china, silver utensils and a stuffed hope chest later, I am still – yes, single.
I don’t know when it actually happened. But at some point in my life, I woke up one day and realized that I had not grown up and gotten married, but that rather, I’d actually grown up and gotten – single!
As I started to look around the solo waters of my life, wondering why I was so single, I was relieved to find other like souls floating past, whom I duly reached out to, grabbed, and threw into my boat. It’s always safer to sail with a buddy. So for now, let’s sail together for awhile, shall we? Welcome aboard!
