New Poll: What Are You Best At? (On the Sidebar)

I've been pondering about Tuesday's chore (Ironing Day), letting it roll around in my mind to see what I come up with.

During that pondering I have let my mind wander to the chores for the rest of the week. At each day I lingered and thought about how I felt about the chore, my level of competency, and my level of enjoyment. I noticed something: The better I am at the chore, the more I like it. I noticed something else: I'm not very good at any of the chores!

My grandmother on my mother's side was born in 1905. She lived a very hard life, full of poverty and a lot of bitterness. The man she married was her parent's choice for her. She (from what I've heard) was actually in love with someone else with red hair. She married my grandfather when she was 18. "Red" was no where to be seen, and perhaps never heard from again.

My grandfather was an alcoholic and, apparently, a mean one. Despite what must have been a pretty loveless marriage, that woman could cook, sew, garden, and keep a clean house like nobody's business. She lived in some pretty severe poverty. Until 1955, she did all of her cooking on a wood heated stove. She sewed ALL of her clothing and the clothing of her four girls. She made her own patterns. All that even though she was so very unhappy.

Then she moved into a house in the 50s that had electricity and indoor plumbing. That's the house I remember. It was ALWAYS spotless. Her bedroom (my grandfather divorced her some time in the 50s) was floral and feminine. Her gardens were amazing. The food was fantastic, good ol' southern cooking, and she continued to sew and crochet until she had a stroke in her late 70s.

My mother? Apparently she learned absolutely nothing, therefore, I learned absolutely nothing. My grandmother was NOT a teacher. My mom and I did take a few sewing classes together when I was a teenager, but I didn't learn much beyond a beginner level.

With that background, you will understand when I say that I had to teach myself how to do nearly everything.

Which brings me back to the days of the week and my levels of competency.

Wash Day? I don't know HOW it happens, but spots show up on my clothes and I have no idea from where. They just appear. It's the most amazing thing. It's also usually within one week of a new purchase, too. Very frustrating.

Ironing Day? I inevitably iron IN wrinkles. Again, the most amazing thing. I'm ironing along and the fabric does a tiny little bend that I go over with the iron. The wrinkles I'm trying to get out are still there and now this new, giant wrinkle mocks me. Sigh.

Sewing Day? I have never gone beyond the basics. I can sew a straight seam, fairly well, but even that surprises me when I've been ultra careful, take it out of the machine and it's CROOKED!

Marketing Day? I used to shine here. I was the coupon queen. I could fill the pantry for a buck-ninety-nine (practically!). Then I had a baby and I apparently lost this ability. I'm still looking for it.

Cleaning Day? Now this area has gotten tremendously better over the years. In my cleaning day post I'll relate a horror story that will curl your toes. My biggest change came when I realized I was trying to clean around too much stuff. I have now become the decluttering queen.

Baking Day? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! My poor bread making attempts have been just this side of disappointing. The bread tastes good but it keeps coming out looking like cow patties. Not visually appetizing, that's for sure. I'm determined not to give up yet!

Cooking? That's an every day thing, but I'm also pretty inept at that as well.

Well, that was pathetic! Why didn't Granny pass along these talents? The least she could have done was pass them along genetically!

So, here's my poll question:

From The Poem, at which task would you consider yourself most accomplished? On which day do you shine? Do you find that you enjoy that task the most because it's your best effort?

The poll is up on the sidebar--please go and vote!

After reading my own experiences, I may have to say "none of the above!"