Curating and rearranging

When I started this blog, I intended it to be a "baby book" for Darby.  I thought it would be fun to record her first year with us.  Over time, the blog has morphed into something of a diary for me.    I'll never forget reading the anguished comments of bloggers when a blog platform was discontinued a few years ago -- "My whole life is on my blog!"  -- so I'm not taking any chances that Blogger will still be around when I want to show my grandchildren this period of my life.  At the end of every quarter, I use an online utility to turn the blog entries into a hard copy book.

The other day I read a hilarious (to me) rant and was struck by this line (taken slightly out of context) "...we are all curating and tending our own tiny little bullshit online version of a life."

So, here you are clicking on Darby's and Pumpkin's Daily expecting photos of my sweet Cardigan Welsh Corgis and what do you see more often than not, lately?  The fruits of my curating of my online version of a life which sometimes doesn't include a single photo of the dogs!

Is this a bullshit version of my life?  Yup!  While I show photos of hair balls the size of small children and patio doors covered with view-obstructing slobber, I don't always report when I have an argument with Glenn (besides this one, which I won!) and I don't talk (much) about my worries and I stay away almost completely from discussing politics (although I've given away a few hints of my leanings which I think Lois has picked up on and I've flat out told Leda, but via email, not in the blog.)  I rarely show the gopher holes that are threatening to consume our backyard, and I never (until now) let on that I sometimes don't pick up dog poop for a couple of days.

I'm busy curating and tending just like all the other bloggers in the world -- well, like most of the other bloggers in the world.  There are a few who, in my humble opinion, ought to consider doing some serious curating!

For today's post, I thought I'd include some examples of the curating I do!  Here goes:

This morning when I stepped outside with the girls, not only was the sky full of gorgeous clouds, for the first time in several weeks the air felt slightly cool.  Here in very southern, Southern California some of our hottest weather is still ahead of us, but this morning's cool air promised Fall! During Fall, our days may be very, very hot, but the nights are almost always cool and sometimes, toward the end of the season, even cold.  I love Fall!

Uncurated version: I hate Fall.  I hate the weeks of high wildfire danger,  the worry we all feel when we see smoke in the sky and the fact that I still have to wear summer clothes when people in other places are wearing corduroy and flannel.  I won't even mention what the dry weather does to my skin and sinuses!

Yesterday I decided to rearrange the family room for the first time in 15 years!  I moved the sofa from under the  blacksmith sign to under the windows. I think I like it.

Uncurated version: I wish we could afford a real old trade sign instead of that crummy fake one we and a million other people bought from Ethan Allen.  I'm glad I cropped the photo so that big hole in Glenn's leather recliner doesn't show.  Damn it!  Why doesn't he just let me pick out a new recliner for him?)

While I used to rearrange furniture almost weekly in our first house, I've rarely moved anything around in this house.  And, the animals appeared to be slightly weirded out by the change! All three of them milled around for a few minutes seemingly unsure of what to do.

Un-curated version:  I'm glad I could crop the photo so the TV doesn't show. Man! Do I hate that giant TV.  If I had my way, we'd still be using the Sony that's tucked away in the armoire in our bedroom.  It has the best picture even if it is half the size of this big ugly thing.  Why does Pumpkin's tongue always hang out? Why was I too lazy to get my good camera to take these photos? These iphone photos are blurry and the iphone camera just couldn't deal with the glare from the sunlight on the pantry doors.

 

It only took the girls a few minutes to get used to the new furniture arrangement, and then they settled right down for a nap.

Un-curated version:  I sure hope no one will notice that bruise on my leg and how old my ankles look [are!] And, the fact that the hair on Darby's haunch looks like it is growing off my leg! I hate those can lights in the kitchen ceiling.  I have hated them for 15 years.  I'm glad Glenn folded the quilt on his chair so it covers that giant hole, but why didn't he take his glass into the kitchen?

So this blog isn't always a totally accurate version of my life, but there it is!  My blog.  My rules!  I'm glad you keep showing up to read!