Thursday, January 19, 2012

She's Just a Girl Who Can't Say No (to Blogging)

Surprise!

No. Your senses have not taken leave. Here they are: words. The Matron's.

She actually didn't intend to take an extended hiatus. One day evolved into another, and then another. Christmas revealed its true nature as a month-long festival of financial over-indulgence topped off by cleaning, cooking, entertaining and debate: what does one give to the postal carrier? Especially one with whom you have a special relationship.

John: "Do you really have to give the recycling guy a holiday book, bake cookies for the teacher, and leave tea and chocolate for the garbage man?"

Matron: "Why? Do you think a bottle of wine is better?"

John: "Only if it's for me, at this very minute."

Then there was the veil of suffering. The Matron was grounded in the reality of the body's demise. Her friend continues the battle. Her stepmother -- a saga about which the Matron didn't blog -- scraped by a staggering health crisis with her life intact but changed.

But . . in an odd way these things didn't bother the Matron. She experienced, but did not rail against them. Long ago, she had the singular momentary wisdom to learn something from her mother-in-law.

Mother-in-Law: "Why, I go to a funeral a week. That's your social life when your friends all start dying."

And-- like that-- the Matron understood that one day, she too would step to the precipice of age.
However, understanding that something is simply the 'natural order of things' doesn't make it easy.

Then there was The Play. The Matron wrote one. Did she mention she wrote a play? Wrapped it up in the last six weeks? For an actual theatre company, a play that might see the stage -- and there's another one in the works that is a certainty.

Writing a play also provided the Matron with a fun little fantasy. She loves living in her head that way. Fantasy:

Cashier at grocery store: "And what do you do for a living?"

Matron: "Me? Oh, I'm a playwright."

Chills!

Of course, the fantasy omitted the teaching job and also centered around the fact that the Matron was AT the grocery store in the first place to buy a LOTTERY ticket, which she of course WON (this is a fantasy after all) -- which immediately required detailed dissection of how she would distribute, spend and indulge in her $389 million payout. The Matron is pretty generous in fantasyland, so she needed a lot. 3 - 8 - 9 million. That's a forty minute fantasy, folks.

Anyway, that lottery thing didn't work out in real life.

At least, real life has been rich and nuanced, replete with rewards that have nothing to do with money but much with relationships and self-reflection (not knowledge - that would be a stretch - it's all still a great big query). So the Matron guesses that's where her piggy bank is -- in people. And that sucker is stuffed. The children, the dogs, the friends, students, family -- why, the Matron could write a novel.

Instead she shall return to the regular blog post to strut her narrative stuff.
She's back.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

hurrah !! i missed your words
mce

matgrif said...

I am glad that you are back...I enjoy reading your posts.

Catherine said...

Are you going to tell us more about your plays? What are they about?

I'm glad you're back.

trash said...

A piggy bank stuffed with friends and family. now taht is an image to hang on to.

JFS in IL said...

Yeah!!!!!

Gail said...

Yay! Obviously, you have been missed.

*m* said...

Welcome back!

Minnesota Matron said...

Thanks, guys!! It makes me happy to see the comments again and know people will still read : -). I have missed that part of it!

Minnesota Matron said...

And yes - more about the plays. I hate to say the theatre company until it's a done deal because I'm not sure how they feel about their developing artistic agenda being broadcast. But other details - sure. It's a good play!

Anonymous said...

Glad you are back. I was worried! You have been missed.

Anonymous said...

A play! How exciting!

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

Well, if I can't read your novel (hint, hint) then at least, perhaps, I can learn more about your play!
Welcome back! You've been missed.
~Karen
http://spokalulu.wordpress.com

Sooze said...

Glad you are back!

michiganme said...

WooHoo! I knew that you'd check back in eventually...

Navhelowife said...

Glad you're back!

Irene said...

I'm glad you're back and I hope you stay back.

MJ said...

Missed you, Matron!

Jan said...

Very glad to have you back!

Deb said...

Welcome back...you were missed!

Can't wait to learn more about your plays.

Plus, it's a new semester. Great fodder for student tales.

Anonymous said...

Hurray- I kept on checking, worrying about the 7,000 pieces of writing.

Chris in NY

Shawn Paulson said...

Missed you old friend!

Suburban Correspondent said...

Glad to "see" you!