Sunday, November 04, 2012

Don't do anything without a reason.

After my guest was gone, I stripped both beds of their used sheets and stole both pillows from the guest bed, and after putting clean pillow cases on them, made them my own. They were both so soft and chunky that I was only able to sleep on one of them and had to put the other one to the side. It was a very comfortable one that I slept on and for a change I didn't have a kink in my neck. I do think this is the solution to a better night's sleep. Not that I sleep longer, but I do sleep better and that is half the battle. 

For dinner I ate both the pieces of chicken that I had first frozen and then defrosted together. Of course it was too much food and I couldn't eat anything else and had an enormously full stomach afterwards even with Tyke's help in eating them. I must never try to eat a portion of food that is meant for two people. I do still have two trout frozen together but I have convinced myself that I will be able to deal with them in one sitting if I don't eat anything else. 

I may also ask the Exfactor to come have dinner with me because I  have most of a bottle of a good Pinot Noir left over and I will never drink it myself. Now that I think of it, that will be the best solution to take care of both the trout and the wine. I am glad I thought of it with your help. You are my sounding board after all.

Having the time and space of my own again, I did nothing of real significance but luxureate in it. It took a little bit of time to get used to being solitary again  and the pleasant realization of it hit me several times during the day. This makes me sound like an awfully anti-social person and I am anything but. I do appreciate time that I can spend by myself and only need some socializing sometimes. A little goes a long way. I do not forge ahead in making many friendships but cherish the few I have. 

I could very much tell that my guest was an American and that I was a European because there was a gap in world vision between us. But it was not just a gap in our world vision. There was also one in the little, ordinary, every day things.  We went about things differently and had a different aprroach to and a different look on things. Our reactions to situations was different and I recognized hers as typically American. 

I had been unprepared for this and it was a bit of an eye opener. I realized that I could not communicate my experience of life to her. It was like speaking different languages and things getting lost in the translation. She thought whenever there was a similaruty in life style, it must be because we had adopted it from the Americans and not developed it of our own accord. She very much looked at the world from an American centered point of view with an American colored pair of glasses. It made me like her less. 

I will be surrounded by Americans in December and I must remember to take these differences into account when I talk with them and not take them seriously. I will be one European and not be able to make any changes in attitudes. All I can do is be a fair representative of this side of the world and be as well informed as I can be. 








4 comments:

VioletSky said...

I find it exhausting having houseguests - and being a houseguest.
Interesting that you noticed those (little?) differences in views and it became a good primer for you visit next month!

Wisewebwoman said...

Ah, Amerocentric! I find a lot of Americans like this. But never New Yorkers for some reason, they are so much more worldly. Maybe more educated? Certainly less insular.

I've been twice to California and thought the ones I met completely insular, though charming.

Yes, it is lovely to get the house back :)

XO
WWW

Maggie May said...

I find most Americans have no idea what is going on in Europe and the English are more insular that you are. We go about our business as though we are the centre of the world!
Glad you found the visit successful though.
Maggie X

Nuts in May

Gail said...

Well, I would be biased if I speak of Americans. I shall just say when I am a guest at someone's home I do try to follow their wishes, timelines and traditions. It is only right since I would be a guest to be as little trouble as I could be.

I take it Americans are not favored much. It is difficult to lump them all in one catagory since our states are as big as Europe's countries. Surely there is a difference in each of your countries' people.

I can assure you I would not behave like the President who arrived in other countries with his own cooks. How rude!!!

I like to think I might fit in but I would be in such awe of the beauty of your country, I may be speechless.

Sadly I only speak English so unless you are fluent in Arkansas Hillbilly we might not understand each other so well.

I do know I love animals and have a great desire to learn so with you as my teacher, I think my visit would be a great success. I might be swept off my feet and want to move to another country.

I really don't think you can judge all Americans with the things you see in one or a few. Just as I could not lump all of Europe's populice together and form an opinion on the basis of what I saw in only one person, one country, one visit.

As each of your home help has proven the difference from person to person is much and not completely defined so by their country of origin.

I am not saying this to upset, only to point out that maybe you had the wrong American as a house guest and should not dessert all of us by the acts of one.

That smacks of prejudice as does a senseless remark such as all black people are worthless. All I am saying is give us Americans a chance.

And you know this is not meant to upset, it's just an opinion as is this post is yours.

Sweet Dreams.