Blessed Silence

I hadn’t realized until now how much I hated TV. 

Not all TV, but the endless droning cacophony of commercials, political ads, “News at 11” trailers, and just the general crap on the boob tube.

My parents spend their entire day watching TV.

The morning news, morning chat shows, food network shows, endless repetitions of breaking news and failing that, rerun after rerun of NCIS. Don’t get me wrong; it’s an interesting drama, but 5 solid hours is a bit much even for me.

Admittedly, I’ll watch DVDs of shows that I enjoy. Farscape, True Blood, Strike Back, and The Big Bang Theory.  The difference is that usually the TV is  off in my house. I’ll turn it on to watch something specific and then I’ll turn it off again unless I’m really bored.

I’m in “my” room with the door closed and realized my ears are ringing not so much from volume but from the endless wall of sound in this house.

I’m outside as much as possible and my projects are slowly getting closer to completion. The patches in the concrete / stucco of the house are in the final stages of curing. The rain today set me back a bit on the painting. I’m not trying to avoid the parents… I’m trying to avoid hearing damage.

Days go by, It’s easy to lose track of them. 

My morning starts when I get up at 7, get dressed & put the coffee on.

Then feed the cat, and the outdoor cats.

Turn on the pool filter and skim the leaves that have fallen during the night.

Come back in the house, then collect the newspapers from the driveway. Open papers, place on appropriate parents chair.

Coffee is usually done by then. I head back outside coffee in hand to the rear fenceline. I’ll have my coffee outside. I enjoy hearing the sound of the wind in the trees, the morning sounds of birds that remind me of the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, and the croaking or trilling of frogs in the swamp. 

All these sounds are comforting and for a few minutes I’m completely at peace. Then I hear the television in the family room crank up.

A few minutes later, my niece and nephew arrive. Then it’s two trips to schools because they don’t have the same start time.

After the kids are dropped off, I head back to my parents house and help with breakfast. I usually get to do the cleanup.

If I’m lucky I have time to wander about some more outside finishing up little projects that don’t require me to be inside. 

It’s been a bitch trying to sit down and write. 

My favorite times are late at night and early in the morning. Nothing is running, and it’s peaceful.