Picket Fence Post

The Picket Fence Post.

The name evokes visions of a freshly baked apple pie cooling on a kitchen window sill, a tree swing in the back yard and the good-natured family Labrador fetching crisp, green tennis balls while children happily and cooperatively play in the nearest oak tree . . . all occurring behind the safe confines of a perfect white picket fence.

Then there’s real life. A distinctively imperfect life. Like mine.

Instead of a freshly baked pie gracing my kitchen window sill (you’re more likely to find a store-bought anything in my house), there are three children’s classroom “project” plants barely clinging to life, mostly possessing fairly crunchy leaves. (I think my eldest son’s bean plant tried to put itself out of its misery the other day by casting itself off the sill and into the sink filled with dirty dishes. Either that, or our ancient cat tried to eat the plant, but then realized this was a bad move. Better to scavenge something from the dirty dishes instead.) (more…)