Today, something rather embarrassing happened to me. You see, I used the word “housework” in a sentence that I created and spoke out loud referencing me in current time. I was at the baseball field, at a practice with my nine year old, hanging out, writing, and reading; relaxing really. Another man sat at the picnic tables with me. I shared with him that my son wanted me to stay for the entire practice because of the overcast skies. My son was worried that practice would end early. I told the man “I don’t mind waiting here and relaxing. If I were at home I would be doing: housework. “ Yes, housework.

Suddenly, the world began spinning and we were in the late 60’s and early 70’s. I recall my grandmother wearing her brightly patterned polyester smock, as she did her housework between Pall Mall cigarettes. Actually, it was more smoking than housework, but who is really counting. Silence befalls the current time, 2013. I feel my face getting warm. It is a truth, though. I dust, do laundry, wash dishes, vacuum, clean floors, clean bathrooms, etc. That technically is housework. It is just that word, it sounds so antiquated, much like the word antiquated. Interesting what words engender.