Feeling a little Hungry For Change -- and a cupcake-- the boys and I headed to our neighborhood park today for a bake sale.
Now, bake sales in general make me feel a little like puttin' on a church-lady apron and frying up chicken and meeting Almanzo at the school house after Mary and I finish chores and get baby Carrie dressed in her calico and Pa gets the wagon ready to go into town. Everyone wins in a bake sale - the baker, the cause, and the eater - and since there is very little that I can find in this world that offers such an outcome, I'm all for the bake sale.
Today's bake sale reminded me of this poster/bumper sticker circa 1975.
Mr. Wonderful and I saw it on a car once and I told him that it used to hang in my dorm room, and he kind of shook his head in bewilderment and probably muttered something under his breath and I probably giggled girlishly because I LOVE making him just a titch confused about how we could possibly make this all work. Believe me, he does it to me all the time.
It's the secret to a healthy marriage - political debate.
Yes, Mr. Wonderful and I make a habit every first Tuesday in November of canceling each other's votes. And political contributions. And making certain conversations uncomfortable with in-laws, friends and co-workers. But we're totally cool with that. It's not like we didn't know it going into our marriage.
On our second date, Mr. Wonderful swept me off my feet by admitting that, although he would probably be voting for Bob Dole (ok, that's not the feet-sweeping part yet), he did question Jack Kemp as a running mate because supply-side economics doesn't work. And I couldn't agree with him more and thought optimistically - "Yes! There's hope!"
And boy was I ever right. About Mr. Wonderful and our opinion on supply side economics.
But that doesn't mean that the debates and differences of opinion stopped on our second date, or that we see things through the same lens (mine might be a little rosier sometimes), or that we could not disagree more on very fundamental issues. But it keeps the fire going and gives us something to talk about other than poopy diapers or the fiber content of our diet or what color to paint the living room.
Fast forward to our fourth presidential election together and now we're raising two future voters. We make an effort to keep debate calm, intelligent and mature (I only stick my tongue out at him and roll my eyes after he turns his back and the boys can't see me).
Our hope is to raise children who understand that people can love each other very much and still disagree about things, that tolerance isn't just a bumper sticker, and that something needs to be done about the healthcare system in the United States. I want our boys to grow up in a house where people read and discuss, and that they see first hand that being well-read and well-educated on topics about which you have an opinion can serve you well. And that supply side economics is a load of crap.
Overall, I think that today's introduction to political fundraising went very well:
Tractors and peanut butter cookies. These dudes are totally voting Democratic in the 2022 and 2024 elections.
