March 3, 2008. Chevy Chase, Md. Working.

I have always thought that even if I was wealthy, I would work. When I watch movies where the action takes place in the nineteenth century, I always wonder what on earth these ladies did with themselves . Of course perhaps I would probably be the lady cleaning the country home, rather than having to dress for dinner every night. There was no wonder the ladies drank too much or became addicted to laudanum. Virginia Wolfe always said that to be happy, all a woman needed was a room of her own. I have always felt that a woman needs a life of her own, aside from the family. The most difficult time to do that is when the children are very small. My solution for me was Book Club, and Picnic Group. Then when the children went to Nursery School I went back to school, and completed an undergraduate degree in Science in order to go to Graduate School in the field of Exercise Physiology, intending to go through for a PhD in the same field. I was a Teaching Assistant while I was at graduate school, and I found I liked the teaching part better that the academic part, so when I completed my course work and was ready to do my Masters research, I went out to lunch with my friend Linda Daisley, drank a liter of wine, and signed up for the Real Estate Course. My children still hold my lack of my Masters over me. Any time I had wanted the boys to complete a task, they reminded me of my failing.

I am not sure where this work ethic comes from, but I suspect it is genetic, but maybe that is too easy. I suspect also that it requires strong character to work hard if you already have lots and lots of money. Gerry and I at work were discussing the people both of us know who are very wealthy and also have a full career. I still see ladies who have no intention of ever returning to the real world of work. I see a lot of ladies in Texas in that catagory. I always think they forget they live in 2008, not 1908. The Salvation Army was early to keep the ladies working. It is still the fact today that in order to be an Officer in the Salvation Army both husband and wife had to be made Officers. This was done right from the beginning of the organization. In the mid nineteenth century this was not normal at all. Perhaps that why my Grandparents were attracted to the organization. What ever the reason, working hard and long is in my blood. My Mother dies the day after she had been working, and my Father died on the job. My Grandmother at 95 was still giving talks to women's groups.

I will never know the answer, but I always wondered how hard I would work if I was wealthy. But I will never find out. That is probably a very good thing!!