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Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Tick. Tock.

In my recent closet purge, I emptied everything out of my grandmother's old jewelry box that I had inherited.  Why I should have inherited it is beyond me.  I am not a jewelry wearer.  I am about as "un" frou-frou as you can get.  My daily adornment consists of earrings (the same ones - I never take them out) because I have pierced ears (one each side, thank you) and a watch, Monday-Friday.  This is where it gets interesting.  Okay, maybe interesting to ME.  Suffer along with me if you will....

I own no less than 9 watches.  I wear one.  The other eight do not have functioning batteries, are missing straps, or are in some other state of unworkability.  I have three dress watches (one with a diamond, oooooh la la), one that clips to your belt (although you'd have to be able to read upside down to tell the time - or stand on your head), an official Vespa watch, a couple of Swatch watches, and my favorite, a wind-up watch sans strap that I found in a box of buttons that I got at a garage sale.  The one I wear requires no battery, nor does it have a wind-up stem.  It gets its "juice" from movement*. 

I realized, yesterday, that I had put this watch on without even glancing at it.  I wore it all day, never looked at it.  As a matter of fact, I never look at my watch.  When I finally did glance at it, right before I took it off, I realized that it was at least 12 hours behind.  Fercryinoutloud.  So why do I wear one?  I think I am more interested in the idea of watches.  I tend to like great big ones (just in case I am going to look at it, I want to be able to read it).  It has more to do with my fascination with how things work - all the bits and bobs, pieces and parts.  When I was young, I took everything and anything that I could get my grubby little hands on apart.  This caused my father to hide his grandfather's pocket watch from me - apparently there was a glint in my eye every time I walked by it.  Everything else was fair game.  This went on fairly unchecked until the day I decided I HAD to find out how a golf ball was put together.  We were visiting my aunt and uncle's house at the time.  My uncle was quite the golfer.  When I casually asked if I could have an old golf ball, he obliged and off I went, secreted pocket knife and all.  (I wasn't allowed to own a pocket knife, but I had three - another obsession.)  After I had successfully sawed off the white covering, I was presented with a tight ball of rubber bands.  I started to peel them off and quickly lost patience.  So I took my trusty knife and carved through to the middle - which contained a pressurized liquid center.  Which exploded in my face and into my astonished open eyes!  I was temporarily blinded and had all the adults in an uproar.  But worst? My pocket knife was taken from me.

Once I had recovered, I was grounded.  I swear I spent most of my formative years grounded.  It also cured some of my drive for taking things apart.  A little bit of it.  A very little bit.  I am a slow learner.

*May I just say that after I saved up to get this watch (Orient), I was totally dismayed to receive a shoe-box sized package that contains all kinds of....packaging!  It comes with a manual, a tool kit, a fancy box.  I'm surprised it didn't come with an au pair to help it get through daily life!  Geez.

19 comments:

LindaCO said...

I bought a bunch of old windup watches on eBay to get parts for my bracelets. I love the process of taking them apart, and am impressed at the variety of insides I've seen in the small number I've eviscerated. The self-winding mechanisms did bring a "ohhhh, that's how it works!" to my lips.

Patty said...

:) You have such a way with words! I loved reading about your childhood exploits. I have a feeling you've got more where that came from. ;)

Susan said...

Linda - I was thinking about you as I wrote this! There really is nothing like taking a watch apart - all those little gears!

Patty - It's wonder my parents went on to have two more children after me...;o)

Tombstone Livestock said...

I quit wearing a watch 13 years ago when I retired. Now my tan line is gone, lol, and I say every summer I am going to wear a sleeveless shirt once in a while to get rid of my "farmer's" tan. Now I have a cell phone .... tells time, has flashlight and calculator and alarm clock, who needs a watch. Besides now I don't care what time it is, I go by sun is up, sun is down, lol.

Susan said...

TL - That is how my weekends go: I get up, I do chores, I go to bed. Repeat. You don't need a watch to know when the sheep are hungry, for goodness' sake!

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

Well know I know that a gold ball has a liquid center! Who knew? I guess you did ;) And when you think that some person figured out how to make a watch work it is just amazing. And keep accurate time to boot. And they still can not make a sewing machine that self threads. What is up with that?

Susan said...

Jane - The person who comes up with a self-threading sewing machine should be put up for sainthood!

Jenyfer Matthews said...

My husband has one of those self winding watches but lately it stops every time he takes it off for the day, which he finds frustrating! It's a good looking watch though :)

I have a pile of watches too - most would function if only I'd put batteries in them. But I've learned my lesson on one count: stagger the battery replacement. Nothing like replacing them all at once and then having them all die at once again!

Susan said...

Jenyfer - That's what happens when I put it down for the weekend. I never remember to look at it and reset it. I am always behind - in more ways than one!

Candy C. said...

I have a bunch of watches myself and not one of them has a working battery! ;-) I never wear a watch anymore, the tiny little bit of metal that touches my skin causes a rash. I just can't get rid of them though, especially my Mickey Mouse and the one with the cat face that says Nap, Play, Eat, Nap, Nap, instead of numbers for the hours!

Judy T said...

I, too, have multiple watches in several states of disrepair. I've got my one 'good' watch that I wear to work. It is usually the first thing I take off when I get home (after my coat) and the last thing I put on when I leave. I don't wear it evenings or weekends. If I could get away without it at work, I probably would... but, alas, I HAVE to have a watch for work. sigh... someday...

Judy

Dirt Lover said...

Oh, yes, I'll bet you were a wonderful kid to be around for all those many years! Interestingly enough, I know of sewing machines that thread themselves. They only cost almost as much as my folks paid for their house.
~~Lori

Susan said...

Candy - That cat watch sounds wonderful!

Judy - Same here. I have to check the time in the morning, then I have to clock out at night. Other than that, I'm a free agent!

Lori - I think my parents are glad they hung in during my, ahem, formative years. That's interesting -- I didn't know there was such a thing as a self-threading sewing machine. Figures that it's expensive.

Mama Pea said...

Ah yes, it's all becoming very clear as to why you are so very good to your parents now. Guilt, guilt, guilt, guilt, guilt . . . ;o]

And you do have a way with words, Girl! So entertaining.

Susan said...

Mama Pea - Oh, yes. I owe them BIG time! If they live to be 100 (I hope), I will still owe them big time! And thank you for your kind words.

Lisa B said...

I have some Swatch Watches too, my Mom worked for the company and we had 1st dibs on prototypes. I kept my Cowboys, Coke (a couple different cokes) and few oddballs. I love them but never wear them. I use my cell phone for watch now ;/

Susan said...

Lisa - That is so cool! I loved Swatch watches! They will be collector items some day - as will all watches, I fear.

Erin said...

I like watches too, but don't wear any other jewelry, I don't even wear a wedding ring unless it occurs to me on a rare night out LOL! The clip watch made me laugh because i have 2 of those but the faces are upside down so when i look down at it I can read it fine... maybe you should take that back and say "what the hey?" LOL...

Unknown said...

That's funny about the golf ball!