The Ant and the Grasshopper


As a child I was overly fond of stories with lessons or morals. My reading matter included Greek and Roman myths, the Tales of Uncle Remus (African/American folk tales compiled by Joel Chandler Harris) and the fables of Aesop. Of my favorites of Aesop fables was The Fox and the Grapes vied with The Ant and the Grasshopper for first place. I was seldom, when left alone, without one of these classic tales running through my head.

I put my adults into various roles among my favorite moral tales. Dad was almost always Brer Rabbit. I quite frankly saw my mother as the ant and my father as the grasshopper. This parallel was clearly evident when we lived in the farm north of Kansas City which is probably now the main runway of the airport there. I frankly confess I always thought of myself as a grasshopper.

Until recently that is. I have noticed the hideous snows of the last few years (and the touted pandemic) has made me into more of a grasshopper than I at times find comfortable. Or was aware of consciously.

I was reviewing my bank accounts (something I do more like Brer Rabbit) and wondering where the money has gone this last couple of months when it dawned on me I had been stocking up the pantry like the ant. The hallway is now storing 6 bags of wild bird seed gotten at a fantastic sale. The pantry off the kitchen has been the benefit of every 5 for some sum sale in canned goods which includes beans, soups, pastas, stewed tomatoes, canned salmon, etc. The upper shelf holds enough dog biscuits for the winter. Next week I will hit Sam's and get dog and cat food, toilet paper and paper towels on the list I have been adding to daily. The freezer is stocked with elk steaks, chicken breasts, pork chops and frozen green chili. Three cords of firewood, ordered in August, comes in the next couple of weeks.

Last winter when the money got really tight I had almost exhausted all my stores of necessities. And I have lived through the summer with only weekly supplies. I had to be out before I got more. Typical ant behavior. But if my current trend of hording continues I will be set for being snowed in or for isolating myself from the germy tourists for any extended period of time. WHO, the World Health Organization, recommends you be able to live for three weeks without contact if there is a pandemic. And seven days if you get the flu.

Except for dog and cat food and kitty litter I am set. I just noticed I added them to the shopping list on the fridge already.

Are you an ant or a grasshopper?

Comments

  1. BevOctober 10, 2009 at 12:43 PM

    I guess I'm a grasshopper:(

    ReplyDelete
  2. JBinford-BellOctober 10, 2009 at 1:28 PM

    I believe at heart I am a grasshopper. But recent winters and other events have pushed me into more ant like behaviors.

    ReplyDelete
  3. IntelliblogOctober 10, 2009 at 8:58 PM

    I'm a bit of both... I'll be grasshopper for a while and then all of the sudden I become an ant, and work and stock up, and be really sensible. Till I get a tune in my head and off I go and be grasshopper all over again.

    ReplyDelete
  4. LOctober 14, 2009 at 10:18 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Blog of BeeOctober 19, 2009 at 8:54 AM

    Can't make up my mind! It depends on who you ask!

    ReplyDelete

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