the folks
Originally uploaded by caffeinemomma.

Sunday, January 25, 2004
Oh for goodness sake. I was reading an article about the completely admirable organizaton, Heifer(they do completely admirable economic development in third world countries), and what should intrude on my train of thought but my Dad's dismissive reference to our local, busy, church lady as "that old heifer".

Come to think of it, he refered to many of the sociable and social ladies of "a certain age" as heifers. Apart from the usual mild misogyny common to men who were farmers and ranchers during that part of the 1960s, what made these particular people worthy of dismissal?

I'm wondering because I am now of "a certain age" and am quite content to resemble those energetic and earnest gals. Of course I'd never refer to myself or anyone else as a gal and I certainly wouldn't ever wear those pointy-eyed, rhinestone trimmed glasses. You know, the 4H leader, precinct chairman, neighborhood association treasurer type of women.

Since I refer to myself as a general busybody I guess it is time to claim my own heiferdom. We heifers are certainly not at the head of the herd leading the charge. There are some pretty amazing women who are these days and good on them. No, we're pretty evenly distributed throughout the herd. We may not be the leaders but we're going to make dang sure that the herd keeps moving apace as we fill in, take up and start new civic enterprises; the budget committee sign-up sheet never has enough names on it. You'll add yours if you're really a heifer. You will, however, be hard pressed to get the whole motley assortment that makes up our society to your goal if us heifers get our heads down and refuse to go along.

It is not impossible to move right on past us and leave all us middling and careful examiners of position papers and voting records behind in the dust but you want to be especially careful of anyone who wants you to go there. Many of us heifers have been there and done that. At "a certain age" you've been down some long dry trails. Remember Consciousness Raising? The very fact that we're here- we're participating, means we haven't been led over those cliffs of religious extremism, political extremism, apathy and self absorption. Go heifers. And Heifers