That Sunday, that Summer

Wow, WHERE does the time go? It's so weird how having guests in residence changes your entire routine, no matter how you try to maintain some semblance of normalcy.

I will admit to being maybe slightly over-organized. I can't help it. I was an ICU nurse since I was 21 yrs old, and if there's one thing we are, it's organized and prepared for anything. You learn pretty quickly that if you don't get the mundane and boring things done right upfront (that would be bed baths, room organized, making sure emergency supplies are where they should be etc, that when things go to hell in a handbasket, you can either be calm and efficient, or a screaming meemee and look like a total ditz, along with compromising someone's life. I usually chose the former.

And it seems that so it goes in life. Take care of the scut work up front and the rest of the day you can do whatever you want and actually enjoy it. Instead of continuously thinking "I should be doing ....(fill in the blank)"....I hate that; it takes all the enjoyment out of relaxing. I envy people who have adopted the "don't do today what you can put off til tomorrow" or "tomorrow's another day" attitude. I guess I've seen that sometimes tomorrow ISN'T another day too many times.

So, I'm not the girl who gets up and leisurely sips her coffee while reading the morning paper. EXCEPT on Sundays.

When you don't work outside the home, every day is sort of like the one before. Get up with the dogs, let them out, feed them, walk them, feed the cat, clean the litter box, feed the birds, clean the cages, water the plants, get any laundry going, pull out the ironing I need to do for dh, clean anything that's out of place and plan dinner so that I can get out to the store before it's too hot. Then if I have any baking I want to do or dog treats or Madison's rice and turkey that needs doing, that gets done. I try to get my computer stuff done in the morning as well so that I can concentrate on other things; at 1 PM I start ironing and catch the soaps (thanks Mom for getting me hooked on them again)...but I've found that at least it makes ironing a more palatable task and dh doesn't have to beg me for shirts for the week; now I just need to set up my bike trainer for the days that I'm not ironing;).
At least something productive gets done while I'm doing something mindless. Oh, that's for those of my friends who "tsk tsk" over me watching the soaps; I actually DO have things to do at the house :P.

And then, one of my favorite parts of the day is right around 4 pm when I can finally chill out with the doggies and a glass of wine while we watch Ellen, who makes me laugh and makes me happy. Only things have gotten slightly out of order here, but it will get back to normal soon.

I really don't like feeling unproductive and unless everything I need to do and want to do is done, I don't feel right about just sitting around chatting; I've got ideas and plans that need to be researched or just figured out strategically and logically. And you know how unless someone's on the same page as you are, it's just a waste of breath to blabber about things. I'm not the kind of person who says "there's something out there for us". I'm the kind of person who says "this is what I want to do; so how do I do it?". More of a concrete term type of person.

Of course, I guess it's a lot easier when life doesn't get in the way; things like packing or moving or dealing with sick children or pets or spouses or friends.

I'm blessed. For many reasons, not the least of which include being fit (or relatively so...at least ABLE to be fit) and healthy, having good friends (some being able to maintain a confidence a little better than others I've found recently); and a great family, wonderful (and at the moment, healthy) animal companions, and a computer (hahahaha).

And SUNDAYS. I can stay in bed almost as long as I want (well, I still have to wake up early b/c the Y.E. are up with the birds, but sometimes they aren't insistent about being fed the second their little peepers open) and my husband goes to get the Sunday paper and I can play on the computer while I'm having my coffee with the Y.E. on either side of me. I can plan what I want to do for the next week, plan what I want to do for the next year, let my dreams run wild then reel them back in, and just be STILL. I feel organized, I feel hopeful, I feel happy and serene. It's SUNDAY!