Of Procrastination and Deadlines by Konnie Enos

Last night, after our lights were all out when I was as comfortable as possible and about ready to fall asleep, my husband asked me what I had to do today. As I was almost asleep, my first thought was nothing.

It’s usually nothing. At least nothing much. I’m introverted enough that I much prefer to stay in the comfort of my own home. I also prefer to stay in the comfort of my nightgowns mostly because it means I don’t have to wear a torture device better known as a bra.

While I’m sitting around at home, I don’t do very much beyond some chores.

Every day we sweep, vacuum, and occasionally mop all the floors. At least once a day we run the dishwasher and later we put away the clean dishes. Twice every day we provide medicine to two dogs and fill puzzle toys with food/treats to engage two of our dogs while also feeding all four of them and keeping them separate while doing so.

There is also bringing in the mail, taking out the garbage, and making sure the bins get to and from the curb once a week. Not to mention regularly going to the store for groceries, and we wash the towels at least once a week. There is also regularly scrubbing bathrooms and grooming dogs, which sometimes requires bathing dogs.

My point is that we do plenty every day around here, but I don’t do any of those chores. I have lots of reasons for this, but they all boil down to the fact that I’m a short overweight senior citizen with arthritis from my waist down. Every one of these chores requires standing, walking, bending, stretching, or just plain reaching things I can’t reach because of my height. So, my family does all these chores. (My daughter does most of them except when she forces her brother to help her or my husband helps.)

My chores consist of cleaning the things I can reach (tables, countertops) and cooking or at least assisting in cooking. I generally do the peeling and chopping. I also manage the finances and pay the bills. Most of which I can do sitting down.

So, when Jerry asked me what I was doing today my first thoughts were that I didn’t have any appointments nor were there any pressing bills to deal with. Beyond my regular cleaning and cooking chores, I had nothing on my schedule for today. My first response was to tell him, nothing.

Then it occurred to me that I did have something to do today.

It was at that moment that I realized my son had gathered and taken out the garbage, including taking the bins to the curb. It was Tuesday night, meaning today was Wednesday. I had something that I needed to do before 8 a.m.

Something that involved sitting, but also time and thought. All of which I wasn’t up to at 11 p.m. when I was already lying down and half asleep. It was also something that I’d completely spaced all day. I’d given it no thought and had no idea how to proceed.

My only conclusion was that I had to get up early this morning and hope that I was able to get enough sleep so that I’d be refreshed and ready for the task.

After three middle-of-the-night trips to the bathroom, my alarm went off. I was not ready for the morning, let alone thought, but I still needed to get things done. I dragged myself out of bed and pulled out my laptop.

I also, very dutifully did not get on the internet or start browsing that rabbit hole known as Facebook. I opened up a blank Word document.

Then I did look at some news headlines because I still didn’t know what to write but I forced myself to get back to writing without delving into any stories and wasting time.

In case you haven’t figured it out, what I forgot about until late last night was that today was my day to post. I had to get up, come up with a topic, and write something that made sense at a time that is earlier than I normally get up.

I also don’t know why I felt it was such a huge deal that I forgot about it until that late. As a rule, I often forget about it until the last minute. Often not realizing it’s Wednesday, or my turn to post, until my alarm goes off Wednesday morning. It’s the only day I have an alarm set to wake me up. It’s also set so I’ll have time to write a post if it’s my turn, which I usually manage, barely in time.

Apparently, I’m good at procrastinating.

Smile. Make the day a brighter day.

Of Energy and Obstacles by Konnie Enos

 

I was feeling industrious Monday and decided to get some laundry done.

First, I stripped my bed and otherwise gathered sheets, pillowcases, and blankets that needed washing. Due to the size of the blankets, I had two loads. Only then did I think to check if the washer was in use.

I was in luck. It was empty. I dumped the first load in the machine then went and gathered two more loads of laundry.

I’m sure I’ve mentioned it, but because of my lack of stature, I cannot retrieve anything from the bottom of the washer. Switching that first load to the dryer required getting help from a family member. This time Melinda assisted me.

I put the first load in the dryer and then dumped the second load in. I was surprised at how quickly I was able to switch the loads because I often have to wait for assistance with emptying the washer. However, on Monday, I was able to get both loads of bedding into the dryer and back out again, and my third load into the dryer with a fourth load in the washer.

Now, I had managed to strip the bed without Jerry’s help, but making a bed is so much easier if I have help. While I was busy doing something on my computer and had several things spread on the still unmade bed, he decided he was too tired to wait for me to finish or make the bed. He was fast asleep before I could think to put away everything. So we ended up sleeping without sheets and the washer was still going when I went to bed.

On Tuesday morning, Royce mentioned needing to do a load of laundry. I explained that I had a load in both machines and gave him directions for bringing me what was in the dryer. He then asked for directions on what to do with the load now in the dryer.

An hour or so later, he then brought me my last load of laundry. At this point, I had two baskets of clean laundry and a pile of clean sheets on my unmade bed. And the burst of energy I’d had the day before was long gone. I figured the laundry could wait.

It was after I learned that Melinda made dinner without any help from me and I’d washed up all the dinner dishes that I finally decided to fold all that laundry with the intent to put it all away and clear the bed so we could properly make it.

Do you know what happened?

Melinda took her nightly bath while I was still sorting and folding it. Some of that laundry is stored in the bathroom so now I had to wait to put it away. Jerry decided he was again too tired to wait for me to clear off the bed before I noticed that Melinda was now out of the bathroom.

One more night sleeping on an unmade bed.

After he was sound asleep, I was able to put all the laundry away (I wasn’t going to sleep with it) but I also realized a couple of things. One, I had not at any time, even during my burst of energy on Monday, made any attempts to write this post. Two, it was now late. I could either go to bed myself then get up early and work on my post (pure procrastination, again) or I could try to write it before going to bed.

The thing is, I’ve learned that trying to type up my post at night requires several hours and possibly the whole night. This might be because I tend to dose off while I’m attempting to think of the next line or word.

So, sleep it is. I made sure my alarm was set so I’d get up earlier than usual so I would have plenty of time to type, whatever I was going to write about. Yes, I had still not come up with an idea. Due to the hour, it meant I’d be getting about six hours of sleep. That is if you didn’t count the one or two trips to the bathroom my body would wake me up for.

The first time woke up this morning I realized the sun was already starting to come up.

By the time I found my phone and figured out just how early in the morning it was, I was already awake. So I pulled out my laptop and opened Word.

And, of course, the first thing I think about is all the reasons why I’d slept two nights in an unmade bed. Maybe today, I should get Jerry to help me make it while the sun’s still shining.

Smile. Make the day a brighter day.