Planning the Day

Every day – well, almost, every day – I make a list of what I need to do that day.  Laundry.  Feed the dog.  Trim the dog’s nails.  Vacuum the carpet.  Water the grass.  You know.  If I’m lucky, I accomplish 1% of what is on the list.  Or, if I’m really lucky, on a good day – 15%.

I go into the day with the best of intentions, but by five in the evening, the productive day is over.  I’m left wondering where has the day gone – what have I accomplished, today?  And, I’m also left with wondering what I will have for dinner.  Meals are never on my “to do” list; so, I’m never really sure.  Or, for lunch, either.

Breakfast is always – always – half of a packet of oatmeal with raisins and walnuts and a little skim milk.  While that is cooking in the microwave, I feed the dog, tie back the curtains covering the front windows, open the outside doors to let in any cool air, turn on the fans, and make sure the bed’s blankets and “dog sheet” are in place.  I take my fasting blood sugar reading and prepare my morning meds.  Then, the three-minute timer on the microwave sounds, and I can have my breakfast.  In the TV room.  And, I turn on the TV to see what has happened in the world, over night.  After breakfast, the dishes go to the dishwasher, and I take my morning meds – usually – unless I forget.  Then, I have to take them later; it is hoped before noon.

Thinking over yesterday, for example, after breakfast, I planned to order my groceries from my chosen store – on-line.  Before that, I remembered that I had laundry left in the dryer, downstairs.  So, downstairs to handle the laundry; and, since I’d let them dry, overnight, the load needed to be tumbled, again.  The load had different kinds of laundry – socks, tee-shirts, etc., – some of which didn’t need to be tumbled and some that did.  So, I sorted the load, taking out those items that could exist as they came out of the dryer – wrinkles didn’t matter – and leaving in the tee-shirts to work out the wrinkles during the heated tumbling.  I set my laundry timer for thirty minutes.

I took the wrinkled stuff upstairs and stowed it in the drawers where it belongs.  So, back to the computer to order groceries.  I’ve learned to really like ordering groceries on-line.  All I have to do is go on-line, set the time for pick-up, and pay with a credit card.  Sweet – and, very easy.  Before I can gin up the computer, however, I remember that I’m having Katie for today.  And, you know how I love having that dog!  I think, if Lady could talk, she would agree.  So, Katie comes, and we all go outside for a while.

Back in the house, the laundry timer goes off, and I head downstairs to take care of the laundry that is in the dryer and transfer the load of wet laundry from the washer.  Then, back upstairs to hang the tee-shirts in the closet.  Reds with other red.  Darks with other darks.  Whites with whites.

Upstairs, I can think about the grocery order, except that it is time for lunch.  Not that I know what I’m eating for lunch.  I guess I will have half of a can of soup.  With a few crackers.  Chicken-based, only – no beef or pork.  Some noodles or rice.  And a diet pony coke – half of a diet pony coke.  And, that’s enough lunch.

Back to the computer to order those groceries on-line.  But … I remember that I have a meeting, tomorrow, and must have my minutes in order to distribute to members who attend.  After the minutes are printed and stashed in the bag to take to the meeting, I’m ready to move to the next item on the list.  That being back to the grocery list.  Again, the laundry timer sounds again; you know what that means.

The dogs need to go out, again.  They need to be fed and have their snacks.  At some point, they both want to be petted.  I could go on and on and on with descriptions of my day, but you are probably tired of this litany.  So, I’ll stop and figure out what my supper will be – probably, a peanut butter and jelly (half sandwich) and milk.  And, the grocery order will have to wait until tomorrow.

I’d like to think that in this year of planning to send manuscripts to publishers, I will be able to schedule more time in my days to do exactly that.  Time will tell …

Be Safe and Be Well

The Cranky Crone

Thoughtful comments are appreciated.