It’s Quiet in Here

It’s almost too quiet.  The mother in me keeps thinking, The kids are surely up to no good with all this lack of noise.  But no.  There are no children at home for the moment.  Larisa is on her way home from camp today.  The boys are across the street playing with their cousins.  They’re on an every-other-day schedule with whose house they play at.  Here they have a huge car carpet set up in the loft with about 127 hot wheels all over the place, parked precisely in their parking places.  I’m not sure what they have going on across the street…. but something Lego, I’m sure.

I realized yesterday that I’m not getting much accomplished (in my two days since returning from vacation).  It’s because I don’t have a list.  Diligiently I hunted down my day-timer where I painstakingly make my daily lists….. the last three weeks of pages are blank.  (In my defense, I was gone for two of those weeks!)  No wonder I feel like I haven’t gotten anything done.  Lists are amazingly inspiring.  The thrill of checking off that little box cannot be overrated.  Not only are projects completed, blinds cleaned and closets cleared out, but the little row of boxes is checked off…. and that makes me happy.

Today’s list, that has yet to be made with pen to paper, includes: finish a Bag for Zaza (it’s half done), clean ONE blind (it’s a slow process, but it doesn’t make me cry when I do one a day), empty the suitcase, fertilize the lawn, plant Vinca all over the backyard (has to be done after 7 p.m. due to the temperature for me and the flowers) and de-collate my coupons.  Whew.  But just imagine the internal satisfaction of SIX boxes checked off.  Sweet victory!  That’s more than I’ve done in three weeks.

I also need to make a list for the kids of Things To Do during the summer.  They will not be as thrilled with their list as I am with mine.  Guaranteed.  Theirs includes daily piano practice, 30 minutes of reading, multiplication and division flashcards and chores.  (One measly hour…. MAX!)  Sounds like pure torture, doesn’t it?  I can already hear them moaning, “Mooooom, it’s SUMMER!”  That’s when I show them my list and ask if they want to trade.  They never do.  It works every time.  Do they think I’ll just willingly let their brains rot all summer???  Never!  That’s why I’m the mom.

Checked-Off Check-Off Lists… These are a few of my favorite things

Rick was off work yesterday (and he didn’t even break the plane so he could stay home!) so I made a gigantic check-off list of tasks to be completed.  Next week is Spring break and we have house guests coming.  Our home and yard were crying out for attention.  Believe me, they got our full attention yesterday. 

I’m REALLY proficient at making check-off lists.  Some people are born check-offers.  I am a card-carrying, due-paying member of the Check-Off List Cadre.  I’m even the anal type that draws little boxes to be checked off.  Nothing bugs me more than a To-Do list with the items scribbled out so the memory of the task is gone and there is no long-lasting sense of accomplishment.  What’s the point of that?

In my “Save” file, I have a few crinkly, stained check-off lists of old.  My personal favorite is from our Yucca Street house when we decided to sell the 30+ year old home.  Oh my goodness.  That list still makes my head buzz.  We conquered more tasks on that house in six weeks, than we have in all our other houses added together.  Whew.  That’s why I saved it.  Some day when my grown, fully-trained, married and moved-on children call home to complain of a few house repairs, I can copy the list and send it to them.  No sympathy here, baby.  It could also be used as a boost in the caboose, as THEY did a lot of the jobs listed, even at their tender, young ages of 5,7 and 10.

I’m thrilled with Zaza’s room.  The buttery walls melt in your mouth… well maybe not, but I did have an urge to eat popcorn when we finished.  The chair rail is up.  We sank the nails, filled the holes, caulked the corners and repainted over the Spackle.  Oh, it looks GOOOOOOOOOD!  Then, the moment I’ve been waiting for for months… we put the purple bed together.   Makes my heart glad.  Sadly, I don’t have bedding, so I can’t put the picture on the blog yet.  Please stay tuned.

After our house finished crying-out for attention, my arms and legs took on the crying-out task, due to the meed after manual labor.  Good grief, weeding saps your strength! 

I need to go brush my teeth, but my legs hurt just imagining the climb up the stairs.  (Reminds me of my kids’ excuses!)