Tag Archives: chores

Posting from the Deck

Posted on June 4, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I’ve gotten through most of Saturday before making my blog post and oh, what a day I have had! OK, not really, but it was pretty scattered. As I was working on one of my last chores/adventures of the day (and how much richer life is when one can feel the two are combined), I thought, “It used to be that on a Saturday when I had multiple adventures, I would spend the next week making multiple blog posts about them individually. Now I blow my wad (so to speak) on one Scattered Saturday post. What’s that all about?” (And here’s a Freudian slip I found on proofreading: I originally put “blog my wad” instead of “blow my wad.” Isn’t that awesome?) (Maybe I should have used that for the headline.)

I answered myself, “When I started this blog, I was in my late 40’s. Now I am in my mid-50’s. Who knew there could be such a difference in the decades?” It was a silly answer, because, quite frankly, I have to keep reminding myself that I am in my 50’s. For anyone who wants to know, I am 53, the same age as the Grinch (“Why for 53 years I’ve put up with it now! I MUST stop Christmas from coming! But how?”). I like being the same age as the Grinch. But this is not what I sat down to make a blog post about.

In fact, it is a little difficult to post right now, because I am sitting on my deck, and the sun is a little bright for computer screens. I stubbornly remain out here, though, because I brought out all the cushions for our chairs. I could have just brought out two, one for my butt, one for my feet (naturally one puts one’s feet up on the weekend). Then I brought out for for Steven, who should arrive home in about an hour. Then I brought out the fourth, because it seemed unkind to exclude just one (yes, I anthropomorphize chair cushions; I anthropomorphize EVERYTHING, I thought you knew that about me).

Where was I? Ah yes, on the deck, admiring what I can see of my container garden so far. I feel I should purchase more plants, more pots and more dirt, going overboard as I have in years past (last year being a notable exception). The important thing is, I have basil. Fresh pesto, you will be mine! I’m sure some of my readers will appreciate it if I post pictures. I’ll be doing that one day soon. For right now, I’m sitting with my feet up and drinking a beer. Happy Saturday, everyone.

Stirring the Blog

Posted on March 20, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Why do I persist in thinking I am going to get anything done on a Sunday? I am clearly not, and then I just feel bad about myself. Can’t I just embrace the uselessness and enjoy the day?

I interrupt my Sunday festivities to make my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday post, and I lead off with my Facebook post from earlier. I did not quite embrace my uselessness, unfortunately, but I am striving to enjoy the day.

Regarding usefulness, I did one load of laundry, the dishes (there were not that many, for which I was grateful), grocery shopped, chopped vegetables and made a salad for the upcoming week’s lunches, and I am in the midst of cooking what promises to be a delicious dinner (if I do say so myself). I am cooking with wine, by the way, and have not put any in the food.

As a matter of fact, I need to go out to the kitchen, stir and add other ingredients, so I’d better blog quickly. I must confess, I do enjoy these off the cuff posts. It is fun to sit here, typing away, and know that I will probably amuse somebody somewhere (OK, I suppose sometimes it is only myself; you don’t have to disillusion me) (you know who you are). It doesn’t always work, you know. Sometimes I start typing, then I erase it, then I say to hell with it, I’ll blog later (I think “blog” is a funny verb, don’t you?) (oh, YOU probably never have) (once again, you know who you are).

OK, what do we have here so far? Some silliness, a couple of parenthetical comments, over 200 words. I’d say that’s about par for the course for me. I’m going to hit publish and call it a day. For one reason, Steven just stirred dinner and it is time to add more ingredients. Happy Sunday, everyone.

Much Ado Monday

Posted on July 19, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m a little early for All Much Ado All The Time, but yet, here I am.

And I just sat here staring at that sentence with no idea what to put next. My plan had been to DEFINITELY write my blog post while on break at work, so I would only have to type it in. Instead I studied my lines. I hope nobody in the cast reads this, because they may wonder why I still don’t know my lines if I was studying them when I should have been writing. Oh well, perhaps I know them better than I think I do. We’ll see.

I mentioned yesterday that I got very little done over the weekend. Among the chores still hanging over my head in a threatening fashion: figure out and get together my costume for the Doodah Parade in Ilion on Friday, find a few more costume pieces for my two characters in Much Ado About Nothing, finish learning my lines, unpaint my toenails, fix my work pants, wash my other work pants, clean my house, finish my container garden, work in my yard…

Why did I start listing those things? Now I’m having a panic attack! Not really, but it isn’t making my headache any better either. And it isn’t making this blog post any more interesting. Sorry about that. However, there is not much I can do about it, because I have rehearsal tonight. I have to look over my lines again.

Wrist to Run

Posted on March 14, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was undecided whether to do a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post or another Running Commentary, so I thought I’d just start typing and see what comes out.

I kind of impressed myself by running two days in a row, because I really did not intend to. I had a number of chores to attend to and no desire to attend to any of them. Just to bring up my mental woes as a slight change from my physical ones, I am fighting another bout of depression. My biggest symptom this time seems to be a huge case of Don’t Wanna Do Nothin’ (the double negative does not make a positive in this case). Actually, I’ve been wondering lately if my physical problems don’t stem from that. My body is obliging me with a nice bout of psychosomatics, giving me a marvelous excuse to, in fact, do nothing.

Be that as it may, I knew I must get some things done. I went to the grocery store. I did the dishes. I began to make my prompt book for Leading Ladies (we begin blocking rehearsals on Tuesday). I looked at the clock and realized I had time enough for a two hour nap before my husband would return home from work. Yes! Nap! Just what I needed. I forgot to mention that we have a murder mystery rehearsal at three. I had forgotten it myself until Steven reminded me.

Naturally I could not sleep. I’ve been having dreadful insomnia lately. It is not the least bit unusual for me to have insomnia, so I did not let it bother me unduly. As I gave up on the nap I remembered that I was also supposed to do laundry today. I gathered a load and threw it in the washer. Ah, the joy of having a washer and drier on the premises. While it washed I indulged in a check of Facebook and in reading several other blogs.

When Facebook got old and I got tired of reading blogs, I began to think about running. It was just after noon. I had plenty of time for the length of run I am currently up to. I decided to do it.

Then remembered the laundry. It was done by now, so I went down and put stuff in the drier, carefully pulling out stuff to hang on the bars upstairs. As I brought them upstairs, I decided I really wasn’t feeling all that well. I would not go running. I hung up the non-drier items. What would I do instead? Contemplating the other chores awaiting me, running started to sound a lot more pleasant.

So I went. It would be nice to report that I got a good dose of endorphins and felt terrific afterwards. That does happen sometimes. It did not happen this time. However, no run is without its rewards. If nothing else, one can feel satisfied that one ran at all. I worked on my ability to persevere and keep going despite it being not all that much fun. Of course, it’s never all Plod and Persevere. I had several moments of feeling Not Bad At All. And I hope I don’t have a reason to feel bad about this blog post. Happy Sunday, everyone.

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Posted in blogging, commentary, humor, personal, Wrist to Forehead Sunday and tagged blog post, blogs, chores, depression, endorphins, Facebook, running, running commentary. Bookmark the permalink.

Non-Sequential Chores

Posted on May 29, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Sometimes you just have to do something, anything.

I know, this is under the heading of “Well, duh” advice. However, I have had it demonstrated for me three different times today. Four if you count the library. This being Non-Sequitur Thursday, I think it will be appropriate to tell three small but differing stories with a common theme. Think of it like Love Boat or Fantasy Island (if you don’t get the reference, consider that another non sequitur).

Finish That Novel May is not going well. I seem to spend a lot of time looking at what I have and asking, “What is this? Where do I go now? Oh crap!” Well, today at lunch I just started writing a scene. And it was good! It was important! And dramatic! I finished that scene and I wanted to pump my fists in the air and shout, “Yes! THAT was a scene!” I started another scene during the two o’clock break, wrote a little more of it just before going home, and I walked out of that place wanting to sing.

I went to the library and worked on another chore that needs must be done, but feel less triumph over that so shall not count it as proof of today’s opening sentence. However, I was fortunate enough to find a few good books at their ongoing book sale before I left.

At home I was hit with a huge wave of I Can’t Do ANYTHING! I felt down, dumpy and sad. Then about ten or fifteen minutes before Steven was due to arrive home I said to myself, “Just clean till he gets home.” I couldn’t believe how much I got done. Not everything, of course, because my house is kind of a sty. But I felt much better and was able to greet my husband with a big smile.

Till I confessed all the stuff I had not gotten done, then I felt a little sad again. One thing I had been going to do was to make a tossed salad for tomorrow’s lunch, including hard-boiled egg.

“Do you want me to start the eggs for you?” Steven asked. I said OK, because if I couldn’t manage to make the salad I could always eat the eggs for breakfast.

Full disclosure: I forgot to check on the eggs to see when they started boiling. Luckily Steven remembered before the water had boiled away. I made the salad. The eggs were just right.

And that made me feel good enough to tackle the other chore I had been putting off for today: writing my blog post.

4 Comments

Posted in humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal and tagged blog post, blogging, chores, Finish That Novel May, writing. Bookmark the permalink.

I Pause in Doing Chores to Write…

Posted on March 8, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Sometimes when you feel depressed, if you do a chore, and it makes you feel better. Sometimes it does not, but at least you got a chore taken care of. So you really have nothing to lose by doing the damn chore. No, making my blog post is not the chore I am thinking of. My blog is not a chore to me, I LIKE writing my blog, even when I can’t think up much to say.

The fact is, I am feeling down and have been for a while. I have mentioned that I suffer from depression. I don’t like to talk about it much, because I don’t want people to think I am looking for attention or trying to get out of doing things or — horror of horrors — just whining. Oh, well, I guess sometimes I am whining, don’t judge. But then I feel it might be good to mention it, in case somebody else might be feeling the same way. After all, a sorrow shared is a sorrow halved; a joy shared is a joy doubled.

I think a lot of us are feeling the winter blues. In addition to the well-documented Seasonal Affective Disorder, some of us have been trapped in the house when we want to get out and about. I mean, there is no point in taking your life in your hands on icy roads if you don’t have to. Or maybe you’ve spent so much time and energy shoveling and snowblowing you’re too tired to do anything (but if you have a working snowblower, color me envious!).

For me, the lack of exercise is getting to me big time. I’ve taken my lovely dog Tabby for a couple of walks the last few days, watching carefully that her paws do not become snow-encrusted (must get her a pair of those doggy booties all the well-dressed canines are wearing). I shoveled this morning, which I believe does count as exercise. I know, there are any number of exercises I can do in the house, no matter what the weather. Sometimes I actually do them. Sometimes I just incorporate more movement than strictly necessary into my chores. That can be fun. Full disclosure: sometimes I neither exercise nor do chores. Don’t judge.

If you are wondering what the point of this post is, I guess there isn’t one. However it is Wrist to Forehead Sunday. And expressing myself in my blog has made me feel better. Now I wonder if I shouldn’t do a few real chores…

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Posted in commentary, humor, personal, Wrist to Forehead Sunday and tagged chores, depression, mental-health, Seasonal Affective Disorder, winter. Bookmark the permalink.

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