The Process

8-15-09

I open my eyes, and rub them for a second. I squint and rub some more until my contacts, which I am not supposed to wear to bed but do on *occasion* come into focus. I look at the clock on the wall. 11:30am. I smile. Nice, I think to myself. I was able to sleep in. The kids are at their dad's this weekend and I do not have to be anywhere by any certain time today. I should be able to get a lot of stuff around the house accomplished. But first... Blogging!

I read a few blogs. I check Facebook for updates. I go back and read a few more blogs. A friend starts a Facebook Chat session with me. We chat. I laugh. I feel...calm...

But, I know I have to get things done, and now it's 1:30pm. I say good bye to my friend. I get up and do the whole wash-my-face, brush-my-teeth, pull-my-hair-into-a-pony-tail routine. I think I shall start with the Living Room. Not in too bad a'shape. I straighten pillows and fold blankets, and put books back on shelf. I notice a book I haven't read yet. I sit down and flip to the first chapter. I just wanna read the first few lines...y'know... to see if it will be worth reading.

I get all the way through chapter three. I realize it's 2pm. I put the book down and think that perhaps I shall tackle the kitchen. I start unpacking the picnic basket from our trip a few days before. As I put things away in the pantry, I notice that *someone* has left an EMPTY BOX in the pantry! UGH! This is a pet peeve of mine! I shake and rattle each and every cereal box, fruit snack package and chip bag. I take the empties out to the trash. I return to organize a little more and notice a cake mix with a recipe on the side. I sit down, and read through the recipe. Sounds easy. Reminds me of another recipe...what's it called??? I put the cake mix back and walk over to the cupboard with the cook books. I know it's here somewhere. I rifle through and finally find the recipe. Hmmm, I think. I am WAAAY off. This is nothing like that recipe on the side of the cake mix box. Oh well. Back to "cleaning" the kitchen.

I straighten bar stools and take trash out. I sort through the mail on the side counter. One envelope catches my attention. I pick it up, along with a few ponytail holders that were left out and start to open the envelope while walking towards the bathroom to put the hair bands away. I secretly congratulate myself for totally multi-tasking, cuz y'know, placing pony-tail holders in their correct location while opening an interesting-looking envelope is far harder than walking and chewing gum at the same time.

Hair accessories are back in their place. I notice an empty grocery bag on the bathroom counter. I pick it up and tuck it under my arm as I pull the card out of the envelope. It is from a neighbor.
I enter my bedroom and sit on the edge of my bed to read the card. I smile more. She's thanking me for singing in a double quartet at church and is saying how great we sounded. How nice. I crumple it up and toss it in the empty grocery sack that I am still carrying around (again with the multi-tasking) and suddenly notice the stack of un-opened mail on my bedroom desk. Well, as long as I am here and have this grocery-now-turned-garbage-bag with me, I think, I shall go through the mail and get rid of the garbage items.

At the bottom of the stack is a catalog. I sit on the edge of the bed, efficiently thumbing through the catalog determining if it's worth keeping. It isn't. I throw it away. It's now 3pm. I feel tired all of a sudden. And not just a little sleepy, but exhausted! I lay back and close my eyes for only a second.

I feel cold. I open my eyes and realize I have fallen asleep. I wonder what time it is. I check the clock and it is 4:30pm. I am surprised at how tired I am after already sleeping in until 11:30am. Nevertheless, I am still EXHAUSTED, and now cold too! I crawl to the head of my bed and get under the covers. I snuggle with my pillow. I nap for Two.More.Hours.

I get up and feel refreshed. I get a funny text from a friend. He tells me about something he has posted on Facebook. I sit up and get my laptop and look. Sure enough, it is hilarious. We end up chatting for two more hours.

It is 8:30pm. I am starving. I haven't eaten all day. I debate whether to cook or go through the drive-thru for a dollar taco that is sure to give me a food baby and make me sick. The thought of sour cream lures me and the taco wins.

9pm. I am home and taco is finished. I feel rested. I feel...calm. I feel like I do not care whether or not the rest of the house got clean. Besides, I can't help it, I think to myself. I was obviously tired and obviously needed to sleep.

This is my life. I don't pretend to make it look easy... it's a process.