Last fall, I made a list of all the things I would do while
Junior was at school. Next week, school ends.
Last fall, I made a list of all the things I would do while Junior was at school. Next week, school ends.
And I just found my list.
Now I’m in a quandary. I probably won’t get any of this stuff done between June and September. There will always be another snack to fix, another trip to the park or a dip in the pool. But do I keep this list until next September and try again? Or do I rush around like a maniac attempting to complete everything in one week?
Look, it’s not like I didn’t try to do all the stuff on the list last fall. OK, it’s a little like I didn’t try – but I did at least start doing some of it.
Take number 3, “paint the bathroom,” for example.
Painting the bathroom isn’t nearly as easy as it seems. It takes preparation. First you have to decide on a color. I went to every store in the South Valley that carries paint. And I collected paint chips from all of them.
I taped the chips to the walls of the bathroom and decided which colors I liked best. Then I bought a quart of each and painted some of each on a wall.
And then Harry got involved.
And that means that since September, we haven’t been able to agree on which of the colors we like best. I’m leaning toward a nice sage green and he’s leaning toward antique white–which is the color the bathroom was before I started covering the walls with samples.
Number 7, “get rid of shoes I don’t wear” was a completely different matter. I really thought that one would get accomplished. I took every single pair of shoes I own, removed them from the closet and tried them on.
But then I had people coming over to visit, and I couldn’t leave all my shoes out to be tripped over – so I shoved them back in the closet and forgot about cleaning it.
Of course, I really wanted to do item 15, “reorganize Junior’s toys.” But every time I went into his room and started to sort through the toys, I got sidetracked by mommyhood. I’d take out an old toy, and then get all sentimental and mushy, remembering how Junior had played with it ages ago.
I’d recall how cute he was as a baby, toting around his annoying little radio that played “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” until I though my ears would bleed. Well, I just couldn’t toss that radio. Or his Buzz Lightyear stuff. Or his collection of Happy Meal toys.
So I just gave up and threw everything back into the closet.
You know, I did accomplish one item on my list. Number 27, “clean junk drawer.” Okay, I didn’t do it because it was on the list. I actually cleaned it this morning because I couldn’t close it. And in the bottom, underneath two old batteries from Junior’s Game Boy and a folder bursting with coupons that expired in 2001, I found my list. So I can cross number 27 off – because the junk drawer is clean.
And if I hurry, I can probably paint the bathroom antique white before Friday. Of course, I’ll have to get some paint chips from every store that carries antique white paint. And then I’ll have to paint some samples on the wall to make sure the colors match.
Maybe I should make a list. I think I have a pen in the junk drawer.
