Sunday, February 21, 2010

I Really Shouldn't Be Wasting This Time

I shouldn't be wasting time writing this foolish blog post right now, but I figured I have to wait for the kettle to boil anyway, and there is nothing more annoying than standing about waiting for something, so perhaps it is time well-used.  Although, considering the quality of my writing lately, that is debatable.  It might have been kinder to all, and certainly to my reputation, to maintain a discreet silence and endure the delay stoically.

But, really, who can be expected to wait 7 or 8 long minutes with absolutely nothing to do!  Not me, for sure.  I am nothing if not busy productive and I pride myself on how much I accomplish each day.  Why, I can't get from one end of the house to the other without pausing to complete a task or two I notice along the way.  Sure, sometimes that means it takes me 45 minutes to bring that wrench he asked for to my hubby, but think of the items struck off the To Do list (as soon as I make the list and add them)!  I think it is a little short-sighted of him to be focusing solely on the plumbing issue over his head, never appreciating the bigger picture of the well-run home.  But, no matter.  I am as easy-going a spouse as I am a good household manager.  It is the secret to our happy home.

Progress report on the Photo Project:  I've been moving along like gangbusters!   I have whistled through 1997 (did you catch the clever Olympic reference? :D) and am about to begin the autumn pictures from that year.  I've sorted and scanned and even burned CDs every 100 or so photos!  No point in false modesty here- I am moving mountains!

I've stayed on task, barely budging from the den for the entire day yesterday (and I will soon station myself there again this morning to continue the project with the same amazing diligence), while Scott lazed around, bringing me the occasional cup of tea or sandwich, watching the Olympics, distracting me with tidbits of news, shopping for our supper, cooking a gourmet meal out of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and generally taking it easy.  I don't fuss about this sort of thing, by the way;  weekends are for relaxing and enjoyment, and not everyone views being productive as relaxing like I do.  I encourage my hubby to relax and enjoy himself and if it seems that I am always busy while he is slacking off a little doing this and that, well, I am a very understanding woman.  I simply don't mention it.

I do believe 1997 was the year that I must have been attempting to break some sort of record for the number of photographs taken in a single year, though, and frankly not all of them are interesting.  Actually, I am being kind.  So many of the photos from that year are so incredibly boring and repetitive that I have had to resort to numerous tea breaks throughout the day in order to stay awake and alert.  Oh sure,  many of them are of the children and I could gaze at those all day long,  but really what was I thinking with all of those photos of the garden and landmarks and so forth?

I love the garden, but I am convinced now that a garden is to be enjoyed in person and in the moment, not in photos years later when you neither remember nor care what year or what plantings those were. Honestly, what a waste of film! And landmarks are the same--b.o.r.i.n.g.  It's great to travel and it's great to see the sights, but for pictures, buy postcards. That is what they are for.  I can scarcely believe that I wasted so much time taking snaps of things that are on postcards on every street corner in every city or town on the planet.  I've scanned the ones with people I actually know in them, and the rest are back in the bin.  

It's taken me over an hour to finish this post because people and things seem determined to sidetrack me!  Stopping to do my hair was a necessity, of course, because who can do anything with hair like a birch broom in fits?  But, able-bodied teenagers who want breakfast cooked for them are really pushing the limit, and I told Scott so as he prepared their oatmeal.  I had to move several times because he was always wanting to get utensils and so forth out of drawers.  Why do people always want to eat and cook and everything when I am trying to get things going on my project?  I did forget about the kettle and had to refill it and start over, so now I am almost thrown for the day.  But I am made of sterner stuff than that, and will persevere.

I had better sign off now and get down to business.  Who knows what sort of distractions new challenges may come my way before the day is over!

Good day to all!

Here is a favorite photo from yesterday's efforts:

3 comments:

  1. LOL, Renée - I read your sly paragraphs on plumbing and husband-slacking out loud - we both had a good laugh!

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  2. I've never tried to do my hair with a birch brush... :-)

    I never ask the Mrs to bring me a wrench. Mostly because I have no idea where I left it. My extremely precise, erm vague, descriptions "it's a big red, uh, blue, thing - you know, a spanner! I left it, uh, hmm, where did I leave it?" don't help, either. :-)

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  3. Karen--glad you enjoyed it!
    CA--how funny! My Mr does the exact same thing!! Which just goes to show that he really cannot expect instant service, now, can he? :)

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