Last time I blogged I was wishing for a normal week and laid back weekend to get back to normal. What I was forgetting was the library’s annual book sale, of which I’m the co-chair. Even when I wasn’t at the library this week, the book sale was constantly in the background. Just one more week and it’ll be over for another year.
Monday night I had a Library Foundation meeting at 7:00 and had planned to pop into the library on the way home and see if Connie, the other co-chair who deals with all the books while I handle the logistics, was there dismantling the Friends’ Book Shop. I was hoping she wouldn’t be so I could go home and grab dinner before the meeting. The coast was looking clear but just as I was leaving the library, in she walked just having returned from her dinner. I went back in and spent 45 minutes schlepping bookcases before my meeting started. Needless to say, I would rather have been knitting with my friends on the other side of the library. Oh well. When I finally got home at almost 9:00, I had a bowl of cheerios (supper of champions?), watched TV for an hour to unwind and went to bed. Not a good way to start the week!
Tuesday was a perfectly normal day – work, water aerobics (my first time in 2.5 weeks), dinner than some TV before bed. I had made arrangements to meet with the plumber first thing Wednesday morning to discuss how to solve my shower problem. He did more back pedaling, saying it went against the grain for him to install things I’d bought when in fact he hadn’t hesitated to wash his hands of buying anything for my project from minute 1. He looked everything over and said I’d bought the wrong showerhead. I was pissed and told him that when he sent a French major who sits at a computer all day to buy plumbing supplies and all I had to rely on for help was the pimply faced kid at Menard’s, this was what happened. I suggested he should get the right showerhead since he was a plumber and so would know which one would work. Sheesh, what a jerk! So we left it that he’d look into it and get back to me for approval on what he’d found.
Work was busy that day, with me prepping data for a meeting with the auditors the next day. The data wasn’t cooperating but I got them something that they could live with for fiscal year ‘08 and I said I’d run ‘09 first thing in the morning before the 10:00 meeting. It was only when I had gotten to my car that I realized I had a dentist appointment at 8:00 so wouldn’t have time in the morning. And I was on the way to meet my cousin to take her out for dinner and a movie for her birthday so couldn’t head to back. Helen and I had a nice dinner and saw an intense movie – Law Abiding Citizen – and I got home just before 10:00. Having just the day before set up the ability to remote into my work computer from home, I plopped down to run the ‘09 data. In doing so I figured out what the problem was with ’08 and before I knew it, it was 12:30. I went to bed knowing I’d be tired the next day but at least they had the data they’d need for the meeting. I set the alarm for an hour later than normal and was out like a light.
At 6:05 the next morning, I awoke to music blaring right outside my bedroom window. My neighbor Cara had a friend drop by who was standing on her patio with his car door wide open and the car radio at ear-splitting volume. I opened my window and screamed like a harpy twice before they heard me and shut it off. WTF! It was 6:00 in the morning! Starting the morning pissed off was beginning to be a trend. Plus it was raining steadily for the second day in a row and I was starting the day with only 5 hours sleep. At least my dentist appointment went well.
I was punchy as hell at work and decided early on that water aerobics was not happening. I had book club at the library at 7:00 and had enjoyed the book (The Worst Hard Time about the dust bowl) and wanted to discuss it. Alas, I was too beat for that too. I had to stop at the library to sign a check so returned the book, told the librarian I would not be back and went home to nuke some dinner, watch Survivor and wait for 9:00 so I could go to bed. Surprisingly, I didn’t sleep very well but at least was horizontal for 8+ hours.
On Friday the office was like a ghost town. It was raining AGAIN and my supervisor, my boss and half the office was either on vacation or called in sick. The day flew by and I left at 5:00 for the pool. By then the sun had come out and the fates were kind to me because no one else showed up so class was cancelled. I stopped at the grocery store and went home for a nice night, all the better to recharge so I could have a super productive weekend.
After my usual Carolyn phone call Saturday morning, I sat down to make some lists in an attempt to get my arms around everything that needs doing – from short-term chores to a list for future house projects that are big enough to hire a contractor. Then I grabbed some lunch and headed to, you guessed it, the library. My intent was to spend 2 hours working in the gardens because my Master Gardener volunteer hours are due next Friday and I’m 3 hours short. Well, I walked in and there was Connie sorting books. I couldn’t not help so worked an hour until we got them all done. Connie had been there since the library opened. By the time I got outside, it was looking pretty dim and it started spitting rain before I’d done much. I kept going and got about half of the mulch spread before giving up. I was damp and achy and just wanted to go home and take a shower and have a cup of tea to warm up. I enjoyed a pleasant hour before heading to Andy’s, a wonderful Italian restaurant in Fremont, with Lorri and Bob. I was treating them because Lorri had bailed me out when I couldn’t find the towel bars at 9:00 the night before I was leaving for California. Not only did she measure the old ones and buy replacements but she had to drive to Omaha to get them because they weren’t available in Wahoo. We had a nice early dinner and I was in my jammies before Bob and Lorri drove the mile to their house after dropping me off. It seemed like the entire week was spent either running full steam or sitting in my nightie in front of the TV. Once the book sale is over, I’m hoping for a bit more moderation on that front.
Sunday was my typical chore day, with my semi-annual clothes swap thrown in – the day I spend each spring and autumn swapping out my clothes. It’s always good to go through everything, including the ironing pile (I have a stack to do this week while watching TV) and the hand wash pile (It’s now done and I have wet sweaters and such all over the house.) Now at least I’ll have more to wear besides the few transitional outfits I’ve been sporting for weeks. And I’ve declared Wednesdays (the one day I reliably don’t have an after work commitment) to be “Old Clothes Wednesday.” I’m going to make an effort to wear the clothes that perennially hang in my closet unworn. I’m hoping this will help me weed out some of them. If I put it on and decide it won’t do, it goes for sure and I’m sure they’ll be other things I decide I’ve worn for the last time and put in the Goodwill pile. Even though my word is enough, I still struggle to get rid of perfectly good things. It must be genetic. At least what I have fits in my closets and bureaus. What I really should be more concerned with is the clutter in the rest of the house. What I need to declare is a going through shit day! Hmmm…..
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