Getting Down to Business...!

I believe I'm like my dad when it comes to getting things done. My mom was the one who made sure Dad followed through on meeting official deadlines, like taxes of every denomination; she also kept him on schedule sending out bills to his customers so they'd have money to pay their bills! I'm the same way. I've always needed a strong push to get the necessary things done. Mom has given up on me; I do have one friend that keeps me on track, and it works...eventually!

Today my to-do list was to be done! I finally changed my water filter. It was about three months overdue. I also had my track changed on the sliding closet door. It had been broken for years, but finally it bugged me enough to do something about it! Not knowing what to get to repair it, I had purchased a sliding door track (an actually fifteen foot track) but all I really needed was a small square piece of plastic that cost a couple of dollars, which I paid someone to change. That left me the job of returning the large, more expensive track. I figure if I didn't do it today, it would not get done for another six months, so I took it back to Lowe's (no receipt as it was purchased too long ago) and was awarded a gift voucher to buy something else in the store (suited me fine).

But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me tell you how the day unfolded.

Since, I had someone coming to repair the closet problem, I realized that my room had to be in presentable shape beforehand. That meant I had to fold two baskets of clothing, and put my summer clothing lying on my bare hardwood floor in some kind of container. I also had piles of clothing lying around that I planned to donate to the City Mission. So that was my first project to tackle after making my bed. Folding the laundry drew my "sock dilemma" to the forefront of my mind. I am constantly losing sock matches. So I have many single socks that get set aside and eventually, a big pile gathers.

I decided this morning, "no more big pile." If I can't find a sock mate, then I will toss the sock out. In order to be certain that a mate did not exist, I had to clean out my very large sock drawer to match them all up. Then I had to separate the 'summer socks' and 'winter socks.' The winter socks would stay in my drawer. The summer socks would get stored until the season rolled around again. Did I mention how difficult it is for me to throw mateless socks away? Even after I sorted them out, I could not bring myself to toss the unmatched socks, especially the blue/black ones. I keep throwing them in the dirty clothes to wash again in hopes of reuniting a pair. I must have the cleanest dark socks in America!

I had to keep an eye on the clock because Ed, the man helping me, was to arrive at 10:30 am - and I still had to wash dishes, brush a sizable carpet in the living room by hand (my vacuum cleaner has been broken since June or July). Thank God for hardwood floors as I mostly dust mop them!

While I was tidying the kitchen, I realized I had piles of "charity pleas" waiting to be sorted out. These pleas always come with address labels, and if I don't send my donation in on time, I get second notices. So I have to check to see which envelope to use and then file my labels away, so that I am using seasonally appropriate labels on my correspondence. Some of these charities include The Humane Society, the ASPCA, the Veterans Administration of America, the Disabled Veterans, ChildFund, The City Mission, Operation Smile, this list goes on indefinitely... Once I opened my mail for the last few weeks, I had to cross out my address so I could recycle the envelopes and notices. Time was ticking away and my place still was not presentable.

Meanwhile, I had to sort through photographs I wanted hung (Ed, whom I affectionately refer to as 'my handyman' always brings his entire tool box as he knows I will have several unannounced jobs for him to complete before he leaves, and hanging pictures is one that is guaranteed to be on his list of fix-it items, he's discovered). The photo frames had to have holes drilled in them, so I set them all aside for him to deal with.

As I tidied my computer desk, I was sorely tempted to check my facebook page, and both email accounts. "Hey, if I don't get it all done, he's not gonna inspect my whole place. He's just fixing things in the kitchen, bedroom and garage." But I could hear my mother's voice saying, "Do you want him to think that you are messy?" and I most certainly did not. So after a very quick peek, I made some orderly piles on my desks then set off for the kitchen.

"Thank God he's late!" I made a face. I still had to put the dishes away (I usually let them air dry) and dust the cobwebs off a pair of Texan Longhorn steer hangers to hang my winter scarves out in the garage.

So, I rushed through those tasks and then quickly remembered to sweep the dog hair off the steps and spot wash the kitchen floor.

Buddy announced Ed's arrival just as I threw my summer shoes in the container to store along with my summer clothes. I breathed a sigh. "Time for Ed to get to work so I can cross off more to-do items on my list!"

He took each task and thoroughly completed it until he got to the photo frames. Then, he eyeballed them and tried to hide a smile. Today I also surprised him with asking him to caulk my sink. "I brought everything else--but not my caulking gun!" Finished with the ones he could do, he ran up to the hardware store for the right gadget to fix my closet track. I really appreciate Ed's willingness to fix my wrongs.

At the end, I asked him, "Ed, how much do I owe you?" I clenched my teeth, anticipating the worst, but Ed, always the gentleman said, "I have so much fun talking to you! I'll just charge you for an hour." My jaw dropped down, and I thought...Life is so good!

After Ed took off, I called my brother, "Can you take me to run some errands?" I had a Bible to buy (ordered awhile back), stories to run off for church (three weeks old), and film to develop from when my dad was still alive (more than three and a half years back!). I also had to buy a late lunch along the way...

We made an unscheduled stop to meet a friend in the hospital, so when we got home, it was late. I had to make a salad for mom, and rush to get ready to meet a friend. Today we decided to catch up ... and celebrate my birthday, six weeks after the fact! Is that any surprise?!

Dad woulda said, "Ya done good...finally!"