Today calls for a tall (tall as in really tall, not tall as in Starbucks-you-gotta-be-kidding-me-that’s-a-tall?) cup of coffee, reflection, and introspection. I’ve been more tired than usual these days, so today I have no “real” major plans other than treating myself to some quiet, unfiltered time.
Of course, there’s the “must-haves”: dinner to fix, library time, homework and exercise time, but many of these are standard, at least in this household. I’m learning to downscale the calendar, say “no” more often, and re-define rituals such as dinnertime and bath-time. Dinner doesn’t have to entail a 5-course menu (never did, anyway). It can mean something left over (not the dreaded leftovers Mom, not again!) from last night’s dinner, something easy and baked topped by something semi-prepared, and accompanied by prepared or fresh fruit. Who said that it had to be vegetables, anyway? On days when all the veggies are gone, fruit will do just fine. And when there’s no fruit left, tomato sauce and ketchup will have to count as one serving! I think the RDA is 5-8 combined fruit and vegetables anyway. Some nights, there’s pizza with absolutely no vegetables or fruit. No soda though! Good old H2O will do just fine! Sometimes, breakfast for dinner can also be a welcome change. The one thing that I do insist on is that we have dinner together, always. That my friend, is non-negotiable. And as for bath-time, it need not occur 2x/day, or last for too long. Hit the essentials, including the feet. Put on some smell-goods, and let’s rock! As cold as it is outside, cooties won’t stand a chance!
(Long break in between. Thing 3 had to upchuck in the kitchen. Thank God for ceramic tiled floors. Whew!)
So far, I have cleaned up puke and poop twice, each. Darn the return of the stupid rotavirus! In spite of the mess, I’ve danced (gotta get my exercise on), made a scarf (hobby-turned-side hustle), done three loads of laundry (another mindless, hamster-on-the-wheel activity), numerous other things (paperwork, opened & sorted mail, returned non-personal phone calls, tracked down money owed to me, found out why Thing 2 didn’t get a callback from the enviable Girl Scouts), and changed my FB picture to display my hubby’s beautiful brown smiling eyes. That was not a typo. His eyes were smiling. You know how you can see love in someone’s eyes, even when they’re not smiling? Their eyes sometimes tell “say it all”. Well, you know that’s my darlin’ darlin baby. What can I say? He’s special.
Well now, it’s time to begin my second shift – homework, healthy pre-dinner snack time, more laundry (but, of course you knew that), paperwork, a lil’ bit o’ budget planning (a work always in progress), dinner, bath-time, and calendar check for tomorrow. Today’s post was definitely a bit more local than cerebral, but it’s like that, and that’s the way it is!
This evening definitely calls for Calgon!
Life As An Art Form 