September 30, 2009
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A couple days ago I got stung on the insole of my left foot. It wasn’t a problem until this morning at 3:30 when I woke up to go to the bathroom. I was just drifting off to sleep, as I do easily, when the bottom of my foot started itching.
It was a hard enough itch to get at that soon I was wide awake. I did my usual sit-ups and leg lifts that I always do in bed and decided I would just get up early, thinking shoes would feel good. After some coffee I feel wide awake. I actually like getting up this early, getting a jump on the day.
I have been beating myself up for the annual procrastination I practice every year at this time. Right before the rain comes I quit watering. Then I quit mowing. This year I’ve paid the neighbor kid because it was just so hot I didn’t want to do it so it’s even easier to distance myself from all the outdoor chores.
The back deck and front porch need sweeping. The roof and gutters need cleaning and much debris in my little forest needs to be removed. I need to get that chain saw out but I am afraid to use it or get on the roof when I am here alone. What I will probably end up doing is hiring somebody but who? I miss the Mexican father and son who used to do all that.
This is an opportunity to step up. But I can’t even get my nerve up to have a fire in my woods because the neighbor got me so freaked out about setting all our woods on fire.
I am so scared about termites, now that I see what they did to my mother’s house. The tree I had cut down is still piled up on the porch and deck, waiting for me to decide how and where to store it. When the snow destroyed the carport I lost the perfect place for my woodpile.
Knowing I had all this work piling up, knowing the rain was coming, I would lay out in the sun, soaking up the last of its rays. I even had a week off from work as the school takes a vacation and for some reason I spent that time inside cleaning when I prefer working outside.
It’s the procrastination/perfectionism that I might as well put on the calendar for the end of September. Maybe I should give myself a birthday present next year: yard service.
Comments (5)
Not a bad idea. I can do the ground stuff no problem. For termites, we use a service. For the roof, I use the husband. I don’t think I’d mind so much being on the roof; it’s getting on and off that would be the problem, because I really don’t like ladders that are not attached to something. Oh well. Do a little every day. Figure out where that wood’s gonna go. If you had a place, I’d happily haul it for you. Simple, repetitive motion soothes me some days.
Yes, yard service is a great birthday present. I feel guilty about the garage which is a pit. I’m sick, though. I have a good excuse.
Yes! Yard service! I wish my husband would give himself the gift of yard service–or alternatively, hand over the yard responsibilities to me so I could give myself the gift of yard service.
How’s your foot now?
I am steadfastly ignoring my yard.I can not do yard work now anyway but its not just physical.It seems fall says “its my turn “and starts covering everything with leaves.Last year before my back really got bad I went at managing the weeds and the fallen leaves like it was a war all the while feeling really silly because the leaves and weeds were always faster then I was.
i believe in yard service! i like working in the yard, but resent the time it takes from more important things! ryc: my husband got sick nearly a year ago this month with what mirrored a heart attack, but was a severe case of vertigo. they don’t know what caused it, or how to make it go away. he couldn’t drive for months and he has a hard time concentrating. it’s affected his memory, and he has tingling in his legs and arms. nothings worked and it’s there all the time- some days are worse than others. so far all we do is eliminate scary stuff. now we’re looking at MS- that’s was the spinal tap was for this week. on top of this, he fell in feb and broke six or seven ribs…. it’s been a really tough year here!