Tuesday, October 09, 2007
So Much Time
I'm feeling a lot like Willie Wonka these days: "So much time and so little to do - stop - reverse that."
This would normally be a crunch time anyway, getting ready for Convention. But this year, my situation is much more complicated than that.
A couple of weeks ago, we had the hardwood floors refinished. (By the way, they look great thanks to Bill Jones, husband to my bunny friend Janice.) Of course, that meant painting all of the walls while the furniture was already moved out.
We scheduled four days to do that. Boy! was I wrong in that estimate. We are maybe half finished with that, living out of suitcases between our house and my mom's.
Then last Tuesday, I was called to the hospital emergency room by my crying sister. Her son was there with chest pain, jaw pain, and pain in his left arm. She was scared to death. Luckily, it was not a cardiac event. He's being treated for inflammation of the chest wall.
While we were in the waiting room, we got the news that my grandfather had died. It was no surprise. Mother had called us about an hour before to give us a chance to tell him that we loved him one last time. So, we went to the florist, then I went to the grocery store and bought $100 worth of comfort food, then flew out of town the next morning.
Here I sit, with three days to pack for Convention, with no furniture in the house, lots of painting to do, exhausted from a trip to Texas (well, I was exhausted when I left for Texas), wondering when my life will ever come back together.
And of course, I had a chiropractic appointment yesterday, have an eye appointment this afternoon and have a dental appointment the next day. Note to self: just because the day looks clear on the calendar doesn't mean it's a good day to schedule an appointment!
So here I sit, in the middle of chaos, trying to make a to do list. In a few minutes, I'll be heading to Wytheville to turn in our latest barn water sample (yes, we'll still struggling with that, trying to figure out where the problem lies). Then I have to go to Hillsville to pick up feed. I'm crossing my fingers that they ordered the Purina blue bag because my rabbits HATE the green bag. I'm throwing away half their feed, though some have given in and started eating it all.
I'll make a stop to pick up items for Convention. I'll add to my collection of locks. I started with suitcase locks, which work (barely) and are cheaper. The bigger locks are so expensive that I started with a few and am now adding to the collection. I'll want puppy pads, baby wipes, a new bucket, broom, and brush (which I'll discard at the end of convention). I'll need bottles of water for humans and gallons of spring water for rabbits. I'm not sure that my risers are in good enough condition to make the trip. I may need to pick up wire and spend my evening watching Dancing With The Stars while clipping out new risers.
I try to keep some healthy snacks with me: some nuts, some dried fruit, some string cheese, perhaps.
I should dig out my cage door decorations from last year and make sure that I have enough that are serviceable to use this year. This is a large convention and I don't want to spend too much time wandering up and down the rows, finding my bunnies and trying not to miss any.
After I've shopped, I'll have to make my packing list: scissors, spray bottle for Vanodine, aprons, brush and comb, and so forth. Then I have to make my final list of rabbits to take.
Packing clothes, cleaning out the van (I do it once a year, whether it needs it or not), checking what Anna has packed, making sure I have maps to the showroom and hotel, getting money for the trip, and on and on and on.
And just three days to make sure it is all done right.
Don't be surprised if I'm the one at Convention with clothes that don't match and dark circles under my eyes, sleeping in the corner!
Laurie ¶ 8:19 AM
This would normally be a crunch time anyway, getting ready for Convention. But this year, my situation is much more complicated than that.
A couple of weeks ago, we had the hardwood floors refinished. (By the way, they look great thanks to Bill Jones, husband to my bunny friend Janice.) Of course, that meant painting all of the walls while the furniture was already moved out.
We scheduled four days to do that. Boy! was I wrong in that estimate. We are maybe half finished with that, living out of suitcases between our house and my mom's.
Then last Tuesday, I was called to the hospital emergency room by my crying sister. Her son was there with chest pain, jaw pain, and pain in his left arm. She was scared to death. Luckily, it was not a cardiac event. He's being treated for inflammation of the chest wall.
While we were in the waiting room, we got the news that my grandfather had died. It was no surprise. Mother had called us about an hour before to give us a chance to tell him that we loved him one last time. So, we went to the florist, then I went to the grocery store and bought $100 worth of comfort food, then flew out of town the next morning.
Here I sit, with three days to pack for Convention, with no furniture in the house, lots of painting to do, exhausted from a trip to Texas (well, I was exhausted when I left for Texas), wondering when my life will ever come back together.
And of course, I had a chiropractic appointment yesterday, have an eye appointment this afternoon and have a dental appointment the next day. Note to self: just because the day looks clear on the calendar doesn't mean it's a good day to schedule an appointment!
So here I sit, in the middle of chaos, trying to make a to do list. In a few minutes, I'll be heading to Wytheville to turn in our latest barn water sample (yes, we'll still struggling with that, trying to figure out where the problem lies). Then I have to go to Hillsville to pick up feed. I'm crossing my fingers that they ordered the Purina blue bag because my rabbits HATE the green bag. I'm throwing away half their feed, though some have given in and started eating it all.
I'll make a stop to pick up items for Convention. I'll add to my collection of locks. I started with suitcase locks, which work (barely) and are cheaper. The bigger locks are so expensive that I started with a few and am now adding to the collection. I'll want puppy pads, baby wipes, a new bucket, broom, and brush (which I'll discard at the end of convention). I'll need bottles of water for humans and gallons of spring water for rabbits. I'm not sure that my risers are in good enough condition to make the trip. I may need to pick up wire and spend my evening watching Dancing With The Stars while clipping out new risers.
I try to keep some healthy snacks with me: some nuts, some dried fruit, some string cheese, perhaps.
I should dig out my cage door decorations from last year and make sure that I have enough that are serviceable to use this year. This is a large convention and I don't want to spend too much time wandering up and down the rows, finding my bunnies and trying not to miss any.
After I've shopped, I'll have to make my packing list: scissors, spray bottle for Vanodine, aprons, brush and comb, and so forth. Then I have to make my final list of rabbits to take.
Packing clothes, cleaning out the van (I do it once a year, whether it needs it or not), checking what Anna has packed, making sure I have maps to the showroom and hotel, getting money for the trip, and on and on and on.
And just three days to make sure it is all done right.
Don't be surprised if I'm the one at Convention with clothes that don't match and dark circles under my eyes, sleeping in the corner!
Laurie ¶ 8:19 AM
