DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO

If you're looking for good advice, you'll not find it here -- unless maybe it's "Do not try this at home!" I've been sitting here all morning, wondering "Where the heck does my time go?" You would think that, what with being here alone all week, and not having any meetings or appointments for once, I could have plowed through my to-do list zippity-do-dah-done! But no. My house is sorta picked up, but not really clean. There's still a pile of unfiled paper's atop the filing cabinet...still a chair full of books and photo albums sitting in front of my already packed bookshelves...still several pieces of unmended clothing draped across my sewing machine...still two large flower-beds-to-be that need loosening, de-stoning, composting and mulching...still a huge cinderblock wall that is only half-painted...still a crappy weed-choked bed around the AC units.

Oh, don't get me wrong. It's not as if I'm here eating bon bons all day, as my hubby is so fond of saying (more likely to be locally-made-organic-peanut-butter-protein-bars). I stay pretty busy most every day, but I'm selective about my endeavors -- and pretty good at ignoring certain unrewarding projects. I like projects that offer tangible rewards...bang for my energy buck...projects with at least semi-lasting results. I love things like designing a new garden, growing some food, writing a story, knitting gifts or a set of washcloths, cooking something yummy, etc. I'm just not crazy about spinning my wheels or beating my head up against a brick wall.

You see, there's something truly evil about that bed along the orange wall and around the AC units. By the time you've worked your way from one end to the other, the weeds are already knee-high back where you started - no matter how often we mulch it. Likewise, by the time I work my way through that pile on the filing cabinet, there's always another pile on my desk ready to take its place. By the time I rearrange and purge the bookshelves, making room for everything in that chair, John will be showing up with a couple more cratefuls from the townhouse. Soooo, I tend to put these kinds of chores off...and off...and off...and off.

What will finally motivate me to tackle them? Nothing short of an axe hanging o'er my head. A metaphorical axe that is - something like the family reunion I'm hosting this summer. A week or two before everyone is due to arrive, sheer panic will finally send enough adrenaline coursing through my veins to switch me into high gear. Hubby and kiddos will be driven bonkers, but amazing feats will be accomplished. Unfortunately, should you happen by a couple weeks after that? We'll be right back where we started, I guar-one-tee!