Monday, August 28, 2006

I am a creature of habit and routine

The lopsided leftness of my brain means I'm a list maker, a methodical task follower. If it's Monday, I must be doing the wash. And I am! Mondays are laundry, Tuesdays I do floors (vacuum and mop) and clean bathrooms. Wednesday is my errand day - groceries, trips to town - those things happen on Wednesday. Thursdays laundry again, Friday I clean the downstairs and change the kids' sheets, Saturdays I clean the upstairs and change our sheets. Sundays I pay bills, plan the next week's menu, make up grocery lists and clip coupons. I'm also an early riser and a morning person, which leaves me the afternoons free to sew or read or cook - things I enjoy. My parents' Calvinist upbringing, passed to their five kids dictates that first you get the work done, THEN you get to play. I'm fine with that - it's a good dangling carrot.

My routine, after working great for years is gonna change. And ooooo do I resist change.

Daniel starts preschool on Friday. 2 days a week, 3 hours in the morning, Tuesday and Friday. I'm the Tuesday morning mom, and I'll be damned if I'm going to spend 3 kid free hours Friday morning mopping floors and cleaning toilets. So, Mondays and Thursdays can stay the same, Tuesdays and Fridays gotta change. For now, I think I'll move the floors and bathrooms to Wednesday, move the downstairs cleaning to Saturday morning, and have the kids do the upstairs. That way, I give myself Friday mornings to watch a movie or go for a walk or read a book or linger over coffee and a scone... there's the ticket! Errands? Whenever.

Menu planning gets a little shakeup too. Mondays after Labour Day will revert back to soup and bread, and I'll switch my crockpot day to Friday from Wednesday. This is all going to take some getting used to. I think if I make enough lists and buy enough inserts for my Dayrunner I can do this. ;o)

Today's 60 minutes of Sewing. Let's see if I can get another chunk or two assembled. That'll work.

5 comments:

Rian said...

I too am a listmaker and routine freak--in that I do certain chores on certain days, and I know all too well that if it isn't on the list it won't get done. But now that I've retired I seem to procrastinate way too much--I have too many tomorrows. I don't get as much accomplished as when I worked full time and that just kills me. I've really slowed down.

Do whatever it takes to set aside time for you. And don't let anyone or anything take it away.

QuiltingFitzy said...

I see your advantages to list-making...but it's ok by me that I don't (and likely WHY I don't get much accomplished).

BTW, I'm back "on program" as well after a respite, please share your successes and challenges along the way.

Anonymous said...

I like the new ticker. Does that mean you are trying to lose 15 by Halloween? I need to lose 15 by November 8th.

Dorothy said...

15 pounds by Halloween. It's not unreasonable. Well, unless I insist on eating COOKIE DOUGH by the spoonful right before bed. Tomorrow is another day...

Anonymous said...

Well, it is certainly doable if you stop "goblin" before bed.