Chicken Blog

Tuesday is the New Monday

I should have posted yesterday or Saturday. I should of posted when I was full of 3-day weekend joy, when I was full of anticipation for what might be possible. But now it's Monday Tuesday morning and I am full of panic and the vaguely uneasy feeling that I wasted precious time and now everything is due and I have too much to do.


Who ate all the bread?! Sorry. That's how the mind works. It's just typical Monday Tuesday morning grappling with reality. The reality that I did not restock the larder, so we have nothing to pack for school lunches. The reality that my skinny pants don't work any more and that once again I have forgotten my earnest vow to diet and exercise like an anorexic supermodel. The reality that Operation Chickens Abroad commences pretty darned soon and we still need to book four different nights in hotels. The reality that my dear, well informed brother confirms that they do drive really fast on the Autobahn. The reality that there is still always too much to do and not enough aprons to do it! It's no wonder the skinny pants don't fit, all this reality makes me eat like a chicken... pecking at whatever is in front of me.

It was a good weekend. We did accomplish quite a bit, and Geoff even spent some of the time at home. The children had a friend over, and we found Betty. What? You didn't know Betty was missing? That's a whole other post. I stashed my stash... that's fabric for you non-quilter-crafter types. The children and I spent a little time with Hans and Gretchen; very pleasant. Last night when I was trying to figure out something, Maria said "You should ask aunt Gretchen, because she knows about everything... like polishing nails and making soap and making her house clean. Everything." You should have heard the awe and wonder in her voice. She loves her totally capable aunt Gretchen.


Speaking of capable, I reseeded the whole backyard. Notice my use of the word "whole," which is an emphasis on the great square footage of my endeavor, which means for the purposes of this story I want you to forget that I usually emphasize the smallness of our yard. lol So, yes, I raked, and raked and raked and then I spread amended soil and then I spread seeds and raked again and I have been watering too. In So Cal this is normally Manuel labor, but this particular chore I have taken on myself. Hopefully we can have a full head of green before the landlord asks where the first lawn went. It's never been a pretty, healthy, field of turf, but it did exist, until three chicas came to town.


We wrapped the weekend up with a welcome tradition... an invitation to a cook-out. Our social calendar could fit on a post it, but sometimes we get out and have a very good time. The children cheered and bounced and rejoiced when they heard that we were spending the afternoon with Tutu and Nick and Izzy and Rich and Holly. w00ts!


I do appreciate Memorial day and not just because it makes the weekend longer. I pause and reflect on the courage it takes to serve, to leave the comfort of home and normal sorts of things like commuting and pulling weeds, kicking back with friends. I like to include not just military service, but volunteers in the Peace Corp or people making quilts for children in need. I admire people that make time to share their skills and hearts for the betterment of others. So, when I was raking and raking and raking, and this morning when I was panicking about the missing bread, I was also grateful to be confronted with such minor hassles, with the luxury of enjoying or enduring normal things, and I am aware that these freedoms and opportunities do not come free. Thank You.


And now I must boogie... there is too much to do!