Original Thoughts: Short Cuts
Now that I'm back in the workforce five days a week, I see a lot of household tasks take a back seat - bite the dust - fall down to a low number on my list of things to accomplish.
For example: If I'm too tired to change the linens on the marital bed, I change the pillow cases, sprinkle baby powder on the sheets and hit the down comforter with a spritz of Febreeze. If I'm too pooped to vacuum a 2,000 sq. ft. home, I take a carpet sweeper and do the best job I can and try not to care that there are no perfect lines throughout the carpet piles. If I'm too stressed to clean the mirror in the guest bathroom, I blow hot air on the fingerprints, grab a nearby hand towel, rub lightly and call it a day. When I see cat hair on the floor, my first thought is to brush it under the rug. If I see a spider web on the hanging light, I decide to look out the window and watch the snow instead. I just can't deal with it at the moment.
In other words, household tasks I use to enjoy while I was unemployed, are no longer important to me. Let me rephrase. Household tasks remain important to me... but I'd rather sit down and read the paper when I get home from work and leave the mop, the broom, the vacuum cleaner, Pledge and Windex, somewhere out of sight.
Sometimes middle-aged women get bone tired. We smile, we meet and greet, we make the bacon/money and come home to fry it in the pan. No matter the vitamins I take; no matter the seven hours of sleep; no matter the prayer and the meditation; I must be realistic. I am no longer a 28 year old career woman. I'm not 38 and seeing my brown hair turn the color of silver white. I'm not 48 and planning for an early retirement. Gosh darn it, I'm a good looking 59 year old woman back in the saddle again, cashing a paycheck that wasn't sent to me by those good folks in the unemployment office.
So its a good thing. Its a sad thing. Its a realistic thing. Must work to pay bills. Must work to buy food. I'll let you know next week if I'm having fun yet.
For example: If I'm too tired to change the linens on the marital bed, I change the pillow cases, sprinkle baby powder on the sheets and hit the down comforter with a spritz of Febreeze. If I'm too pooped to vacuum a 2,000 sq. ft. home, I take a carpet sweeper and do the best job I can and try not to care that there are no perfect lines throughout the carpet piles. If I'm too stressed to clean the mirror in the guest bathroom, I blow hot air on the fingerprints, grab a nearby hand towel, rub lightly and call it a day. When I see cat hair on the floor, my first thought is to brush it under the rug. If I see a spider web on the hanging light, I decide to look out the window and watch the snow instead. I just can't deal with it at the moment.
In other words, household tasks I use to enjoy while I was unemployed, are no longer important to me. Let me rephrase. Household tasks remain important to me... but I'd rather sit down and read the paper when I get home from work and leave the mop, the broom, the vacuum cleaner, Pledge and Windex, somewhere out of sight.
Sometimes middle-aged women get bone tired. We smile, we meet and greet, we make the bacon/money and come home to fry it in the pan. No matter the vitamins I take; no matter the seven hours of sleep; no matter the prayer and the meditation; I must be realistic. I am no longer a 28 year old career woman. I'm not 38 and seeing my brown hair turn the color of silver white. I'm not 48 and planning for an early retirement. Gosh darn it, I'm a good looking 59 year old woman back in the saddle again, cashing a paycheck that wasn't sent to me by those good folks in the unemployment office.
So its a good thing. Its a sad thing. Its a realistic thing. Must work to pay bills. Must work to buy food. I'll let you know next week if I'm having fun yet.