Wednesday, November 28, 2018

I've Said It Before . . .

And I have to say it again:  The hurrier I go, the behinder I get!

I had eight items to accomplish on my list today.  I crossed off two of them.  Yeah, just call me a Lazy Lump.

Of course, as so often happens, one little project that wasn't even on the list did take a bit of time.  But it's all part of what goes on around here.

We were able to get two of those monster bales of hay (or I should say good swamp grass in this case) to use as bedding for our livestock this winter, plus it should provide me with enough for mulching needs in the garden, under fruit trees, etc. next year.

Both bales were loaded onto our flatbed trailer where we got them, but then we had to figure out how to unload them here.   The flatbed does tilt, but we assumed they might tip and roll who-knew-in-what direction and end up who-knew-where.


Papa Pea figured we could put a chain around one and pull it off the trailer with the help of our tractor.  (Sounded much better than the thought of the two of us trying to push them off.)


My dear husband knew better than I, because I even wondered if pulling with the chain would work considering they each weighed between 1200 and 1500 pounds.


First the one on the end came off with no trouble at all.  Once it was on the ground Tractor Man pushed it into place with the bucket on the tractor, and the second one followed suit quickly.  Whew, no problem!

I really shouldn't whine (but I am so feel free to cue the violins) about what I didn't get done this day.  For as my husband always says, "It will be there tomorrow," which most of the time makes me want to smack him because I find tomorrow The List not only contains the old undone items from today but also several new items that seem to magically appear the second I look the other way.

I guess all this rambling is to say I apologize to those of you to whom I owe correspondence.  I care about you so each morning I vow to make my latte and plunk myself down here at the computer and not leave until I'm. all. caught. up.  To heck with the ankle deep litter on the kitchen floor and the coffee table and end table in the living room that are bending under the weight of piles of detritus waiting to be sorted through and put away.  Let's not even think about the state of my quilt room as it's the one room in the house that seems to function as a haven for all kinds of stuff that I'm going to deal with . . . ummm, later.


Some time (heck, a LOT of time) has been put into decorating for the holidays during the last couple/few days.

So considering it's not even December 1st, I'm way ahead on that count, right?  Right!  I shall now quit the grumbling and remember that tomorrow is another day.  (Okay, if you say so, Scarlett.)

 

19 comments:

Michelle said...

That last photo looks like you got quite a lot accomplished!

Vera said...

Nice to know that you also grapple with coping with management of your list. For the moment I have gone off trying to win that battle and have been list-less for a week or so, but this morning I caught myself looking at that darn list again, and also adding a couple of new entries.

I am not sure if lists are a good or a bad thing. On one hand they stop my head from bouncing about with too much thinking about what I need to do, on the other they stress me because I can never get to the end of the list!

Lovely Christmas tree.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Presents wrapped under the tree is a huge accomplishment. I don't even have all the lights on the other two trees yet. Speaking of hay, I need to find straw now. Hubby has been dragging his feet on that job.

Lisa said...

Same here! Never does a list get all its items crossed off in a day anymore. Can't figure out if I put too many things on the list to get done in one day..... or am getting slower and slower getting things done?! Your Christmas tree looks festive and lovely. :)

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

Presents made, or bought, as well as wrapped?? You're way ahead of me! Those bales are going to come in handy! -Jenn

Mama Pea said...

Michelle - Let's hope I've gotten a lot accomplished lately . . . 'cause I really want to have these weeks leading up to Christmas be more enjoyable than stressful this year! We gotta keep tryin', don't we!

Vera - You feel the same way about lists as I do! Is there less pressure by not having a list to stare at? Or in not writing things down, do they get lost (often creating more stress) in the shuffle of daily must-dos?? When you figure that out, please let me know!

Kristina - I've been thinking about people who put up multiple Christmas trees . . . you know, like one in each room. You say you do two, but I'm so thankful I've never had more than one! That's about all I can handle.

Lisa - My husband is constantly telling me I defeat myself by putting too many things on my list. I still have a hard time understanding that when they are things that need to be done. What? He thinks I make up things to fill the day? No need for that. I'm seriously looking for a way to have days when I'm looking for ways to fill the day. (Don't worry, that wouldn't be a good thing and, also, would never happen around here!)

Jenn - The presents wrapped and under the tree have never happened before! But, oh-so-much better than feeling that pressure of having to do the wrapping two days before the big day!

wisps of words said...

I'm sure you are sick of hearing me say this..... But you know I'm going to say it, again.... *evil grin* You simply try to do, too much.

And even though you kid about it, the result is, unnecessary stress.

OK! OK! I'll stop.

You are ahead of me, on decorations. See? Ahead of me!!!! Now doesn't that, give you a big smile of satisfaction? :-))))))

🌲 🌲 🌲

2 Tramps said...

Yes, Mama Pea, you ARE ahead - at least ahead of many. You make lists and know where they... so you get the satisfaction of crossing something off your list now and again. The best lists we make here is when we both sit down and make an individual list of what we feel needs doing. Sure shows where we are not on the same page, or even in the same book! But it really helps to know what is weighing heavy for each other. We save the lists and refer back to them in a few months and we find that many of those things that bothered us then are not so important anymore!

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

Oh Mama Pea I just about choked on my lunch (in a very good way) when you referred to Papa Pea as Tractor Man. I had a good picture in my head of Papa Pea with a cape and a thundering voice exclaiming "I AM TRACTOR MAN". Ok, that's just my ongoing inner chatter being silly. :)

You can only do what you can, yes lists will get longer but to heck with them. Do what ya gotta and let the rest wait. And as for correspondence, that can wait to! We aren't going anywhere :) ;)

Mama Pea said...

wisps of words - I'm hearing you, m'dear, and you are gently and lovingly (bwahaha) pushing me toward a good decision. Stay tuned. ;o]

2 Tramps - Oh yes, so much of what you've said is so true! Aren't we men and women so very different? In so many ways?!!

MrsDM - Love the picture you painted (in that fertile mind of yours) of TRAC-tor Man!! (Big grin.) As for the correspondence, you sure are nice!

Lynne said...

Your tree looks so pretty. Haven't gotten to do mine yet. I've got quite a few of the gifts done. Still got a bit of baking to do,but that's fun to do. That was a job well done with the hay. Your so lucky to have the tractor. As far as lists go, I make them and pray I get most of the items done. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't !! You have a great day !!

Mama Pea said...

Lynne - I had good intentions (about a week ago) of making up dough for my Christmas cookies and freezing it . . . but that didn't happen . . . yet. I fell asleep last night thinking of what goodies I'll make this year. (I think I was a smidge bit hungry!!) I think you made more of your gifts this year than I did so that gives you extra "elf" credit!

Sam I Am...... said...

I have been meaning to come over here for way too long. The older I get the 'sluggier' I get. I was dozing at my computer this morning....what's up with that? I know older people doze off but I didn't think I was quite there yet but evidently I am! Anyway, your tree looks great and look!...there are presents wrapped and under the tree so you are far ahead of me! The only time I remember being this tired was when I was pregnant and that is not the case! LOL! Hopefully the vitamins will kick in and I will get some things done around here! Here's to all of us who struggle to mark things off the "never-ending" list!

Mama Pea said...

Sam I Am - Thanks so much for commenting! It's just my theory, but I do believe that the stress (either from outside sources or those we inflict upon ourselves) sap so much of our physical (maybe mental and emotional, too) energy. And the older we get, the more stress some of us feel. Which doesn't make a lot of sense but I think pages could be written about that very thing! We all need a balance in our lives. In other words, sure, we can be busy and have full lives, but we have to find a way to include down time and time just for ourselves (quiet time like toddlers need?) and time for doing whatever it is that feeds our souls. Of course, this all is not easy to obtain . . . or maintain.

Thanks for the comment and your nice words.

Rain said...

Hi Mama Pea :) Your Christmas decorations are really cute! Wow...those hay bales...they do look heavy, I wouldn't want to be under one. Good thing you have your Tractor Man!! Oh the lists...I have so many of them and I just could care less in November, which means I have one more "goof off" day planned today, then it's down to business lol! ;)

Susan said...

We all know (except for Papa Pea, apparently) that those items put off until tomorrow, grow exponentially into six more things, and then snowball into the other ten things that you didn't get done the next day...aren't I a little ray of sunshine? We all need to send up our ESP antenna around this time of year - the love shines out, no matter what. xo (Those are some ginormous bales you have there!)

Mama Pea said...

Rain - Ha! You're just finishing your "goof off" month (yeah, as if you could!) and tomorrow I'm starting mine! That's why I made the push to get so much Christmas stuff done already.

Yep, I was having bad fantasies about one of us getting run over by one of those rolling bales! You know the song "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"? "Mama Pea Got Run Over by a Hay Bale" was going through my mind!

Susan - Yep, those items on our lists . . . sorta like Garrison Keillor says about the old bachelor Norwegian farmers. They don't reproduce so how come there are so many of them?

To heck with the Must Do Lists. I'm going for more of a balance and day-to-day joy! Wanna join me? (And I don't mean checking into the Loony Bin!)

wyomingheart said...

Mama Pea, your tree is very festive!... I am a list maker, mostly because my memory is sooo bad...lol... If I have the list to look at, it keeps me from getting lost to …( oh look --- another shiny object--- which we all know that was not something on the list)...lol I hope to have a less hectic Christmas than was Thanksgiving. Good on you that you have presents wrapped!

Anonymous said...

Never apologize for living your life. I love lists, I’ve been guilty of writing lists of lists. Occasionally I get one fully “scratched off”. Your photos show you’ve been very busy and accomplishing lots. Happy Holidays (Merry Christmas comes later “next” month, it’s still November).