Clean the Garden

Today's Clean It project is going to be the patio and herb gardens.  The weather is sunny and warm so it should be lovely out there.
And I am sure I will find something out there to fix!
I am finishing the skirt and jacket TODAY!  Buttons are already on, just need to make the thread loops for them and hem the lining of the skirt.
Mother is here and we are going to repot some house plants, as well.

Between Goals

I am between goals so this is a good time for me to catch back up.  It may even be nice weather - for a few minutes - this being Colorado and all.
     Clean it:  Dishes and Laundry
     Fix it:  Oh, ah!  Maybe one of the bathroom issues
     Finish it:  Hem the lining for the skirt.  It would be nice to have it ready for Easter!
I'll spend some time in the studio too.  I have little hand-built birds started  and I'd like to get more tiles made for encaustics.  I want a number of things to work on before I heat up the wax.  The chalices will most likely be cool enough to come out of the kiln later tonight but I probably won't get them out until tomorrow on the way to church.

Falling Behind

I have been focused on making chalices for the first communion kids at my church and have fallen behind on the Clean It part of my new resolve.  I mentioned the focus on grandkids and then this project came up and now I have sink, counter and dishwasher full of dishes, both clean and dirty.  Fortunately, I know which is which so I should be able to get caught back up tomorrow.  The laundry is also falling behind but I am hopeful I won't let it get too bad.
I am sleeping better most nights which is helping and getting a bit more exercise - Monday was maybe a bit too much.  Ten to twelve runs at Winter Park with my g-daughter and son 'bout put me under!  It was great fun but my knees didn't want to function that evening.  And, we are going to do it again this Monday with more grand kids, on the bunny slopes this time though.  May be easier, may be harder!

Sabotage

Why, when time is the most crunched and I have such a short time to complete an important project, do I sabotage myself?  Since it is so easily predicted how and when I will do it, why can't I exercise more control?  Okay, okay, I am not going to spend a lot of time beating myself up for what is already done - one book (really two novels in one volume) in one sitting - but I do want to get it documented here and attempt  to understand.  I've said before that reading is, for me, an addiction.  Addict:  to give oneself up to some strong habit.
I have chalices to make for first communion, due by Maunday Thursday.  Is there time to get them done?  Yes, just barely.  My intent was to get them finished by Sunday but I've left myself very little chance of making that happen. 
I want to make better choices about reading.  To enjoy reading when I have the luxury to do so, not when it will sabotage my chances of being successful at other important activities.  So now to get out the door and meet this goal.

Chaos!

Yesterday was a day of Grandchild induced chaos.  At some point in the day all four of my grandchildren were at my house - four of them aged 12 to 2.  Four small and not so small children can haul out and spread around a lot of toys! 
In addition, I fixed a huge breakfast for them, bacon, waffles, fruit salad, all from scratch.  Well, I didn't cure the bacon but cooking it sure makes a mess.
We all had fun and everything got put away in the end but that was a good way to wreck havoc on my resolve to Clean it, Fix it, Finish it.

New Lights!

In addition to the new microwave, I have new lights over the surface unit/bar.  I put screw-in converters in the can lights and now I have niffty pendant lights.
We got about six inches of snow today and it is still falling.  Good for skiing on Monday, messy now. 
I'm a bit frustrated because everyone stood me up, to a certain extent tonight.  Christie didn't come into town because I had made plans with Bob, then he called and cancelled because he didn't feel well.  DSK, et.al. came to the show but didn't want to go out to dinner because AM was on a diet.  So I'm home feeling sorry for myself, drinking wine and will probably read.  No energy for Clean, Fix, Finish...guess the work at the studio could fall easily under those catagories.  I'll call that good.

Good Work Done

Dog logs - Done!
Detritus from last year's beans - Done!
Dead leaves from part of the iris - Done!

Dare I plan for tomorrow?
  More flower beds cleaned
  Patio cleaned
  Trash trees chopped out

The weather takes a turn for the worse on Friday.  Dump the snow in the mountains, Please, oh Please.
I am planning to ski with the g-daughter on Monday.

Back At The Beginning

I am back at the place where big things need to be cleaned again.  Vacuum, mop, scrub bathrooms.  This is the point that I slow down and let things pile up.  Hopefully, I can push through this and keep moving forward.
   Clean it:  still those dog logs
   Fix it:  Well, I did get the strip between the diningroom and kitchen installed
   Finish it:  pots and skirt remain on the list

Don't I Wish Spring Were Truly Here!

Working in the yard yesterday was nice.  We should have a few more days of nice weather so I'll get at those dog logs and messy patio. 
I am sleeping quite well, thanks to the "Sleep Easily" method I am using:  http://www.sleepeasily.com/
Today's tasks:
   Clean it:   guest room/laundry
   Fix it:  Oh!Ah! probably one of the things I've listed previously - caulk, floor strip,
   Finish it:  a pot, a skirt, the microwave install?
Not too focused yet this morning...I'll do church first then see...time at the studio is important

Making Choices

One of my daily struggles is what to do when.  Should I go look for porch lights now, go to the studio first, clean the flower beds?  Today I want to be outside working when the weather is nicest and inside at the studio when it is cooler or darker.  Shouldn't that tell me what to focus on and in what order?  Why then do I feel so frustrated, like any choice will be the wrong one.  Someone told me once that it doesn't matter - just DO something.  Didn't I say just that at the top of this blog?  Why the frustration then?
Right now it seems like good sense to go find a light for the porch, get it installed and work on the flower beds.  My normal approach to cleaning the flower beds is to start with the beds that people see first when they come to the house.  And I still feel that is a good method, so no confusion there.  Then try to get to the patio because I see it whenever I let Max out into the backyard, so seeing it cleaned up will lift my spirits and make me feel that I am moving forward.
I can work at the studio until really late - until I run out on energy or inspiration.  Do I have a plan now?  Sounds like it.
      Clean it:  flower beds
      Fix it:  porch light
      Finish it:  one raku/encaustic vessel

I shopped for porch lights to no avail, so I came home and took a better look at the one I have installed.  I reset the time off for 20 minutes and will see how that works for me.
The gift cards for Lowes were at the post office so I bought my new microwave.  Saddly, I am no longer strong enough to lift out the old one.  Man, have they gotten light.  Tomorrow I'll have help and will get the new one installed.
I got the corner fower bed cleaned out - as much as in reasonable since it will get cold again.  I got some primroses when I got the microwave and planted them just behind the fence where I can see them when I come in the front door.
I worked on encaustics for about 2 hours and made good progress.  Now, I just finished cleaning the kitchen after dinner and spent 20 minutes trying to get the crud off around the burners.  I know people whose stove tops are immaculate.  I don't have it in me to make that happen. 
I'm going to drink some wine and hem a skirt.

Back At It

I've had two days off and want to get back on track.  I DID keep the kitchen clean both days.  Good for me!
Today I want to finish a few things in the studio and go to an art opening tonight.  I'll have to see how I feel - residule from 'the procedure'.
Nice weather for the next few days so I want add a couple of outside projects;
      Clean it:  shovel up the dog logs
      Fix it:  make the outside lights work again, both the low-volt and the porch light
      Finish it:  maybe the skirt

Big Day! My appointment with the RotoRooter.

I have about half a day to get anything done then I am out of commission for about 24 hours.  Well, that is not exactly true - I can do anything I want this afternoon as long as I stay close to home.
This AM what I should do is put some glaze on some teapots for the show later this month at the guild.   What I will do is have coffee with one of my SOs. 
Today's list:

• Glaze pots
• Sew jacket
• Caulk counter top - on the list for three days now
• Clean off diningroom table - second day on list
• Find and sort out mini-greenhouse

Tuesday's accomplishments

• Had a good breakfast and cleaned up afterward
• Worked on the new jacket I am making
• Cardio workout at Apex Center!
• Went to postoffice, Costco for Guild stuff, Office Depot, Office Max, PetSmart
• At the Guild I put terra sig on three pots and worked on encaustics for about two hours
• Went to Best Buy for CD player for Sleep Easily, got a box of red wine (remember I nearly finished a bottle of wine last night), grocery store for stuff I need for tomorrow....medical procedure
• Cooked dinner and cleaned up - all dishes are clean and put away except the wine glass I am using
• Break now and then attach the strip between the diningroom and livingroom

Looking at the above list, I can feel really good about how I used my time and energy.  No beating my self up.  A couple of the things I put on the list this morning didn't get done - the diningroom table and caulking around the sink - but I can do those things tomorrow when I am stuck at home...must stay near the bathroom.
I expect to sleep really well tonight as I have the new CD player and the Sleep Easily System.  And it does feel good to walk into the kitchen and see clean counter tops and no clutter.  There is still a lot to do in the kitchen but all I need to do is sustain the effort.
I am trying a bunch of supplements to try to improve my physical well being  - to have more energy and more strength to do what I want to do more easily.  Vitamin D, Fish Oil, Cytle M as well as my 'scripts.

Less Wazzed

I accomplished a lot yesterday
       Clean It - all dishes are clean, one fourth of the kitchen is clean.
       Fix It - mended the laundry hamper
       Finish It - well, I nearly finished a bottle of wine!
I'm hoping that this will give me more peace of mind.
Less clutter around me = less clutter IN me.
I got the Sleep Easily CDs yesterday and listened to Sesson One.  Parts of it make me laugh.  The speaker talks about your 'secret breath'.  But I did relax while listening to it and I did sleep well.
Today's list:
       Clean it - put all the dishes away and clean off the diningroom table
       Fix it - put down the strip between the diningroom and livingroom
       Finish it - caulk around the counter top in my bathroom
The Sleep Easy guy asks, "What is keeping you from sleeping?"  One of the answers for me is that the down comforter is too warm so I realized that I can turn it back and turn up the heating blanket.
He says, "Sit with that question and see what answer comes up."
I like the idea of 'sitting with the question' and am trying to use that here.  What can I do that will make me feel less wazzed?  My family says I go through this fairly often, the whole idea of Clean, Fix, Finish.  I guess I do.  This kind of thing doesn't 'stick' with me.  Guess I get bored and get lazy or busy.  I am going to watch and see what interferes with staying with the plan.

I am wazzed

This is for me - my motivation to GET SOMETHING DONE.  With all due respect to that big company, I'll just say here...Just do something! 
I find it hard to do work that has to be redone in days or hours or minutes.  I can't find motivation in emptying the dishwasher, folding laundry, ironing a shirt (I do know people, closed to me, who iron as often as possible),vacuuming.  Can I just hang a picture and move on?
I like to start things.  Beginnings are great, motivating, something I try to do as often as possible.  Middles are interesting.  There are problems to figure out, how to change from the pattern, seeing something begin to come together.  Finishing is not so good...it may not turn out as hoped, the last bit is boring, it will simple not work...or it may be a raving success and I will expect to want to do it again.  Or others (those pesky others) will want me to do it, make it again.
I have important projects that need finished.  I have two bathrooms, recently remodeled that need just a bit more caulk and a bit of paint scrubbed off and a piece of tile reset.  This has been true for this entire year!  Can I just please finish one of them?  I tried to bribe myself with new towels after I finished the first bathroom but I simply couldn't get myself to wait.  My self doesn't respond well to bribes.