I am beyond over trying to work out those last two weeks of jobs. Sigh. No good, no good at all, came of all that struggle to do things. I can't say I'll ignore those tasks altogether but there's a reason why I've no enthusiasm for them, so let's do something else...Now to figure out what something else shall be.
We've one whole week of August to go and then just a day or two and it's over and done. That makes me sad, it does truly, because we all know that regardless of what a calendar says, when September rolls around we cease to think of summer. We tend to tuck our chins down and roll our sleeves up and start all those seasonal change tasks. We want to put by a bit more if we can and get our homes ready for the cold months ahead. We want to take advantage of fresh air and hot sunshine and wring the last lovely drops of summer from the days the same way we squeeze a lemon dry trying to get the last bit for lemonade.
And lest we doubt our own estimation there's the golden rod standing high and starting to bloom, the gold stars dotted over the Sweetgum, burnished topaz leaves drifting from the Faith tree and even the baby oak has one bright red leaf among it's few.
All that said, I think I'd like to do nothing this week. I think I'd like to sit in the sun, listen to the drowsy cicadas, watch the rabbits at play on the lawn and watch for the doe and her fawns to slip up the side of the yard on their daily trek about the property. I think I want to go buy a watermelon and have tomato sandwiches and lick the juice off my wrists as it trickles down my arms. I think...
I think of all the things I've not done this summer and know that once again, I've waited a little too long. There's no turning time back. I can only remind myself now that next summer...Oh, next summer!
Work:
I say I've done nothing off the past two weeks lists, but you know those tasks were almost all from my August goals list, which means I've accomplished little from the August Goals list too! Was I over ambitious? I didn't count on the head cold, nor the whole blocked ear thing, but that's just a rather limp excuse. I've worked as well with far more ailing me. No, the truth is that I simply don't want to do those jobs...And why not? Because they seem least important to me of all the things I want to do? Because it's too hot? No matter. I need to do something. So it's time to get busy and get things done. It's unlikely at this point in time that I will complete my lists, either for the past two weeks or for the month but I can do some of them and I will.
If I'm going to plant a single thing for fall, I must go buy soil and get myself started NOW. This week. Not a moment later. Beets, potatoes, green beans, collards, carrots, green peas, lettuce. I have time for all of those if I get busy right away. So I must find seeds and buy soil.
Hang quilts out to air. Most of mine are far too delicate now to wash but a good airing and sunning will do them no harm.
Wash curtains if weather is cooperative for line drying.
Pin John down to dates for a planned outing. And a family day. I also need to check dates for Holy Days coming up. Yes, indeed I must get my calendar in order!
Just generally start planning now for September, period. I've wafted through summer as though I hadn't a plan to make at any point and I'm feeling the result of all that free fall business.
I can surely finish up the jobs of picking up branches and weeding about the two trees. It's very nearly done, anyway.
Anybody else thinking of fall wardrobes? I am. I know I need to plan now and buy soon if I hope to add anything at all and before I do that I really need to see what I have already. I'll be playing in my closet this week. I am inspired by the magazines I looked at in August from my vintage lot. Five pieces that made up 12 different outfits...That's the ideal but reality is I have a lot of varied pieces that may or may not pull together into something cohesive for fall. We'll see.
I'm not really planning fall decor, yet...but I am. I won't decorate until it's almost October but I want to know what I have that I might use and what I'd like to add. Katie's got some cute pieces in her shop.
Sew. I don't know if I'll sew aprons or sew doll clothes or hem pants but I'm going to sew something this week!
Meals:
I planned work tasks Saturday night, but I refused to plan meals this week until I had gone over my fridge! I learned my lesson last week, lol.
Plan a month of meals for September. I've gotten a head start on this. I went over the past 8 years of September menu plans posted here on the blog and chose 30 days of meals.
Before I worry about September meals, I need to plan this week's meals:
Roast Beef with Potatoes, Onions and Carrots, Bread and Butter
This was a tiny piece of roast, just enough for two when it had cooked and a nice big piece of fat for the dogs. I have only broth left from this.
Gramma's Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Salad
Tuna Noodle Casserole, Salad
Sweet and Sour Chicken, Rice, Oranges
Pan Fried Sirloin Patties, Au Jus, Oven Fries, Green Beans
Santa Fe Chicken Packets, Green Salad
Vegetable Soup, Corn bread
Leisure:
I promised myself that rather than wait until the due date in September I'd cancel my Ancestry membership at the end of August. It's even written on my calendar. I have a few days left to research family questions and have had some interesting stumbles over information that I'd never accessed before. I wish I'd taken greater advantage of this membership, but there you are. I didn't because I felt so darned guilty over forgetting to cancel it after the trial membership. John generously paid for this six months and I've wasted time I might have spent working on family lines.
Pick up a book, any book and read. I'm trying hard to cut down on so much computer time.
Spend some time sitting on the porch. It is after all prime real estate for summer life and when it gets cold not half so fun.
(C) Terri Cheney
