{Dear Martha Anne} Just Throw Away the List

Dear Martha Anne,

As you well know, I have a love affair with lists.  Crossing off an item is as fulfilling to me as a cookie is for the cookie monster.  I get giddy over my planner.

Last Thursday, I had planned a beautiful day, where I'd be pushed, uplifted, and fulfilled doing things I enjoy.  I am taking an online photography class so that I will finally understand how to make the most out of my camera.  I am blogging.  I am reading multiple books, doing art, taking walks with the dog, baking.  Not everyday is this idyllic, but this one day was supposed to be.  I had a bunch of little tasks around the house that I'd been neglecting that I was pumped to finally knock out.

That morning started out as usual with exercise and then tidying the house.  It changed abruptly when, while making the bed, I found a flea on our white bedspread.

Discouraged doesn't quite describe my reaction.

This place here we call Indiana is far too welcoming to crawling things.  Fleas love this place.  And we have a dog.

So darn it my whole day changed as I stripped the bed, pulled up all the rugs and anything the dog may have touched around the house and threw it into the laundry room.  This picture does not quite represent the pile of things to be washed.

Laundry started, I proceeded to vacuum the whole house and all of our furniture, swept and mopped all the hard floors, made an appointment with the vet, and then sprayed the house with Raid.  During a long walk with the dog to escape the toxic spray, I bounced between frustrated and amused with life's practical jokes.

I remembered a story I heard a long time ago about a mother who, at the end of the day, cried in her husband's arms in despair.  She had been so busy with her two little kids all day that she did not get to a single thing on her list.  He held her and then in optimism said, "Well, that's an easy one.  Just throw away the list!"

While walking the dog, I decided that this was one of those days.  The list would be tossed.  The day was spent.  Backtracking would be useless.  And the great thing about it all was that my usual house cleaning on Friday had been done a day early.  My weekend had just gotten better.

So, Dear Heart, this week give yourself a break and toss your list should the need arise.

Also, guess what...19 days until my birthday!  Gosh I love birthdays.

Cheers!

Me