Deadlines and HEAT

Its happened again. The Town Times deadline sneaks up on me and makes me realize I need to get my fall programming together. And I have managed to pull together quite a bit of it in the last week. Its just the nuts and bolts of cleaning it up to submit the PR. Then the fun part of putting together a brochure and posters etc. No wonder I overwhelm myself. I guess I need to just take small steps. At least I'm mostly ready for this first deadline.
I am slowly also working my way through putting my bedroom in order the way I want it (and need it to be). Of course this means getting the junk out of the living room too, as I sort it back into place. And toss, recycle, donate or whatever I need to do. It is slow going, but I am soooo tired lately and so HOT. It promises to be a nasty week weatherwise, so it may be a good opportunity to lock myself in the bedroom with the AC on. As ever, the spirit is willing (mostly), but the flesh is weak (very).

Is there a 12 step program for this?

My name is Mary Ann and I'm a packrat.

The good news is that the new bed is here and installed and wonderful!
And the bed room is clean (mostly). Certainly better than its been in a long time.
The bad news is that the living room is full of stuff removed from aforementioned bed room. Lots of old clothes, books (surprise), magazines, dust bunnies. Well, we've released the dust bunnies to the wilderness of the vacuumland. I still have the task of sorting and discarding/donating all of that stuff, and putting away what I really want to keep. And really have room for.
Unfortunately I'm also left with major guilt for having let it accumulate like this to begin with. Maybe when I get rested up (in the new bed) and have the disposal task accomplished, I'll feel better.

But anyway, its very cool to have a new bed.

What's new...

Last week the research began on a new TV, and on Friday we went out and bought a one. HD and 34". Maybe more than we need for the little TV we watch, but the old one just wasn't working. And now we have wide screen for DVDs, which we do watch frequently. We had to buy it Friday night so by Saturday we could rewatch Pirates of the Caribbean. And we had to rewatch Pirates so we could go see the new one on Sunday. It was a good way to stay cool for 3 hours, and we enjoyed the movie too. We also went to see the Taming of the Shrew live at Highland Bowl, and that was fun. Here it is Thursday already and this week has been busy too. As we await the call from the Bed Room that our new waterbed has arrived I make plans for cleaning up and organizing my own bedroom, but have yet to take any action. Maybe if I didn't work, or eat, or sleep, (or blog?), I could find the time and energy. I know once I get started it will be fun. Why is it those first few steps are the hardest? Maybe I should at least wear a bandana today so that I can claim to be "cleaning house" like a (nameless) friend of mine. Will it work?

VBS

Here it is, Friday of VBS week already. The week always flies by because I am so busy. But also I am exhausted. I haven't slept very well because I worry. Or at least I think too much and then have trouble falling back asleep...which is why I've been up before 6 the last few days. It just makes 10 pm seem very far away. (Not that I actually go to sleep at 10 pm anyway. I just imagine that I will, when instead I will actually still want to read or do something else, but not actually sleep). Things have gone very well with the crafts. But I'm pretty sure from my energy level, and aches and pains, that I am getting too old for this. The planning and prep is one thing, but the execution is another. (Funny choice of words there...) But I still haven't learned to say no, I guess because I still enjoy it. Crazy? You bet. (Almost as crazy as making maracas with 160 kids. Pass the ibuprofen, please.)

How I spent my summer vacation

Got back this weekend from visiting family in Toledo, staying with friends in Ft. Wayne and doing "tourist stuff" in Indianapolis. We visited the Indianapolis Speedway, which really is huge, despite whatever you might think from seeing it on TV. And we went to the Children's Museum, which was pretty neat. My FAVORITE thing was a really fabulous Dale Chihualy glass ceiling. Wow. I could have stayed there for hours...Or moved it right to my living room. We also went to the zoo. The Indy Zoo has delusions of grandeur. Too much $ for too little zoo. There was lots of hype for the dolphin show, but it was a great disappointment. They did have an awesome dolphin viewing room, where you are under the dolphin tank surrounded by water. I planned to move that to my house too! There also is a really neat butterfly conservatory in the gardens next to the zoo (separate admission of course), but I wouldn't mind having the butterflies at my house either. (News flash: We are getting one in Rochester at the Strong Museum.) The nicest part of the Indy trip was seeing Kim after a year and half. It was wonderful to find out she is the kind of friend that you can pick up a conversation right where you left off, even after months apart. I realize again how much I miss having her here, but am so glad that all is going well in her life these days. PS to Kim: I had many, many of those homesick days when I moved to Rochester. I'm so glad your folks are trying to fill the gap. Mine did too, and I really appreciated it.

I'm outta here

Leaving town again for a week in the heartland of America...well not quite, but it is Indiana. I have the usual butterflies of anxiety at getting all the packing and chores done, but since there's no real time deadline I don't even understand that whole travel anxiety thing. I am disappointed to be missing fun stuff here, like painting parties and picnics, but alas, its a 4th of July tradition to go away. Maybe next year we'll make our Hoosier friends come here. Also traditional is that they have scheduled Vacation Bible School the week we get back. So I will have to face 150 smiling (I hope) kids that morning and do crafts! I am mostly, sorta, prepared, at least for Monday's craft, so I'm trying not to sweat that one either. But blogging might have to be put lower on the priority list (again). Sorry.
Have a great week and enjoy the fireworks. I will.