Rest or Burnout

Y'all.  Life has been dragging me down lately, coupled with a particularly bad work week last week.  So I REALLY needed this long weekend.  And even though there were things that I "needed" (i.e. wanted) to accomplish, I did nothing.

Not completely true, as the infernal laundry always needs to be done, it seems.  And those houseplants won't keep themselves alive if they aren't watered.  And I made a dessert for last Friday's night dinner - as Man-Child and The Girlfriend came over.  We haven't seen them since right after Christmas as after Man-Child's minor back surgery (as if any surgery involving your back is "minor") he couldn't drive or sit in the car comfortably for a while.  Then they both got COVID (thankfully mild) over Easter and then both got the flu (over Mother's Day weekend).  

But other than that - I only did what I wanted to do.  And I even ignored the work email completely (almost...I did check in a couple of times but only to delete the unnecessary and ignored everything else until tomorrow).

Since this whole pandemic nightmare began I have been "working" pretty much non-stop.  After hours? Yup, still working. Vacation? Yup, still working.  Weekends?  Yup, still working...it's easy to do because the work computer is sitting RIGHT THERE next to my personal computer.  But after the horrendous last week, I knew I NEEDED a break.  So I took a well deserved one.  And recognize the urgent need to prioritize my down time going forward.

I know that I (and probably a lot of you) feel the need to be "productive" all the time - whether at work tasks or household tasks.  And productivity is great and leads to many accomplishments.  But rest and relaxation is important as well; for your body, spirit and mind.

So yes, I still need to paint those built ins and should probably look at weeding the beds and it would probably be a good idea to set the garage back to rights before it becomes a lost cause...again; plus whatever work tasks that await me; and...and...and.. (the list is endless really).

Funnily enough, Nicole's (HI NICOLE!) post today mentioned a certain book; one that it seems I need to read, like tomorrow.

Currently, I am rested, content and ready to face what next week throws at me (I hope.  Fingers crossed that this week isn't nearly as fraught as last week!).

Left to my own devices

 The Husband left yesterday around 10 am for a long weekend visit with his daughter.  And I could not be more delighted.  The only "voices" or noise that I have heard since then is the one podcast I listen to daily and the two work calls that I had this morning.

It has been heavenly.

I'm sure his feelings were a little hurt after I responded with a no when asked if I would miss him.  I'm sorry - but since 2019 I'm very used to sitting in a quiet house and getting things done without having someone underfoot 24/7.  I will be more than ready to have him home after a couple of days but for now?  I'm reveling in the peace and quiet.  

Yes, I now have my home office and I appreciate that I can go in there when I have meetings/Teams calls or need to concentrate on a particular issue/task but...I don't like being stuck in their for the majority of the day.

So yesterday and today found me back at the dining room table for most of the day.

Which was nice since I had a hankering for an oatmeal raisin cookie (original recipe here) and it was a slow morning so I set about baking.  And God only knows what I did wrong but these were the flattest and most sad looking cookies I have ever made - maybe those two unexpected calls in the middle of the process led me to forget baking powder?  

BUT they are still, hands down, the BEST oatmeal raisin cookie,
even if they aren't pretty this time around.

I also happened to notice that my "baby" peony (I don't think I ever mentioned it; but sometime around the beginning of the pandemic I planted a new peony) finally had one bloom with two other buds getting ready to blossom.  Don't tell my other peony - which I do love - but this one might be my favorite.  I had to bring at least one bloom in to enjoy while I can.

A photographer I am not. 
Ignore the broom hanging out in the corner. *sigh*

It's a shame these blooms are so short lived.  It would be heavenly if these blooms just kept coming all spring/summer long.  But I guess I wouldn't appreciate them as much then.

As the forecast for the weekend looks to be a rainy one, I expect that I shall spend tomorrow and Sunday on indoor tasks - of which there are many - and will get the most necessary ones done and, hopefully, a few extras that have been hanging out on my To Do list for far too long.

Other than that, I am expecting it to be a slow and quiet weekend.  What does the weekend have in store for you?  Are you like me and need a little solitude now and then?

What?! It's ONLY been four years.

No, I have not actually fallen off the face of the earth; although based on my lackluster posting habits I wouldn't blame you if you assumed I had.

Does anyone remember WAY back in 2018 when I painted the guest bath vanity me mentioning that I wanted to rip out the other, unnecessary vanity and put in built in shelving for some much needed storage?

There are a myriad of reasons as to why those built ins were not done at the time - far too onerous (and boring for you) to get into here.

To be fair, we weren't COMPLETE slackers.  Immediately after painting the one vanity we did have someone come to remove the un-needed vanity and cap the water pipe.  Then, and only then, did the project come to a full stop.

It just kind of fell off the radar - one because The Husband wasn't quite sure this project was completely in his skill set.  He also (at the time) didn't have the tools he would need.  A friend offered to help - but he has small children, an intense job and his own house/projects.  And, I kind of just put the project on the back burner and let it simmer.

And usually, I didn't really think about it, for the most part, until we had people over (which honestly, in the past couple of years that has been few and far between) and it would pop into my head (as I was opening the front door to let them in) that the bathroom - although clean - was undone.  Seeing as the only people over were dear friends or family, I just dealt with the initial angst and let it go.

You might be wondering HOW I kept forgetting about it.  Honestly, the only time I'm in that room is to clean it.  So it wasn't an "in my face" issue.

Fast forward to the last couple of weeks.  The Husband, in all his free time, had been pondering about this project (dear reader, this means he has been bored).  Plus, he is in that room far more than I am - so it was becoming an "in his face" issue.

He began talking through his "design" idea (plus, by now he had acquired the necessary tools & time) describing building a box, etc.  I told him he was over thinking the entire project.

In my estimation (you know, the person who has never actually built anything), this was a fairly simple project.  And I gave him my "design" idea - slap some shelves that fit between the two walls, attach some trim, slap some paint on it all and call it a day.

Shockingly enough, he agreed that my plan had merit.

So here we are, FOUR years later...

Is my house THAT crooked?
Or am I THAT bad at taking pictures?
You decide.

Now all he has to do is un-assemble it (at this point nothing is fixed in place except for the the shelf cleats) so I can slap some paint on it and we can call it done.

Based on past behavior (see the post you just read) it might take a while for that paint to get slapped on.  But, it actually looks like what I was envisioning all those years ago.