I’ve always been a list maker. The type may have altered over the years – from just-keep-on-adding ones, week-by-weeks, Today’s Jobs, categorised-and-indexed registers including projected cost in dollars and time (that was a thing of beauty), scribbled on old envelopes, best-writinged in purpose bought books, pecked into my phone or tabbed-and-entered into excessively convoluted excel spreadsheets – but I can’t remember a time that I haven’t found peace in “just jotting it down”. Currently I’m running a week-by-week-and-carry-it-forward book packed with the mundane, a smattering of pipedreams, quite a few scary, one or two costly, and as few obligations as I can manage.
When I was younger and the contents tended to be of the clean my room/do my maths homework/fix my bike puncture genre, the lists were a bit counterproductive as they just mocked me for my unproductivity – or so I felt. I’m not sure when it was that I started seeing them as the opposite; sometimes it’s nice to simply sit and peer through the scribbles at what we’ve managed to achieve.
On days like today, when the sun is blaring but the snow on the mountains is still making itself known, I get a bit impatient. You see, today is the perfect day to knock a few items off the list but it’s also housework day; the list has to wait.
Now I know! I’ve heard it all before! The dusting and vacuuming can wait. It’s all inessential, pointless, thankless, and labour-intensive idiocy. Leave it!
But, along with a penchant for crisply ironed shirts and pillowslips, the smell of furniture polish, and the way light bounces around a newly cleaned room, I like my surroundings tidy; a place for everything and everything in its place.
So, today it’s housework day. The list will still be there tomorrow.
But right after I’ve blogged…
and gazed out the window for a bit.
Union Homestead 
I too am a list maker, but it’s out of procrastination more than actual productivity. Making the list feels like I’m taking a step toward whatever it is that needs doing. I think you outrank me by several styles and levels of listmaking though….also…I’m afraid you have imparted a characteristic about yourself that means you probably shouldn’t ever come and visit me. That’ procrastination I mentioned? it definitely applies to housework. In your situation, I’d be out turning over the garden and dealing with the ducks. And I’d count it all as stuff to tick off on the overall list of TTD (things to do) that lives on my computer that relates to the whole farm.
It all makes me sound a bit “Control Freak”, doesn’t it, but I truly dont care what anyone else does. Ill still sit round your table drinking coffee and shooting the breeze whatever your thoughts on housework, ironing, chores, or gardening…as long as the cup’s clean🤣
cups are definitely clean…lol.
I admire you for your tenacity, sticking to your lists and not being distracted for too long. I wish I had your strength of mind.
That’s very kind to say. I’m not convinced its altogether correct. I am an horrendous procrastinator.
You have a housework day? And you iron pillow slips? Will wonders never cease! I love the blossoms by the shed.
Nothing like clean sheets on your bed and smooth, wrinkle-free pillow slips 😁
Oh my kindred friend ( : .I must admit I did have a good ole giggle as I can so relate. Having about 3 list type books going myself + a sticky note pad. Book 1, sketches of each room in the house & outdoor enclosures in their completed look. Book 2, daily notes, ideas to items needed for a chosen job. Book 3, is jobs for the day which I often add to or scratch off things as the day progresses. if I feel overwhelmed it helps to look back on what I have achieved. A sticky note gets stuck to the back of my phone with what I plan for the day, my phone comes with me. As for the housework I tend to have freakish clean up modes that strike but our cups are always clean. With your garden showing off like that how are you supposed to work, lol. Thanks so much for the smile & giggle today.
Sketches?? On my friend, you give me something to aim for! My artistic talents are sadly lacking tho 😁 I loke the odd sticky note myself but usually I use them to alert fellow Homesteaders to something thus allowing me to scratch the “tell FG we’re now storing her riding gear in the…” off my list. Yay for clean cups…Im always up for a coffee and chin wag bit only once if I have to turn the cup around to avoid suspicious smudges and marks 🤣🤣🤣
hahahahaha I would have a smudge of a cuppa with you any day.