ADHD housecleaning this morning.
- Put a load of clothes in the wash.
- Choose one horizontal surface to clean off. Continue until said horizontal surface is done or the laundry needs a change.
- Take out the trash on the way to change the laundry.
- Spend some time at the work bench. Continue until creative idea peters out or the laundry needs a change.
- Take stuff that goes to car to car on the way to change the laundry. Bring back the Christmas wreath that Sheila made for me last year and hang it on the door.
- Choose another task. (I did dishes.) Finish dishes and transfer to workbench until laundry needs a change.
- Change laundry. Hang the sweet surprise from the storage unit - some Steamy ornaments that I'd picked up last year - on the tree.
- Fold laundry.
- Write a blog entry.
- Take a shower.
- Choose one horizontal surface to clean off. Continue until said horizontal surface is done.
- Rinse and repeat.
In short, cut the overwhelming living room into chunks interspersed with something fun, and something that requires a task change. I can now see the entirety of my futon couch, my fancy bench, and the kitchen counter. I have probably a dozen more ornaments in process and just did some Christmas decorating, and have clean jeans in which to go visit Frederick and Robin this afternoon.
I'd say it works.
Feeling overwhelmed. There are conversations with Evan's school going on (meaning big issues); I'm dealing with administrative issues with my school, and working long hours on end-of semester things. Home is a disaster of dirty dishes, unfinished projects, piled up laundry, messy cat boxes and no heat. Finances are tight, and in this festive season, I have no time to make festive.
Probably partly seasonal, partly situational - but I'm anxious and depressed. And really don't want to be. I want to be making merry, decorating and wrapping presents; I want to be invigorated by all this creative energy. Instead, I'm eating comfort food (i.e. cookies and cinnamon rolls) and trying to get enough sleep to be functional tomorrow.
Now I'm at work, and I really want to go home and take time to deal with important things.
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| Our Thanksgiving spread. Mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, the stuffed bird surrounded by roasted root veggies, leftover stuffing, butternut squash soup, broccoli, and ham. The hollandaise sauce and gravy are off screen to the right. |
Thanksgiving was at my house this year, and of course, there
almost wasn't enough food. We had 4 adults and three kids, and that seems to be the load limit on my apartment. Although not on the kitchen, which nicely handled dinner for 14. And yes, I'm quite good at math, thank you.
There's good reason that I like holiday meals with quantity and variety; not only is there enough to express generosity, but also enough that leftovers don't get boring. We had chef salads on Friday with the cold turkey and ham; Sunday was a "bowl" with turkey, stuffing, and gravy. Monday night was eggs Benedict using the leftover Hollandaise and ham. I have had pie for breakfast, and roasted veggies for mid-afternoon snacks. And the ham hock has become ham stock. Solidly frozen on the back porch at the moment, but ready for the 20-bean mixture. No pot pies or turkey tetrazzini in sight.
Okay, so we ate two hours late. I kinda slowed things down when the guests was later than expected, but didn't factor in the half hour it takes some people to peel and cut potatoes.
In other discoveries, kids at a "kids' table" will not necessarily eat Thanksgiving dinner. Especially when they know where the electronics are.
Did I forget anything?
Menu and recipes under the cut
