Slicing and Dicing Monday

                       The Tuesday Slice of Life is hosted by the Two WritingTeachers blog.  Thanks to all who make us so happy (and well-informed).

                 The day moved into a slice and dice, cook-the-day-in-a-big-pot kind of day, often the taste of Mondays.  Numerous things to do keep me dicing! 

          The day moves slowly in the early am. Coffee perks while I open the computer to check e-mail, Facebook, and my blog, nearly always posted the night before. It’s dark, so I sit with coffee and wake up…

          Light peeks in, and I go to the side door to see if there is a good photo waiting outside. Funny how habits form!  I started doing this when I moved, because while my new home has good windows, the best views face different ways than my old home had. So I started watching for the sun which is more blocked now, and started taking pictures.  Here’s this morning’s sunrise.

On Facebook too-It was amazing!

         And then the dicing really begins. I read a few posts, a friend called; I remembered I needed to call to have a prescription re-filled. I moved to work and create a response my head of school had asked me to create for an accreditation piece.  We’re in our third year of a seven-year cycle with the association that accredits independent schools here in Colorado.  I drafted a page, sent it to other committee members for their opinions; and every once in a while, I read another blog. I also took a shower and got dressed, all the time watching the clock because it’s my day to volunteer at lunchtime at the nursing home where my husband was.  I go between eleven and one.  I drove over, visited some of the time with staff, and this time, no dicing, everything is focused on helping the residents find places in the dining area, setting the tables, giving drinks and finally serving the food. At the same time, more than one resident gets up to try to leave, and I try to help guide them back to their places. It’s busy, but eventually quiet, with some pleased to be eating, and others not eating until prompted.  Some need to be fed and I cannot help with that, but can butter rolls and cut food. 

         After a while, clean up can begin and I help as much as I can while the staff continue helping residents with their food.  I chat with those who want to talk, and leave after finishing.  Today I need to go to Target to look at a new vacuum that’s on sale.  I go, decide against the new appliance (which I would have to assemble), purchase a drink at Starbucks (nice) and head for home.  

          On the way, close to home, is the grocery store, and I grab the milk, juice, and muffins, then drop some books at the library.  HOME! It’s warm enough, so after putting another load of laundry in, I grab a trash bag and spend about an hour doing some yard cleanup.  My wonderful old tree sheds sticks constantly (or the squirrels drop them), and I’m always picking up sticks.  While working, I realized that it's time to put the trash and re-cycle out tonight, so I work to gather all the re-cycle I can find and get the barrel ready. 

           After checking my e-mail again, I find that my group has given some feedback so work some more on the report, then read some more posts. I now decide I must sit and focus in order to gather thoughts for my book group tomorrow for Tuck Everlasting. I make my sketch (which we do for a favorite scene), my notes and possible questions for the meeting. I’ve already read the pages needed.

         Is it soup yet? No, I do some more laundry, my son calls to tell me about their awesome trip to Santa Fe and Taos this past weekend, and I talk to another friend. I get on Facebook to find that I posted a piece about a poet on the wrong spot, and while messing with that, I see a post I really want to read, sit down and read it. That results in donating some money to a great cause, and in the meantime, I’m also moving back and forth between certain other posts and the current book I’m reading.  Whew, it’s nearly seven and I need to make dinner. I sit, finally, quietly, to eat and read. I’ve spent the evening finishing laundry, reading a friend’s students’ blogs, and actually watching some TV!  Now can you see why I call my day slicing and dicing? There is no one part this time that I want to expand. Mondays are the day to catch up on ‘things’, and the moments are cut into small little pieces.

         By the end of the evening, yes, the day has become soup, and during all these hours, it's been cooking !  The day has blended, sun has set, slices are written, time to spend what’s left with my good book.

photo credit: Skley via photopin cc