Remember The List

The countdown is certainly on, so a certain list is coming up in my mind more and more often.  I have ignored it, avoided it, tried to think away out of it, but today, I decided to face it. So, how do I stand on my final, desperate journey to finally grow up?

No. 1 - 3 (house-related) need to be postponed a little. The house is built, more or less (so no. 1 is mostly accomplished), but I'm not even sure if we'll be able to really finish our yard this year, with the houses next to ours still being in the building phase, or if that has to be postponed to spring 2016. There would be nothing worse than settin gup a nice backyard this summer just to see it messed up by building troops next door.

No. 4: Dates with the hubby. We're doing pretty good about it. Our dates are mostly movie dates at home on our couch, but we've been to a concert together (him on stage, me in the audience), we've been out for an anniversary dinner. I'd definitely say, this one is accomplished.

No. 5: Wear nail polish. With my usual cleaning schedule right now, this doesn't even start to make sense. Maybe I'm simply not the kind of women to have nice, manicured hands.. ever.

No. 7: Go swimming twice a month. Can we change that in "do a family outing"? In that case it's a success. We'Ve been to zoos, to the Playmobil Fun Park, to the movies, on walks, and sometimes even to the pool. But I don't think that my skin could sustain chlorine water twice a month  :-)

No. 8: Try a new recipe every month. Success, success, success. I might continue this, just for the fun of it!

No. 9: Organize an all-girls curry dinner. There's still time, right?

No. 10: Take the girls on a movie date. Check that off!

No. 11: Run a 10k. Make that two!!

No. 12: Ditch the Snoopie undies. Did it!

No. 13: Sew a dress and wear it. Well, my sewing machine died on me, and I might just not be the sewing type. I did, however, sew a purse for Lily and am about to finish her tooth fairy pillow. And I'm knitting more.

No. 14: Let my hair grow out. I did it, it's as long as it's ever been.

No. 15: Get a family vacation. We went on a one week trip to the Bavarian Forest in August, we've had such a great time!

No. 17: Go to at least two big fairs this summer. Total failure. We've gone to our town fair, but that was about it. The weather was sucky for most of the big ones. But there's always another fair season.

No. 18: Visit a theme park. We've gone to the Playmobil Fun Park during my time off for the holidays, so much fun for the girls!

No. 19: Get a massage. There's the problem: I have a really, REALLY hard time spending money on myself if it's not absolutely needed. But my friend, who's a cosmetologist offered to give me a neck massage, so I might be able to check that off my list  :-)

No. 20: Practice with the new camera. I truly had the best intentions, but I just didn't find the time. It's not like back when I was 17 and haunted the grave yards for the perfect picture for hours. So I gave the camera back to my friend, who did a really cool re-built and using it now to take pictures of invisible light  :-)

No. 22: Practice yoga for 30 minutes every day for at least a month. The girls and I have been doing yoga on the weekends, but we (or better I) haven't been able to establish a proper routine. Still time!!!

No. 23: Learn patience from the girls. Well, to be very honest, the house has been a better teacher as the girls could have ever been. Nothing went right from the very beginning, and there have been delays on so many corners along the way, at some point I stopped worrying, freaking, obsessing, panicking, and just accepted it. There's nothing we can do to speed things up. We are under no pressure to get the house done, as our lease does not have a set end, it's just a 3-month period after we send the cancellation letter, so we're fine with it!

No. 24: Get organized and keep it that way. Honestly, I have given up here. But I have big plans for when we finally move. All the folders with the paperwork will be much better accessible. There will be baskets for the "drop" stuff that's accumulating everywhere here, which will then be organized once a month. There will be more shelving and cupboards and storage. There are definitely the best intentions behind it.

No. 25: Learn 5 new things about myself. This one will be a post (or several) by itself, to come before the big day!!


So, is it pitiful? Most definitely. Am I a procratinator? You've never seen a greater one. But to be honest, there are times when I'm just too exhausted to do anything once the girls are in bed. I've been working for at least 1.5 people for months, and I feel how I'm burning out. Last year, I'd taken only half of the vacation days that I have, and I have no idea how I should take 3 weeks until the end of April. But I know it's going to get better again. My colleague has just started his gradual re-integration program and will take over more and more of his duties again, helping my worklaod going back to normal again. That plus some vacation days should do the trick to get me back on track!