A Slow Process

Since I want to stay healthy, I’m only doing a few things each day, and I’m trying to conserve on energy, knowing it’s a limited commodity. Yesterday, I did what I had planned, but I still allowed for rest when needed. (I wonder how long this “smart” attitude will last!) My visit to my mother (after 5 days) was quiet and pleasant, but I hadn’t realized I’d be missed. Evidently when my husband kept showing up alone, questions arose. In his terse manner, he let people know I was “under the weather.” However, so many staff members came to me yesterday, inquiring about my health. It’s nice to be missed.

A quick stop at Macy’s made me tired and irritated, though. It’s hard to browse from a wheelchair, especially when the pusher isn’t into the trip as much as I. I ended up getting out of the chair to look at cute little baby outfits. I ended up getting a cute spring/summer overall set that can be worn long or short. I had planned to look for a little animal for the big sister, but I kept getting “bugged” by sales people. I know it’s getting slow in the stores, but seriously, if I say I don’t need help, please listen and stop following me around the store! I ended up just getting the outfit and leaving. The problem then was going all the way through the next department to get the elevator, and once on the right floor, traveling through many more departments to the exit. Once in the car, I felt the fatigue. So I had to do nothing when we arrived home.

My husband is trying to be helpful, so he’s taking down all the outside décor now, and I’ll try to get the den and living room back to normal. This is when I despise myself for making the house look like Christmas Central. I’ve let all my kids know they need to take some of this “stuff,” but so far only my daughter seems interested. My first   thought is: if there aren’t as many items, I won’t go crazy putting them out. I mean, honestly, twelve big bins of decorations? My other thought is: if/when we move, I won’t need as much. And my final thought: I’m just too dang tired to keep doing this! So, it’s becoming a slow process, taking down and stowing, but I can’t overdo, or I’ll be out of commission and not able to do anything. So, slow is doable.

When we visited our friends on NYE, I took a mental note that, each year, her decorating is a bit different. The tree always sits in their enormous family room, which has eighteen foot ceilings! Her nutcracker collection gets moved, as do her wreaths. This year they went back to trimming the pillars that sit at the entrances to the sunken living room with greens, bows, and small white lights. I wonder how she does it all, and I marvel at her stamina! She works, and she’s a cancer survivor, but her house mansion always looks beautiful, despite the fact that she has no outside help! I’ll bet the taking down, though, is as slow as here!

Well, by the weekend things will be back to the normal “plain,” and I’ll be onto new projects. For now, though, I’ll plod through this slow process.

Peace,

Muff