Sunday, May 31, 2009

finding my way back

i was surfing blogs this morning, trying to catch up on your lives. trying to figure out who is out of school already, who is on vacation, who is expecting(!), who is exercising, who is crafting... trying to figure out why i am not doing any of the above. (well, with the exception of the expecting part. i'm quite content with my one, thank you very much.)

trying to figure out what it would take to get me back into a blogging routine...

i don't really have a "running list" of things that i *need* to blog about;
i don't have a stash of photos waiting to be uploaded;
i don't have any great big news to share;
i don't have a clue what spt challenge to offer you.

i'm trying to heed the age-old advice given about getting back into *any* routine: just jump back in there and do it! kind of like strapping your running shoes back on. only, DON'T go THERE with me right now.

so, i grabbed my camera in the hopes of capturing my world right now. (it should tell you something that i had to steal batteries out of a remote control just to use my camera.) i feel this post should come with a viewer's discretionary warning: it ain't pretty. but it is real. proceed with caution.


picture, if you will, Sunday morning. Sundays are my only *real* day off this time of year. as you can imagine, i am thoroughly exhausted by the time Sunday rolls around. unfortunately, all of the STUFF that should get done throughout the week has waited patiently for me to attend to on Sunday.


laundry. it is never-ending. and we only have three people in our family. AND? i did laundry last Sunday. how does it get to this every week?


my haven, my place of rest, my master bedroom. in a total state of clutteredness. and i know that's not a word, but it works. you've been there. you know.


the dust. the sand. the sandy dust. it accumulates everywhere! my white ceiling fans are running furiously, and even *they* are grungy. how does dust stick to moving parts, anyway??


even under Elvis' watchful eye, my houseplants are doomed!


the state of the kitchen table, the heart of the home. a bicycle helmet, an Easter decoration, camping gear, and my beautiful mosaic'd orbs that (admittedly) were set out at Christmas to be "Christmas decorations." any guesses as to the last time we enjoyed a family meal around *this* table?


my gorgeous (free!) roll top desk. the only thing i can say about this is that it is a blessing AND a curse that this clutter can be hidden! thank goodness for online bill paying, i always say. otherwise, i might be blogging this post in the dark. with no internet access.


i'm stuck at home today with no car. why? because mat took my car. why? because his truck is, er, indisposed... again.


at "almost 40" i've decided it's time to finally find underwear that is comfortable AND that makes me feel "almost 25." call me crazy, but i will not go into the next decade in grannie panties!!


when we returned from a trip to philly in march, we found a little puppy damage. matty and i looked at each other and *swore* that we would not be those people who let damaged home items linger for months until they became invisible to us. ahem. it's the end of may.


jack has 6 1/2 days left of school. not surprisingly, his end-of-year backpack is much lighter than the bag he's toted around all year. why, you ask? because everything he's been toting around is ON MY BEAUTIFUL BENCH!!


hotel guests are really cranky in this economy. my days are filled with lots of *soothing conversations.* *soothing conversations,* by the way, is an intentional misnomer. if you are traveling this summer, PLEASE be nice to your hoteliers. we understand that you wanted to be at Disney World, and not the Hampton Inn. i'm sorry we don't offer character breakfasts and princess meet-and-greets. but wouldn't you like to try this new danish? and, those BRAND NEW high-def flat screen TVs are not too shabby, either! (HAMPTON INN PLUG: if you book the Hampton Inn Webkinz special between June 1 and August 31, you will receive one exclusive Webkinz at check in - we have a "cherry blossom bird," a "springer spaniel" and the increasingly popular "gerbil.")

now, please don't get me wrong. it's not all dust bunnies and disgruntled guests around here. we find plenty of time for soccer games. and movies. and jack has perfected the art of attending multiple birthday parties in one day.

there's also:


sidewalk chalk on a Saturday evening (the 3D chalk is very cool!)


monogrammed flags in the front yard


and 40% off of bright and cheerful purses.

whew! i feel oddly... relieved. lighter. ready to get back in there and tackle some more laundry!!

(oh, and Chris, i put that "like" button down there just for you!!)

18 comments:

Chris said...

A post from Lelly! Yea! I too feel like my life is like your blog post, I have not blogged since Mother's Day. Thanks for the inspiration, and on our summer vacay, we might just do Hampton Inn for Webkinz. :-)

patsy said...

Oh how I CAN RELATE TO THIS POST!!

I hope catch up...
& find those panties :)

this time of year is rough- but just know- we are all in the same boat- well, kind of.

so happy to read a post from you today!!

Kristie said...

I think you pretty well summed up how all of us feel at one time or another. The other day I couldn't find my checkbook because it was buried under the stack o' crap on my desk. The stack o' crap was primarily bills that needed to be paid, so you can see my vicious cycle, ha!

Not to be completely self-absorbed, or a nag, but .... um ..... you still didn't mention Tuesday's spt challenge. I only ask because sometimes it takes me a day or two to think up my idea! :)

Janet said...

Lelly, you always do a great job of gently reminding us of how HUMAN we all are and encouraging us to do better or "catch up". So maybe the SPT could be about finding those tasks that have been hanging over our heads for so long and attacking them.....I mean catching up??

Alisa said...

You had me chuckling when you mentioned "(well, with the exception of the expecting part. i'm quite content with my one, thank you very much.)" and the part about the running shoes. Oh how I hear you on that one!
Hope this Sunday- is productive and restful!

wende said...

may is crazy for me and i don't have cranky hotel guests!

i'm glad to read a post from you, i have missed you!

hoping your life slows just a little bit, at least long enough to get a much deserved NAP! hang in there!

Natasha said...

Now if only we can get Carlo posting again too!

That sidewalk chalk is THE COOLEST!

We are out of school here and I wish there was a pregnancy, as you know. That's about it. I stayed at the Intercontinental last week for 3 nights and gladly would've traded it for a night at YOUR Hampton Inn.

I'm glad you documented all of the REAL going on at your house.

Kelly said...

I loved this post -- real life!

I'm battling the ceiling fan dust myself, wondering how that works. Ours are spinning at high speed, and yet. Ours are dark, too, which makes them look even more creepy.

Loved the picture of Jack with the sidewalk chalk!

Lene said...

don't you hate it when life gets in the way of life.

I really enjoy 'the keeping it real' posts. I think we have all been there and can relate.

Lucy said...

Nice to see you in blogland. Life happens...that's for sure. Just keep blogging...just keep blogging:)

Crystal said...

Glad that you're trying to get your groove back.

Barb said...

I have been looking forward to the end of the school year, but you are reminding me of all the stuff that comes home at the end of the year, so now I can stand waiting a few more weeks for school to be over.
I love the Hampton Inn and I would come to yours over Disney World in any economy!

Elizabeth said...

You have to admit sandy dust is better then the run of the mill dust.

Amy said...

I loved this. The naked truth. It's comforting to know that my house is not the only that suffers from busy days!

Mrs. Match said...

I relate to so much of this post. I am finding that summers are the busiest time of the year for me, and nothing gets done that I really want to do. Ack!

Holly said...

Glad you are finding your way back--you have been missed!

I share a lot of your truths, girl. My underwear drawer has been making me rather sad lately too. I've let them get ratty. On a quest to find some that are comfy, cute and don't break the bank.

michelle said...

oh ho! I can relate to this post all too well. Especially the part about home projects that linger and become part of the landscape... and the part about online bill pay. Seriously. We would be in so much trouble if I didn't pay my bills online.

I don't understand the bit about cranky hotel guests -- people taking their economic woes out on you? What the?

Jill said...

Oh honey, you need another you to manage the house while you work! Or you need to enlist Mat and Jack in the household duties (I vote for this option).

It was fun to see these snippets of your life and to click on them to enlarge the photo, I spied multiple good mail items!