Day 5b: Sidetracked

It was really hard to focus today.

First, we slept in. My first thought was: it's another day out of my routine--so how can I do the routine? Honestly, I was truly thrown for a loop. I don't think we have had one day that counts as "normal" yet since I started this project --and I realised, so, so what?

The tasks are just tasks--they don't even have to be done in order--or by noon for that matter.

I made my bed.

It was hard to get going. I made my coffee around this:

Yes, those are the dishes from last night.

I fed my late-for-school daughter a frozen pancake and hot chocolate and told her we didn't have to rush. I gave the same advice to myself. I started filling the sink with hot sudsy water.

I washed one rack full of dishes. Just one. Then I had breakfast and kissed my daughter good-bye.

I had to keep consulting my list to see what was next. I collected some laundry. I threw in one load to wash.

I did a leisurely pick up through the main floor. I didn't set the timer. Slow was better than not at all.

Then I got on-line. For a long time.

I decided my One Essential Task for the day would be vacuuming my living room carpet and washing the kitchen floor. I got sidetracked by the state of the dining room floor.



I was distracted looking for the linens for Thanksgiving.

Sweeping up the kitchen floor, I decided I had to put down shelf paper in this little cabinet beside the stove.


Had to. Couldn't wait another minute.


Then, I washed the kitchen floor--and ran out of floor cleaning stuff. One half is washed properly, the other half with vinegar. Something was better than nothing.


Tomorrow is another day and I have a list as long as my arm. I feel a bit panicky but I'm hoping a full nights sleep and clean counters in the morning will calm me down.