Saturday, December 19, 2009

Haste Makes Waste...

Photos Today have NOTHING to do with the Blog!
Bob and I are Early to Bed, Early to rise, totally routine, and everything from eating to cleaning is done on a schedule at the same time, same way, same day. Our routine was set 25 years ago when were in the workforce, he left home at 5:30 and me at 6:30, and both arrived home at 6ish.


Saturday Housework starts at 5 AM. I am blessed, we SHARE housework, he does all floors and some laundry, I do the rest. Retirement changed nothing!


TODAY 5 AM: The Plan..rush through my part of the routine and leave at 6:30 for Walmart shopping to Beat The Shoppers on the last Saturday before Christmas Rush.
Do you find if you HURRY it takes LONGER?
First Job: remove sheets from king size bed, start weekly wrestling match with fitted sheet.
I realize it is shorter one way, longer the other, but with a king the differencet is inches, not obvious by looking at the sheet which is top and bottom and I found out which is which AFTER I put it on the wrong way first


I stare at the sheet, does it go with the elastic at the foot and head, or does the elastic part go on the sides? Of course I am RUSHING, so it does NOT FIT, first try.
why can't the sheet makers make all fitted sheets the same, some have elastic on two sides, some on all fours sides.
the fitted sheet I remove has elastic on all 4 sides, this one is easy, I left the white tag on it when I realized if put the tagged corner at the head of my side of the bed all goes well.


The set today has elastic on two sides and straight edge on 2 sides. the problem is my senior memory does not remember if the elastic go on the foot/head or on the sides. I ALWAYS put it on the wrong way first and when i get to the 4th corner it will not fit and i have to remove it and turn it around.
Let me say, I always get the flat sheet the right way every time. it has a wide hem at the top and a narrow at the bottom, just a matter of deciding which hem is wider.

Back to TODAY: Sheets are on and smooth, Blanket is next. I turn and reach for the fleece blanket that I placed on the stool. NOT THERE! Baby Girl who loves all things fleece, has dragged it up into her chair (dog bed) and her plump body is snuggled down until all I see is eyes and nose. I try to remove the blanket by tugging, she burrows in, I raise my voice, she jumps down dragging blanket onto floor. ARRRRHHHH. the clock is ticking! Walmart Awaits!


Pillow Queen AKA Blanket Thief and loves all things fleece

Bed Made: rush to clean His and Her Bathrooms. Remember my mothers saying, Haste Makes Waste. Ignore it!
Grab can of Comet, rip open shower curtain, sprinkle on shower stall, reach behind and sit Comet on back of commmode. LOUD CRASH! I jump and turn and find I sat the can on the back of the NEW commode forgetting that it is rounded not flat and it has fallen on to clean commode lid, spraying cleanser all over lid and floor. HURRY

Race to kitchen, forget what I went there for, race back to bathroom, remember I need paper towels to clean mirrors. Race back to kitchen grab paper towels. Race back to bathroom, clean mirror/sink/shower/comet off floor.

Race to his bathroom. Race back to my bathroom for cleaning supplies.

Finish his bathroom while muttering to myself he will proably trim his beard over the sink while I am gone (that is another story).


Jump in clean shower, do 30 second rinse cycle, race to closet, grab shirt,  dress falls off hanger onto floor, must pick up or baby will make a bed of it while I am gone. Rehang dress, grab jeans, dress falls on floor.

I did make it to Walmart at 6:36.....Race around throwing things in basket, screech to halt behind FIVE SHOPPERS with baskets crammed. Only One Cashier!

HO HO HO

8 comments:

Catherine said...

Oh can I relate - whenever I'm in a hurry, that's when it all takes extra time. But you made it to Walmart still very early and your disposition remains cheery!

Merry Christmas

MedaM said...

I totally agree with you when you say that if we hurry it takes longer. If I hurry I regularly have to forget something or do something wrong. There are some sayings about hurry but there is no any sense in them when I try to translate any in English. You are a woman full of positive energy, Sandra. This is another beautiful post of yours.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

My question Sandra: Since your life is so regimented and organized, why did you build in a visit to Walmart on the Saturday before Christmas??????? ha ha ha....

I have never met two people who are so 'with it' when it comes to scheduling, cleaning, etc. When I worked, I HAD to get up early. Now that I'm retired I realize that I don't have to do that anymore....

I do wash clothes --but that happens on Thursdays at our home. But---I cheat a little because I take our king sheets off (with tag on the right top corner), wash and dry them and put them right back on.. That keeps me from folding them (which as you know is a pain)... How do you like 'dem apples??????

Unfortunately, even though both George and I will clean ---we don't do it every week. We just do it when WE think it needs it... ha ha .. AND--he will vacuum while I dust... (By the way, it only needs it when I can write my name on the furniture!!! ha ha)

Nuff of this craziness... Bet you all go to bed early at nights since you get up so early.. We seldom go to bed before 11:00--and get up about 7:30. What a Life!!!!

Hugs my Friend,
Betsy

Ginny Hartzler said...

Oh, this is the funniest yet!! Whenever I try to rush it always takes longer, because I mess up and have accidents. Fitted sheets are a mess. They look square when we unfold them and I can never tell which is the right way around. Your toilet mishap reminds me of what happened here last night. But that's for a blog post in a couple days, after we get through with our current problems here. What's the story on the little cars? Cute! And the decorated locomotive? I somehow missed your Symbols Of Christmas post yesterday! I just read it now; a beautiful and informative post.

SquirrelQueen said...

That is funny but you described it perfectly. If I am in a hurry everything goes wrong including something falling off the hanger in the closet.

I'm wondering too why you would go to Walmart this close to Christmas? In our Walmart that would be suicidal.

Judy

Anonymous said...

Hi Sandra. Just wanted to stop by and say a special thank you for your lovely comment on my last post. It really made my day :o) I've only been blogging for six months but already feel my life has been enriched by "meeting" so many bloggy friends like yourself. xx

Madeline said...

Just reading this wore me out! I think I need to go back to bed for a nap. We have a king sized bed too. I just put the sheet on. Never noticed one side is longer than the other? Mine always seems to fit. Could I be putting it on right every time? I doubt it. I wonder why I don't have trouble? Most of the time I do just as Betsy does. I wash them and dry them and put them back on the bed so I won't have to fold them. I have 3 or 4 sets, but having the same ones continually does not bother me. I am not a decorator, I just need a clean bed.....I learned a long time ago that rushing does no good. I really did not think about it until I read this blog, I rarely rush to do anything anymore. I don't have it in me to be able to do it. I just have to start plenty ahead of time to get it done. Also have to consider to go anywhere (we live in the boon docks) I need 30 minutes to an hr. to get to the places I go regularly. We had to make that adjustment 16 yrs. ago. There is no where I can get in 2 minutes. Maybe to the mailbox, but that is about it.....When my Mama got elderly I had to take her to buy groceries, shop, to the drs. office, etc., she would be sooooo slow. I would wonder to myself, "why is Mama so slow?" Well, at age 65, now I know, and I do not consider myself elderly! I have become my Mama..... :-)
God rest her soul.....

Anonymous said...

Great idea to get it out of the way early! I must say 5 AM does leave me almost speechless....I prefer 15 minutes each weeknight of housework. Then the odd large job on a Saturday (mopping, monthly grocery shopping). On the wkend I tend to do 15 mins of work in the garden and 15 mins on car maint either interior or exterior. That way my Saturdays can be for fun. Last Sat did some thrifting and Cmas shopping. Clever post. Cheers!