I always plan to write something here every day, but then I get distracted. I guess I shouldn’t compare myself with my younger self, but it seems I get so little done. These sentences don’t seem quite related, but they are. I’ve always been distracted, but I used to move from one thing to the next and manage to spend enough time on each to have accomplished something by the end of the day, or the end of the week. Now, anything requiring physical labor also requires more significant rest breaks (which may be because the rest breaks weren’t adequate back then). And depending on what the physical labor was, sometimes I can’t do anything even slightly strenuous the next day or may back will complain for a week. I’ll be happy if I feel like I’ve accomplished anything by the end of summer.

So, what have I done?

The biggest and most frequent job has been watering plants, most of which are in pots and dry out so fast in our breezy, dry heat. 90 to 120 minutes for the front and 30+ minutes for the back. Strenuous only if I’m standing in the hot sun too long and if I forget to switch the hose to my left hand occasionally, but usually tiring.

I cut off the dead branches on the rose bushes.

I cut back ⅓ of one lilac tree. ( Cut ⅓ a year so as not to lose all flowering in spring.) This was a lot more exhausting than I remembered. Another lilac and a camellia still to be done.

One hardware loop of two for hanging my sun sail. Hard only because it’s reaching over my head even on a ladder. I hope to get the second one up tonight. It has to be done in the evening because it’s so hot in the sun without the sun sail. Then I have to install (screw in) two posts at the other end of the deck for attaching the other end of the sun sail. I want it to be up by July 3, when Iqbal has shoulder surgery.

I’m pretty sure I’ve done other little putter-y jobs outside, but I can’t think of what they are at the moment. Oh, I put in a trellis for the rose bush next to the deck.

Still to do outside:

• Trim neighbor’s hedge trees back to their yard.
• Move all potted plants and stepping stones from front to make room for chip drop
• Spread chips front to back on north side of yard (under the trees where no grass grows) (This will probably take all the rest of the summer.)
• Build garden walls
  • Back: one medium brick high except for one section (# still to be determined)
  • Front: Two large bricks higher around end of deck (44 16″ bricks)
• Fill deck garden with good dirt and plant something (Depending on how things go, this may be in the spring.)
• Cut back mom’s wild vine
• Cut honeysuckle way down (fall)
• Remove unwanted honeysuckle and St. John’s wort.
• Remove a multitude of squirrel planted walnut trees (from under deck, in garden, in pots!!)
• Repot the roses
• Cut back potted trees (to be large, outdoor bonsai)
• Clean, repair, and waterproof wood chairs, benches, and flower carts

Whether or not I get all of this done is pretty iffy. Once upon a time I could have, but now . . .??

Inside jobs have mostly all been cleaning related.

Oh, gosh. It would be so nice to have the whole house all cleaned and organized all at once. The way it is now, I get one section all spiffed up, but by the time I’ve covered the whole house that first section has come all un-spiffed. To a large degree, it’s just the nature of housework, but I really would like some all tidy time between spiffing.

I need to make a point of getting to the sewing studio every day, too. I have three dresses waiting to be sewn, and countless embroidery and “art” projects. I’d like to finish those dresses last month! And it would be nice to be able to cross a few projects off my list.

And both the sewing and the art studios always need cleaning. Not to mention the storage room and closet.

And now, I need to get out of my chair and go see what on any to do list I can get to work on, and maybe even finish. HA!