The Art of Winding Down Summer

Summer is winding down and perhaps it is a good thing.  I have almost reached the precarious point of no return.  Let me explain.

Maybe things would have turned out differently if I had had a rose and a tambourine???

Friday, I returned home from an "Up Nort" Wisconsin vacation with my family.  There was kayaking, s'mores, grilling and lots of mosquitoes.  Good times. When getting dressed to go home, I had limited choices.  It was the end of the week and everything seemed to be either damp or sandy.  I settled on a pair of grey leggings, paired with a grey Johnny Cash t-shirt.  I couldn't find my bra, so I just carelessly wrapped a tie-dyed scarf around my neck.  I felt awesome.  My leggings and shirt matched, plus I had a cool Stevie Nicks vibe going with my tie dyed scarf.  A blast of dry shampoo and I was out the door.

Can  you find me?  I am way in the back.

After surviving the four hour drive home with three kids, I decided to treat myself with a trip to my favorite thrift store.  Unpacking could wait.  It was a good day to thrift since I found three skirts to try on. 

Can I say I audibly gasped upon seeing myself in a full length mirror?  (I don't own a full length mirror and rely on looking at my reflection in the porch door.)  I looked like someone who followed the Grateful Dead while feasting on tortilla chips and late nights.  I had broken my iron clad rule of NEVER, EVER wearing leggings as pants.  But there I was.  The grey leggings highlighted the ripples in my thighs and the Johnny Cash t-shirt ended right at my waist. NOOOO!  The scarf did not camouflage my bra-less state, rather it accentuated it.  I quickly paid for the skirts and scuttled home.

It was time for an intervention.  Like when my friend took away my maternity jeans because the baby was 8 months old.  The lazy days of summer had me doing things I wouldn't do in any other season. For example, I have this summer rule that I wear my workout clothes until I work out.  Unfortunately I often don't work out until 4 PM.  This gives me hours to grocery shop and find books at the library while wearing my "Strong is the New Skinny" tank top.  I always run into at least one person I know and am pretty sure they aren't thinking - I SO admire Eydie's workout ethic! 

My intervention involved getting my first pedicure of the season.  I am a rare bird who doesn't like to get pedicures.  I feel sorry for the person buffing my hooves and get embarrassed by the pile of dead skin they grate off my feet with that "Foot Zester" thingy. But, desperate times call for desperate measures.  I also got my hair colored, moved my workouts to the morning, and bought a full length mirror.

Summer is a magical time of year.  Clocks have limited importance, shoes are optional, and there is time to read books with more than 300 pages.  But, yes, it is probably a good thing that summer is coming to an end.   

Prairie Eydie

Your reward for making it to the end of this whiny blog is a tiny glimpse at my "Never to Be Seen Again" outfit.  Leonard.  I am forever grateful to you for blocking out some of the horror.  In my defense, the camera angle isn't helping anything.

  

The Art of Lists continued with Kristen Miller

NOTE:
If you haven't met guest blogger, Kristen, you need to!  Check out some past blogs before reading today's blog.  (For the technically challenged -  hover over text and then right click.)

THE ART OF LISTS STARBUCKS FRIEND
THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Enjoy!  Prairie Eydie



Hello Little Ranch House followers and friends!

After reading Prairie Eydie's glowing, albeit exaggerated review of my list-making prowess, I felt inspired to write this response.  It's mid-morning Sunday, and I have roughly 30,000 completely unrelated projects I hope to accomplish before bedtime.  Doable? Totally!  But first I need to make a list.  

Don't expect your dog to help you write  your lists.  But.  Feel free to add "walk dog" to any list.  

Prairie Eydie recently sent me this spectacular planner that I plan to use daily (as one tends to pledge whenever they receive a shiny, unblemished notebook).  The planner starts July 31, so I will keep you posted of my assured success.

List of required materials for effective list-making
1.  Adorable, clean notebook - Check!
2.  Ideal pen - Check!
3.  Things to get done - Obviously, Check!

The lists practically write themselves with these pens. 

Every list-maker needs fun pens!  Prairie Eydie demonstrated this beautifully with her rainbow list using Paper Mate felt pens - a necessity in any teacher's repertoire.  For fellow lefties, may I suggest the BIC Atlantis EXACT?

Instead of beating myself up for not completing my unrealistic to-do list, Eydie's post gave me the idea of selecting 3 - 5 actually doable tasks from the master list to complete today.  This approach will hopefully help me feel less overwhelmed and more accomplished at the end of the day.  So, here are my top-ten to-dos from my master list:

To-Do List:  Sunday July 30, 2017

Errands
1.  Ace Hardware - Buy paint, return light bulbs
2.  Target - Return book, buy school supplies to donate
3.  Mail - Graduation gift for Emilie
4.  Post Office - Mail four packages
5.  Grocery Store

To-Dos
6.  Send Prairie Eydie this surprise (aka - I didn't ask her if she wanted this) blog post
7.  Finish resume and cover letter, submit job application
8.  Set up AmVets pick-up

Chores
9.  Fold Laundry
10.  Dishes

If I can check of tasks six to eight today, I'm going to reward myself with . . . another task! I will use my super-fun one-step paint to cover up another piece of brown hand-me-down furniture.  I actually want to do that, so I'm saving it for last.  

love this notebook and write in it diligently for a couple weeks eMy new unicorn notebook reminded me of my fepful fit happens notebook that Prairie Eydie gifted me when we were practicing yogis and Starbucks friends.  (Eydie is big on grace gifts.)  I love this notebook and write in it diligently for a couple of weeks every time I decide that I’m ready to work out regularly again.

Note:  My last entry was on May 6, 2017.  Ooops.

Also note, inspirational quotes in notebooks = major plus!

And now back to checking off to-dos on this latest list! Good luck all you task checker-offers! Would love to hear your suggestions and stories!

The Honorary "Prairie Kristen"