Lists, Distractions and The Unspoken Conversation

7am.  37 degrees outside.  That's the coldest we've been so far this fall.  Brrr.

I look at the list of "to-do's" that I made myself last night. 

Yes, I'm a list person.  At home and at work.  I don't think it's because I'm forgetful, although I will admit that as I get older my stem cells just don't fire the way they used too. 

Nah...It's because I'm easily distracted.  I tend to deal with the biggest fire first, then move on to things that are screaming second and generally leave things that are "out of sight - out of mind" till last.

So when I looked at the list this morning I saw: Lasagna, apples, trim dog nails, call Debbie, windows and freezer.

So I went and grabbed the lasagna.  SM had pointed out the other day that he was kinda "done" with the monster lasagna I'd made last weekend.  Not to bore you with the details but I generally make one lasagna a year.  I don't do pasta so it's all for SM.  I cook it up in the big turkey roasting pan, let SM feast on it for a few days and then when he's tired of it, cut it up into pieces and stick it in the freezer along with all the other assorted ready to eat meals and baked goods.

Yep...SM's made a pretty good dent in it.  So I cut it up, bagged it up and went to stuff it in the freezer.

Hm.  The freezer is on the list too.  SM and I had bought an upright freezer a few years ago but "cheaped out" and went with the type you have to defrost a few times a year.  I usually try to coordinate the big "defrost" with my Spring and Fall staycations, but I got distracted this year with the discovery that I too could have sparkly windows (see last weeks post) so the freezer got pushed back down the list.

Hm.  Windows is on the list too.  I have 5 more windows to clean inside and out.  But since the sun isn't up yet, I decide that I really should get the freezer cleaned up and organized.

So I put the lasagna in one of the freezers that don't need defrosting and glance down and see the pile of apples we bought last weekend.

Hm.  Apples is on the list too.

I plan on saucing most of these but wanted to wrap and box up the Pink Lady's we'd bought for fresh eating.  "Where's my box?"  I thought to myself.  Out in the shed.  So I grabbed a flashlight, slid on my boots and wandered out in the dark with Scooter on my heels out to the shed. 

"What a mess.  I really need to organize the shed too."  I shine the flashlight to find my heavy duty produce box and tip-toe through the general mayhem to retrieve it.  Back in the house, the Pink Lady's find their home for the next few months.

I store my apples on the garage stoop.  So I take a moment to arrange all the apples on the stoop for easy grabbing once I decide to start saucing.  Mutzu, Yellow Delicious and Grannies.

Then I decide since I'm out in the garage to start working on the freezer.  Unplug it first.  Unload the food sorting through stuff as I go.  Isn't it amazing what you've got in your freezer?  That done, I grab some old towels and toss them on the bottom of the freezer to catch all the water and ice.

Hm.  It's 37 degrees out Tami.  This is going to take a LONG time to thaw out. 

Screw it.  Time for the hair dryer to speed things up.

So I'm standing out there blow drying the freezer when SM decides to come out and investigate.  He's on his second cup of coffee now so of course he's curious as to what I'm about.

"You know it's going to be 75 today.  You could just leave it till later."  He points out.

"Yeah, I know but I got other projects to do today.  I just want this over with."  I reply looking at him. 

The dryer is humming as we stand there eyeballing each other. 

(*One of the marvelous things about being married as long as we have is that we know what each other is thinking.  We really don't even need to talk.  It just a habit to do so.)

So I'm standing there with the hair dryer humming in one hand, staring into My Baby's big brown eyes and I know what he's thinking. 

Why are you defrosting the freezer on the coldest morning of the year? 

It's as plain as the smile on his face.

"I know."  I grin back at him answering his unspoken question.  "I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed."  I sing-song to him making an "L" with my hand on my forehead.

"I didn't want to say the obvious, but..."  SM shrugs.  "Am I on my own for breakfast?"  He asks.

I look at him. 

"I guess that's a "yes".  SM nods his head.  "You do look a little busy at the moment."  He says and wanders back into the house to find some nourishment.

By the time I've wiped down the freezer, applied a coating of Vaseline to the gasket and turned it back on to get cold again, SM has eaten and is starting to look a bit sparky.

"So what's on your agenda for today?"  He asks.  What he means by this is what do I want HIM to help me out with since I'm the brains and he's the brawn around here.

"Are you going golfing today?"  I ask.

"I'd like too..."  He responds.

"Something quick then.  Burn pile?  Clean out the garden?"  I offer, thinking of my least favorite tasks.

"Too wet to burn.  And the garden will take too long."  SM replies.

"How about the toilet?"  We'd bought a new toilet to replace the 20+ yo one in our master bathroom.  "If you could take it apart, I can paint behind it and then you can install the new one.  If you don't think it would take up too much time..."

Hm. 

The toilet wasn't on my list for today.

Good thing I got an early start on MY list, isn't it?  @;)