PNewL PNewS
Volume 19 No. 4 “All the pnews that phits.” October 2011
Just Get it Done
It is ironic that at the same time I have changed my motto from “Do what you can” to “Just get it done,” I am writing the September issue of the PNewS in late-October. Let’s blame it on the fact that I was indeed getting other stuff done. At least part of the time—the rest of it, I was playing solitaire, checking Facebook and watching “Project Runway” or some other black hole of time activity.
In addition to compiling and completing all the many lists of things to do, a few big things all came together at once and suddenly needed attention and doing. Some of them are not things that need to be discussed here (believe it or not, I do keep some things private), but the major one was selling my family’s home in Florida.
My parents bought “The Box” in the early 1980s, we spent many vacations there—a lot of wonderful memories —and most recently, I lived there for somewhere between five to seven years depending on how you do the math. And it is where I met some of my favorite people in the world. Lotta baggage there.
On the upside, I sold a house in Florida in the middle of one of the worst real estate markets ever. On the downside, much money was lost. Where did it go? Alas. As Laura said, “Houses are a bargain now. Yours is one of them.” Alas, again.
Another upside is that the load of owning a home far away that was sinking and cracking and in need of care has been lifted. Tick that off the psychic burden list. And in getting that off the list, I feel like I am better at getting other things off. I usually look at lists of things to do and do the easiest ones first. Easiest usually means things I can do online without having to talk to anyone or even better, things that have really already been done. Love those!
I was finding myself looking at the clock and thinking, I could squeeze in these three phone calls in the half hour I have before I go out. Who is this person? Not my usual M.O. Well, frankly, that worked for a couple weeks but it hasn’t lasted. Now I am back to avoiding the lists, but there was a burst of getting it done and at least I was reminded of how good that felt. Now that things are a little less time sensitive, I can slouch a bit and so…I am.
Things I am Learning
& Miscellaneous Observations
• We are heading into Bear Season. That is not a hunting season…it is the season when everything starts to turn shades of brown and black and look like my Bear, the dog, and I can’t find him in the foliage. When it is truly hunting season, I will tie an orange bandanna around his neck so he won’t get shot.
• I have a sweet bowl of small bright green orbs on the counter, and I keep thinking, when I see them out of the corner of my eye, that I have a bowl of grapes, but alas, they are green cherry tomatoes and I am hoping…[Late breaking news: They are ripening! One by one. Yay!]
• The problem with the long days of summer is that the large hound thinks daylight means walk so we are up at the crack-of. The problem with the shortening days of fall is that the early morning time is spent sleeping and all that useful time is lost.
• I would like to know why a software developer made the changes when “improving” to a new version. Sometimes I just don’t get it.
• The more that gets done, the more that seems to need to be done. It’s like by doing stuff, I open a door and let more in.
• A while back, I was at a wedding and someone (me?) said s/he couldn’t remember who so and so was. My wise young cousin said, “In two hours it won’t matter”…and she was right. When meeting large groups of people one is likely never to see again…very soon, it just won’t matter.
• A different while back, I unexpectedly received a two page hand-written letter from Martha. It was a surprisingly happy event. I was inspired. I keep meaning to write some of my own, but somehow putting letter writing on a list of things to do removes the spontaneity of it and holding a pen for very long is bizarrely tiring.
• Gini and I participated in our first (hopefully annual) retreat. We rented a charming cottage (used vrbo.com) on the side of a mountain in Banner Elk. And the big dog got to come along too. We had projects in mind and some touristing to do. It didn’t quite work out as we’d planned. After the outdoor free concert in downtown Banner Elk, Gini came down with a nasty bug and more time was spent hunkered down. Then bits of a hurricane spun through making one night particularly harrowing. But it impressed me how much I could get done on my project when away from the home front where distractions abound. I haven’t been back to that project since—it was not among the things I got done in my Great Period of Accomplishment.
• I have spent more time than I would have thought possible counting my blueberry bushes. Finally, I dragged out the chart I drew to keep track of the different varieties. First, I should say I can’t hardly draw a stick figure. The chart is wildly inaccurate and I will probably never know which variety is where but the fact is there were once 14 and there are now 13. I have stopped re-counting.
• I pruned my pyracantha bush about a month ago (perhaps the wrong time of year but it was out of control). In the process I jabbed myself in the knuckle of my pointer finger on one of the thorns. The finger blew up, and a month later, it’s still sore. Surprising.
• Bear and I have been seeing a "pet commun-icator" lately. In my more cynical moments, which often rule my view, I think she may also be communicating with my bank account to see how far she can take this. But I also find it fascinating.
The first time we went, she was explaining what she was going to do though she never said Bear's name. As it was time to start, with no vocal or physical cue that it was starting time, Bear got up and went over and lay down at her feet. I believe Bear knows more about what's going on here than I do.
The things he tells her are things I had no idea he was familiar with—he told her how often I should change the house water filter (every 6 weeks), he's suggested we get the house cleared (that’s another story)...and he asked the doctor (she's also a vet) to clear her office. Apparently pets absorb the bad energy so we don't have to. That can be a heavy load!
The things she tells me are challenging. He is being treated for the 10,000 things he's allergic to so I have to cook for him for 25 hours after each treatment. Mostly rice with chicken or fish. Last time, we were getting over yeast, so no baked goods (kibble) or soy sauce or beer (this is an allergy treatment originally created for humans). Next one is stomach acids—no meat or carbs. She said, “It would probably be easier to let him fast.” Easier for who? Try to convince the large hound it’s easier to skip a few meals.
The bottom line (other than the financial one) is his skin and eyes are clear and his energy level is through the roof. 'Course the weather changed and it's cool and a lot of the allergens are dying. Still, I am hopeful this will have a long term positive effect.
The Reluctant Gardener:
What I learned
While trying to simplify and get used to the rhythm of planting and weeding and reaping and sowing, I got so lost. I learned a lot and see that each season there is the possibility that I will get better. Plant choices will be more refined, I will read the backs of seed packets and truly understand the timing and place for each thing I plant and what it is actually going to look like. Or not.
I have come to terms with the fact that I will never be a Type A gardener (or Type A anything for that matter. How come there is so little hype for us Type Bs or Cs or whatever we are?). I have said enough about weeds but they are still a huge issue—perhaps the biggest--at my house.
But at the end of the season, I have to say I had fun with my little vegetables, fruit and flowering newbies. Sun Gold cherry tomatoes are the best! I pickled the peperoncini and they are fab! The raspberries are still producing. The lavendar likes its knoll. Rachel the Laurel and the dark purple butterfly bush look established and the nice woman at the nursery says my peony is supposed to look that pathetic at this time of year. I’m happy.
I don’t know if I will remember to do all the things I am supposed to do to put everything to bed for the winter, but I’ll find out in the spring I suppose. For now, I’m on a new trajectory: rocks. I found a big pile in my neighbor’s yard and I thought I might ask him if I could use them for my bird feeding area. But I tell you, dealing with birds and bird seed (everyone in nature seems to like sunflower seeds…including bugs) is almost as challenging as plants. And the big dog doesn’t care about plants…birds? They look like an intriguing game.
When a great ship is in harbor and moored, it is safe, there can be no doubt. But that is not what great ships are built for. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, PhD
