How’s Your Summer Going?

So…today, I had counseling and we talked about how my summer is going.   I have to be honest, the things that I had thought I would get done are not getting done as quickly as I thought they would be.  I'm not even sure if I will get everything I want to accomplish done during the next six weeks.

Are these expectations my own?   Probably.   So, I decided to focus on my accomplishments, rather than what I had not gotten done.  

I had hoped to take eight, day trips, in June and July, one a week.   Today is the middle of my third week.  NO DAY TRIP has been taken…not even one!   However, since June 1, I have travelled to Louisville, two times, and to Pittsburgh.  I’m leaving in two days for Detroit…So, I’m counting these trips as day (road) trips.   They aren’t exactly the day trips I had planned but I feel like I’ve been doing the driving alone, so I’m going to count them.

DAY TRIPS to date…check!

There were shopping bags of papers that I needed to sort through and file.  These bags were the result of clearing my table off every time I was expecting guests…hiding the papers in a shopping bag and putting the bag in the corner of my room.   There were four bags of stuff (papers that needed to be thrown away, filed, or just read).  Oh, and a laundry basket with hodge podge stuff from my move…18 months ago (things I couldn’t  decide what to do with!).   I can say that as of today, the bags and the basket have been removed and I am down to a small box of things to take care of.  This is a great feeling!

PAPERWORK SORTED…check!

My “Grandma” book has some entries!   I have a special book that will be a gift to my grandchild some day.  It is important to me to complete this book and be able to give it as a gift…hopefully once the baby is born (SPOILER ALERT TO KATIE!!)  Writing the things for this book take time and reflection, which has been good for me.   I received the book in March, but did not write one thing until June 4…and the book now has more than a few entries.   This is progress and gives me hope that the book will indeed be done before Baby T is born!

GRANDMA BOOK WORK…check!

Thanks to this rainy weather, I have only had two days at the pool.   Instead of “only” two days, I’m grateful for those two days.  These days allowed for “Lisa” time, reading a book and for the first time, I read my AARP magazine, cover to cover in one sitting!   “Lisa” time is the best and I need more of it, but I’ll take what I can get!

“LISA” time…check!

Some of the things that I have done but were not on my list have been a trip to Churchill Downs, a bridal shower in Cincinnati, a staycation in Pittsburgh, shopping for Baby T (more than once!), cleaning out my closet, watching a couple of movies and a new series on Netflix, some Mt. Notre Dame work that I needed to do, some retail therapy, packed up items for Goodwill, and a few other things…All things that have filled my time and been completed.  This is success, my friends….I’ll take it!   I have also successfully logged my “DONE” list almost every day.  That feels great and I like the new routine.

All of these are successes and I am taking them!   This is new for me…not beating myself up for the fact that I still haven’t taken as much time to do my “deep” cleaning of the apartment and updating my financial paperwork, but I still have time, and I feel confident these things will get done before August 1.   I think I'll even have a couple of day trips thrown in there!

Lesson learned…Enjoy life…things will get done.   When you do complete a task, celebrate!   It really does feel good…I am living proof.

*Side note…Yesterday, June 18 was my “Divorcery” (one year ago, my divorce was final).   I intentionally didn’t have any plans and for whatever reason, I felt especially productive.   I admit to having a few tears, partly because I found an envelope of things I need to get to Greg while sorting through stuff.  But staying busy was great therapy and I’m learning that although the date may stay in my heart/mind, at least for awhile, I am a survivor and it’s just a day, right?

This is the chair...after the cleanup!!  

I am totally ashamed that this pile came to this!  I am not a hoarder!!