Lists

We had a vacation coming up, my husband and I. We were not going anywhere special, what with being flat-broke and having a dog, but Sir took the week off from work and the kids were going to be spending a week at their grandparents with three of their cousins. (That makes six in all for that intrepid duo, although I must say grandmaman was more enthusiastic than grandpapa).

Our vacation was threatened right from the outset with Young Knight’s tenacious fever that lasted five days and cut right into the first day of the vacation. When we finally disposed of the kids reluctantly let them go, I quickly caught a cold, which has pretty much settled down to stay for the remainder of our vacation week.

But back when we were optimistic, I had high ambitions about what we were going to accomplish this week, (and yes, that did include dates and exercise with Darling Husband).

Sir had just returned from his trip to the States and was still jet lagged when I pounced on him, waving a piece of paper.

“Okay honey. I have put all my to-do’s on the list. Now why don’t you add yours and we can number them in order of importance.”

He sighs and does as requested.

“Wait a minute,” he says, looking over the list. “How much of these to-do’s are actually for you to do?”

“Well …” I drawled out reluctantly, “I suppose I want to put bark chips in the flower beds, but I don’t have to do that.”

His laugh comes out in a burst, “You mean, this entire list is stuff you want me to do?”

(Blushing) “Well, if you put it like that … But no, I was just anxious about getting some of these things done, but I didn’t say you had to do it. It’s just … how were you going to know what needed to be done around the house?”

Shaking his head and grinning, “There is nothing you can say in your defense.” Then he added sagely, “We’re going to have to keep this list as a souvenir.”

* * *

Some lists are more fun to make and to carry out. I started blogging at the end of 2009, and it was right at the tail-end of all the lists and memes that were circulating around the Internet. I did a few of them and passed them on to other people, but soon lost interest, especially when it involved tagging others, who were very unlikely to continue the meme.

But Elaine at The Miss Elaine-ous Life and Heather at Theta Mom are bringing back the lists, old school style, and in honor of those early days when I didn’t know about twitter or stats, I’m jumping in. Feel free to link up your own post with your answers to the list, and read about the lives of other bloggers here or here.

What were you doing ten years ago?

I was living in Battery Park City, post 9-11, and working in midtown. I was bitter from having suffered some setbacks, namely being unable to get pregnant and my husband unemployed for a year. I was also working really stressful, long hours in human resources with several payrolls involving different visas. And all of that was on top of the work heralded under my actual title and job description (Executive Assistant).

What five things are on your to-do list?

1. Work on the chapter for my memoire to be posted on Monday. Writing is like kneading dough. At first it’s a floury mess with a few lumps here and there, but you have to work it and work it until all the flour is scraped up and you have a homogenous dough. As of now, I’m still covered in flour.
2. Plant the summer bulbs in the planters I bought, which will be placed in full-sun. Most of our flowers are located in shady spots, so I wanted a few plant varieties that would get full sun.
3. Clean my kitchen and the floors. Groan. I hate that!
4. Order a new dryer and stress about where the money is going to come from. I’ll be setting up a paypal button on the sidebar so you can fund our extravagant lifestyle of being able to actually dry our clothes in a dryer.
5. Maybe try to go out on a date with the love of my life for our last day of vacation if my cold doesn’t wipe me out by 7PM?

What are five snacks you enjoy?

Apples and peanut butter

Cookies, cake, brownies and potato chips and doritos. I’ll just lump those into the things I know I shouldn’t have but really like anyway.

Garlic cheese on crackers

Vegetables and hummous

Toast with almond butter and raspberry jam

Name some things you would do if you were a millionaire.

I would pay off our debts.

I would have our house painted light grey with white trim before the vines cover it and make that impossible. I would have our well painted white and have a new roof put in, and our studio painted white with blue shutters.

I would redo the attic and roof and put a staircase in so we can access it from indoors. Somebody would sleep up there in that cute space, maybe even us!

I would have a gardener come and dig out old trees and weeds and plant raised beds,  along with an olive and cherry tree. I would get the outdoor paving fixed and the patio redone, complete with shaded trellis, new furniture and a screen to keep out the wasps.

And then! When our home is in order and I can relax, and there’s something set aside for the children, (and we had enough money for vacation), I would give to those in need. No truly, I would. I love to give when I’m not in the suds myself.

Name some places you have lived.

In addition to Upstate NY where I grew up, Manhattan where I met my husband, and France, where I live now … would you – could you – read my memoire to find out the rest? I tell about all the other countries I’ve lived in, and there is still more to come so I don’t want to give anything away.

Name some bad habits that you have.

I eat emotionally, and it is the bane of my existence, the demise of my waistline.

Other than that, I have no faults.

 

No just kidding. I’m impatient with certain types of people. I have trouble sticking to the task at hand without fluttering to the next thing. I don’t spend enough time interacting with my children because I’m busy online (or sneaking food). I’m unable to stick to a draconian budget.

Name some jobs you have had.

Lifeguard

ESL Teacher

Director of Sales (in Finance) for Asia

Executive Assistant

Human Resources

Humanitarian Worker

Now it’s your turn. Will you let me know if you link up so I can be sure to read yours too?

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