This will not likely ever happen again. One time only after age five and preceding retirement… I have four whole months unfettered by the necessity of employment (or children – no, that’s not a clue). What will I do with myself?
I currently sit cross-legged in one of our two lovely green leather lounge chairs. Our lounge is… lived in, shall we say? There are clothes and cushions, hankies and the entire collected works of wilbur smith on the floor, an assortment of newspapers, handbags, books, plastic bags and even a sleeping bag on the other green chair, the coffee table is a maze of dvds, books, christmas ornaments purchased this morning and (00h!) money… maybe fifty cents. The fold-out couch also displays ornaments, coffee bean bags, a picnic blanket that we did not take to christmas in the park, and a bag of christmas decorations I’ve borrowed from Mum.
I thought, rather than tidy it up, I’d write an inventory. Tomorrow I shall tidy. I won’t tell you about the kitchen. This is meant to be empowering and that would be something else entirely. Instead I will make a list of things I might do before March 17th (St Patrick’s day, my sister’s birthday, and the day I start Teaching Practice 2).
The List
Paint canvases
Paint christmas cards – to sell and for my own use (no, ‘chirstmas cards’ is not code for illegal substances)
Paint christmas presents
Bake christmas presents
Paint and craft christmas decorations (to avoid the warehouse, for moral and psychological reasons)
Keep our house at a reasonable level of tidiness during the week (weekends are a whole nother ball game. Time with Luuk. The house can wait, and as it’s sunday night… it can wait till monday morning and I’ll continue my LIST)
Clean, do washing, etc.
Get creative in the kitchen (I have a whole years worth of cuisine magazine and many cook books. I have no excuse to simply do the recipes I know over and over. Although, where do you buy quail these days?)
Write letters for AI and AVAAZ.
Write letters to friends. Real ones: envelopes, stamps…
Rearrange our furniture (I started yesterday with the lounge. It’s great. Very fresh atmosphere.)
Read all the books I’ve borrowed from Andrea, Gwyneth, and many others… return them, then read the ones Luuk has been recommending, and the rest of the Series of Unfortunate Events, a book about Epic narratives, more Alexander McCall Smith and a few other authors I’ve been recommended.
Play scrabble on facebook. And poker. And get rid of any applications (perhaps including scrabble and poker) that I don’t like or use.
Write stories, articles, etc. and submit to the Readers Digest.
Write some of my own novel.
Walk a lot.
Do some research into how to shop, live and consume more morally, or socially aware, or something… as in, find out how much of the world is owned by nestle and the like, then boycott it.
Play tennis weekly (perhaps not over christmas holiday… there will, however, be body surfing at raglan.)
Do a Wasgij (luuk bought 2 but one gets the desire out of your system.)
Do some work for Bright Hope World
Photo albums – print photos, sort albums.
Sign and return lease to landlord.
Scan photos into computer and add to family genealogies database.
Spend many mornings, afternoons and evenings with Andrea, Hannah, and their respective male accomplices… and generally see other people who I mean to but rarely do.
Make my own hot chocolate mix.
Do a week vegetarian.
Walk.
Have a retreat day. Or two. Perhaps in a monastery.
Do a beginner Dutch language course (probably a computer based one).
Sort out my iPod.
Photograph our worldly goods for insurance purposes.
Back up our photos onto cd and/or internet.
Clean around the wet-back stove that doesn’t work. I’m afraid. There were once mice. Now there live greenbags and beer bottles, trays and much dust… but it hasn’t been cleaned in… oh I don’t think I’ve ever done it. Which means a while.
Bike, rollerblade and swim with Luuk.
Do another overnight tramp.
Sew myself some long skirts and adjust items I have but rarely wear.
Practice the Piano – so far I can play My Heart Will Go On, Elton John’s Nikita and yesterday I learned the treble clef for Good King Wenceslas. The Bass was scary-looking and my noble effort was brief.
Drink more green tea than coffee.
Go to Fat Freddy’s. Apparently I’ll love it.
Spoil Luuk with a big surprise I can say no more about here.
Get my hands on While you were sleeping, Little woman, The sound of music and Anne of Green Gables to further Luuk’s education into my soul.
End List
That should keep me entertained. I might also look into volunteer work, though there is a certain appeal to paid work… I think they call it money. Can’t be sure. We shall see.
Luuk should be home soon – is biking back from friends. I spent the evening at other friends discussing possibilities and ideas for sharing our passions for the poor with the rest of our church, and how to reconcile living in a wealthy country with those same values and passions. Very interesting and encouraging.
He’s home, gorgeous man.
Signing off.
Amy Paulussen
