The Universe will give me a sign if I open my eyes. Sometimes the signs are hard to read. Sometimes my eyes can’t seem to see past all of the “tasks” I have assigned myself to read the signs that the Universe has so graciously provided.
And sometimes the signs are so blatant I can’t ignore them.
Earlier this week I woke up after a night of feeling crummy and decided it wouldn’t be wise to hit the gym. So, instead I dug rocks out of the woods in my back yard and made a small bed near my back door for some hostas.
The trouble with tidying up one area of your yard is that it is impossible not to turn a critical eye towards the adjoining areas.
My ever-present sidekick was enjoying getting dirty so I pulled up all the pavers in the trash can and recycling bin parking area, rinsed off the gravel, pulled out the weeds, leveled the dirt and put the pavers back down.
Crooked. But weed free.
Because that is just the kind of thing one should do when they wake up feeling a little sick after a sleepless night.
Filthy and feeling rather unstoppable at this point, I decided there was really only one thing left to do. Go back to Home Depot for more hostas and mulch.
My back yard is a rock burial ground. We have more rocks than we do blades of grass. I really couldn’t justify buying some kind of edging to keep the mulch on the hill by the driveway. After all, I am a stay at home gal, I have nothing but time. Time. Plenty of time to dig up buckets of rocks, schlep them out to the front yard in a bucket, dig a trench and edge another bed.
That seemed like enough for one day.
Yesterday I woke up and I could feel the pull of Home Depot. Muuulllcch. Muuulllcch. I heard the sirens calling. I tried to resist them but my car seemed to have a mind of its own. After the gym we found ourselves at Home Depot. “Lucy, how about this? Let’s buy the mulch today and we can spread it this weekend when Daddy is home to help us.”
I actually said that out loud. And then I started to laugh. There’s no way. I’d spread mulch in a cocktail dress on the way to a wedding if it was sitting there. New mulch is such an instant happy, shiny, brand new yard feeling. I can’t resist it. But I didn’t feel like getting filthy. So, we switched gears, bought some foam core insulation and came home and made a window valance.
My supervisor seems pleased with my performance.
“Lucy’s room” or “The Room That Looks Suspiciously Like A Guest Room Even Though Lucy is 19 Months Old”
So, when do I get to the Sign from the Universe? Or is this really just a classic self-involved blogger “Look at all this shit I did this week!” kind of post? Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. I’m all up in your Internet reading your mind, right?
Late last night I saw the sign as I was turning on to our sweet. I was already trying to talk myself out of spreading mulch today. Or covering the box spring with fabric.
And there was the sign.
So, last night I prepared.
And this morning we stopped. The road in front of the house is being repaved. Lucy and I have a front row seat. 
Today’s plans – chalk. Trucks. Coffee with a neighbor. Gym. Hamburgers for dinner. Softball practice. That’s it. I promise.
Come visit me on Facebook. Like me and I will post updates throughout the day. I am going to give it a go. Sometimes I need to be 100% Stopped. Wish me luck.
Excitement on the side 
This: The trouble with tidying up one area of your yard is that it is impossible not to turn a critical eye towards the adjoining areas ……. is truer than true! LOVE your hostas btw :)
You’ve got this, woman! But can I just say that if for one day a month I could have your determination/ motivation/skill, I would be thrilled. I could write the opposite of this post. All the things I didn’t do in favor of doing nothing and playing. It makes for a completely disastrous home and weeds everywhere. ;) Shit, I’m so lazy.
I prefer to think you are highly skilled at relaxing.
You didn’t make sweet tea and cookies for those poor folks repaving the street?
I sat outside in my pajamas nearly topless nursing Lucy for a solid hour. I think boobs trump even sweet tea.
This is what they mean when they say the housewife is too bored indeed.. haha but at least you got work done ! It was the same for my mother when I was young. Stayed up till 4am to battle invisible bugs. Kick ass mom 101
I felt super tired today and I just skipped going to the gym. Period. But you my lady… are wonderful! “Who likes plants cannot be a bad person”. -Hungarian saying.
Hurray for gardening… And congratulations on stopping yourself when the time came to stop yourself. :)
I wish you could donate energy they way folks can donate blood. I’d take your home improvement kick from you if it were on offer (and possible.) Just loading the dishwasher is a feat in our house.
You got my love to the moon and back. And my energy…wish you’d left me some! Enjoy stopping — its the reason (okay, not the only one but up there in the top five) I smoked off and on for thirty years. It gave me a reason to just stop, survey the progress I had made and sit down. I’ve never mastered doing that without a cigarette in my hand, and so have opted not to do many big projects anymore. A pity, don’t you think? Good job, Kel.