What To Do…?

Here I am on my little beach-house getaway. Actually, the house isn't so little and it's not ON the beach, but it's close enough. It's bright and clean and pleasant, and it has a hot tub. And it's not MINE, so I don't have worries about weedy gardens, leaky windows, peeling paint or spotty carpets spoiling my time of rest. On the list of things I had to get away from for a few days (which included the husband, Scappoose and the crazy cat who lives in my bedroom) GUILT was right there on top.

I'm nothing if not a child of the faith in which I was raised. At least, the culture thereof. And we all know what a huge role guilt played in mid-century Catholic upbringing. I don't usually mind so much. Guilt can cause one to take action on things that need to be done…things that otherwise might be sacrificed to the ever-lurking sloth-monster.

Although, in my case, it's not so much laziness as control-freakness that sabotages my ability to get things done. I hate to have to do anything. My tendency is to set my feet and balk like a mule when presented with something I absolutely must do. I always get around to it, and I usually get it done under the wire, but not without running away from it as long as I can get away with it. That was one thing that made owning my own business such a joy. There was always a behemoth of a list of things that I HAD to do. There was no balking and there was no running. There was just the lead weight of a ten-ton "to-do" list welded to my back. In the end, I think it just…squashed me.

So, that's what I'm here to get away from. To-do's. I have nothing TO DO today except whatever the hell I want to do. If I want to take a three-hour nap in the middle of the afternoon, that's what I'll do. If I want to play solitaire for an hour, I'll do that. If I want to pack up the dog and take her for a walk on the beach, I'm all over it. If I WANT to make dinner for myself, I'll do it. If not, there is an impressive array of eating establishments within walking distance, where the folks will be happy TO DO for me.

Right now, I want to do some shopping at the outlet mall.

See ya!