A Thursday Thirteen List: Stuff & Things I’m Waiting For, Late Winter Edition

/ Ally Bean

Carpe diem? If only…

1. the kitchen table is in need of repainting [the pedestal part] and refinishing [the top part]. waiting for a bunch of sunny days in a row to do that.

2. an old diary written by my great-grandfather sits in a box in a closet in a spare bedroom. waiting to have the time to approach the historical society about it, hoping to donate it [and a bit more of his stuff] to them.

3. the last birch tree in the front yard has died and needs to be removed, stump included. waiting for dryer weather so the tree company can do that.

4. my desk is piled high with books, papers, stuff plus my normal pens, pencils, notepads. waiting for the muse of organization to move me to sort through the mess so I might feel less scattered.

5. the railing on the stairs between the first and second floors needs to be repainted. waiting for the gumption to do this tedious project whilst trying to decide which color to paint it this time.

6. the granite counters in the kitchen and laundry room are due for their annual sealing. waiting for a convenient time when we won’t need to use the kitchen for a few days to do that.

7. a few restaurant gift cards for places with lovely outdoor patios are taking up space in my wallet. waiting for the weather to get clear and warm, like into the 70s, so we can dine al fresco.

8. the posts that support the deck are going to be encased in the same Trex fascia that we used when we had the deck built. waiting for the product to come in and the exterior home improvement company to have the time to install it.

9. many old mirrors + framed art are sitting in the basement ready to go to Goodwill. waiting for the local donation center to reopen after its renovation is finished mid-March.

10. the husband is not really as unemployed as one might think he’d be after retiring. waiting until he gets his side hustles up and running to his satisfaction so that we might talk about going on vacation.

11. an ancient laptop sits uncharged in a guest bedroom that I hope to turn into my exercise | meditation | reading room. waiting to figure out the lighting in that room so that I can see the screen and start doing yoga daily in my own space.

12. our lumpy bed needs to be replaced. waiting to do a deep dive into information about and the expense involved in buying a new bed: mattress & frame + pillows & linens.

13. many paperback books that we read years ago are in need of being re-homed. waiting for sunny days so we can go for walks in city/county parks with little free libraries where I plan on leaving the aforementioned books, one at a time.

• 🤎 •

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

[Also any words of wisdom about any of my Thursday Thirteen items?]

• 🤎 •

256 thoughts on “A Thursday Thirteen List: Stuff & Things I’m Waiting For, Late Winter Edition”

  1. If you take care of #12 first, the rest won’t bug you as much.
    I’m waiting for the kitchen hood company to send me the remote control unit promised to me multiple times since last August so that I don’t have to track down the step stool every time I need to turn on the out-of-my-reach knob to work the fan in my newly remodeled kitchen.
    I’m also waiting on spring, and I have little control over that one!

    Liked by 5 people

  2. I did grin at your various painting projects. You’d never make it in my business. Waiting for several sunny days in a row so I could work would have left me impoverished about thirty years ago. Now, I look for windows of a few hours in a row, sunny or not. The wisdom from my sort-of-mentor, Varnish John, is deeply embedded in my psyche: “Do what you can, not what you can’t.”

    Liked by 2 people

    • Linda, I take your point. Varnish John’s wisdom is, dare I say, wise. The thing about the painting projects is that my vision isn’t the best. Thus without decent light from the outside + inside lights turned on I won’t be able to see what I’m doing. Perhaps I’m rationalizing not doing those projects quite yet.

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      • I get like that near the end of March. I want to keep the cars in the garage, but I want the space to spread out in. I want easier access to the tools in the shed, but I don’t dare put the snow blower away.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Oh I understand that. Our garage is a mess of gas-powered machines and garden tools and this year, just for snorts and giggles, I tried to overwinter a few pots of geraniums and coral bells that are wedged into the garage mess. I long for progress and tidy.

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  5. Two thoughts come to mind here: moving to a new house and the having guests stay in said house. The first happened six months ago, which forced us to knock several “waiting projects” off our list. The second happened shortly after (curious friends), which forced us to get our new house in order in a hurry, avoiding additions to the list.

    Having said that, several boxes of loose photos were simply stacked into a closet, the sorting waiting for a “rainy day”. That rainy day probably won’t come until our children take on the task for us!

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    • Dave, I understand how houseguests can be a catalyst. Yep, that’ll do it. I know all about the photos in the closet problem, too. I have them along with my great-grandfather’s diary. The photos are interesting, but I’m not sure who the people are, so I put off even thinking about that project.

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  6. The whole mattress/bed thing has gotten out if control!
    We need a new one (I bought it in 06) and I went looking online. I felt like I was shopping for a flipping spaceship. So. Many. Options!!!!!

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    • Bookstooge, YES! You understand about the mattress/bed thing. I glanced online, too– and walked away from the project with my head spinning. I kept thinking “say what?” and that was before even going into a store, when you even have that option, to sit on one. How do you decide?!!

      Liked by 1 person

  7. I’ve had a great week and knocked off a lot on my list! I’m waiting a few days to “refresh” my list. Need warm good weather to clean up the yard. I both look forward and dread that task.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Kate, I get it about cleaning up the yard. I’m waiting for the birch tree to go away before I wander around picking up twigs and raking leaves out from under the bushes. The tree company was supposed to remove the tree last week… and yet here I sit… waiting…

      Liked by 1 person

      • I love birch trees but they are the dirtiest when it comes to dropping branches. I had one cut down at the last house and I have one here. It’s big and beautiful and strategically places so I don’t want to cut down.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Originally we had three birches and I loved them in spite of their messiness. However two died last year and were removed. We thought his last one might make it, but it’s a goner now too. We’re not going to replace them, but they were beautiful in their prime. [Of course who wasn’t?]

          Liked by 1 person

  8. I like your books idea. We don’t have any of those little free library houses but it sounds like a great idea. I should add clearing out my books to my list.

    Good weather is coming soon. Can you get everything you need for your DIY projects so that you can hit the ground running when it does?

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  9. First of all the word ‘gumption’ – this is the second time I’ve read that word this morning so goodonya for that! I am afraid to write down all I am waiting for. There is so much left over from last year and even more peeking out this year. I am waiting mostly on the availability of tradespeople for many of our projects. Some I’m waiting on the gumption to arrive on the wings of motivation for me to tackle. The is for kicking me in gear!

    Liked by 2 people

  10. Oh boy, right now, I’m counting the months (eight left!) to retirement. We recently bought a new home and M (who is already retired) did a lot of those projects that are more about waiting than doing although there are still one or two left. Then one last move (from my work location in the north) and the really good boxes will find new homes as well. In the meantime, I have more work than I want or need … Cheers.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Lynette, that’s right you are retiring soon. That’s exciting, but also requires a lot of adjustments. I’m glad M has been able to get your new home move-in-able– or at least enough so that it’s waiting for you. May your really good boxes find their new places.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. This is a waiting time of year, isn’t it? The first few hints of spring are waking up some dormant parts of me, but it’s still far too wet and cold to do many of the things that need doing. We’ve slowly been starting a bathroom painting job–a chore that is about as fun as painting a stair railing. I don’t know if there is any painting job as tedious as a stair railing, though, so I’m now feeling lucky that we don’t have stairs! 🙂 Piggybacking on Dorothy above, I’d put the yoga room project right after the bed project. Wishing you luck with all the projects and all the feelings they engender.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Rita, yes it is the waiting time of year and I don’t like it. It’s alternately wet and drab for days on end here, or weirdly sunny for about half a day just to torment me. I’m not doing that railing mess until I have steady sunshine. It’ll be difficult enough. Good idea about dealing with the yoga room after the bed. I could use some Zen in my life, pre-painting.

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      • I’m still doing my morning PT most days (started in January), which includes a lot of stretching and diaphragmatic breathing–so, pretty yoga-like. I’d like a better space to do it in (mine is a little crowded), but I’m glad I didn’t wait to start. Doing me a world of good in what is turning out to be a pretty challenging season. Totally agree with you about waiting on that painting project–but won’t you just be itching to get outside once you get steady sun?

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  12. I love the idea of donating things to the historical society but it’s those out of sight, out of mind projects such as the stuff in the basement that I procrastinate on. Your messy desk would not fly at my home- if I can see it I do it and it’s done- now that may mean simply hiding all the crap to go through another day, but as long as I don’t see it…

    I’ve also been giving to my little free libraries lately. I have books that have been on the shelf, some read while others anticipated to be interesting years ago that no longer are. It’s becoming a regular routine on daily walks to have 1 or 2 to put in the box.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, supposedly they take family items that are in good shape and have significance outside of being in your family. [He was a circuit riding preacher so maybe of interest?] I have yet to confirm about the historical society, ’tis only hearsay at this point.

      Oh I admire your spunk about doing that which you see immediately in front of you. I have an amazing ability to overlook mess, until I snap. I know where the parks are that have free little libraries, but none are close so my book giveaway project is dependent on driving somewhere first, then giving the books away.

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  14. I hate Waiting. I’m still waiting for my furnace part to be installed, so that means I’m still listening to the terrible whining my faulty inducer motor is making. Mid-January has turned into “We just don’t know. Everyone is having trouble getting parts right now.” Ugh.

    If you’d like to Stop Waiting on Goodwill, I highly recommend contacting the Vietnam Veterans of America. It’s a worthy cause, and they come pick up everything right at your home.

    Liked by 1 person

    • nance, I feel like all I’ve done in these last three years is wait. Now I’m ready to get on with things, but there are variables to deal with. I hope you get your furnace part soon, you’ve put in your time waiting on that.

      Thanks for the idea about the Vietnam Vets of America. I used to see their trucks around here, but haven’t in years. Will check that out.

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  15. It’s a good list and reminds me of all the painting touchups that I should do around the house…which I keep waiting on until there’s no soccer ball bouncing around indoors. But it also struck me that, like so many women, you placed external beautification and organizational tasks at the top of your list (even wanting to do right by a deceased relative) while the items related to your own physical and mental health are 11 & 12. Good sleep and yoga are so important and yet we back burner them. And so I say to you, as the Count tells Prince Humperdink in “The Princess Bride,” “Get some rest. If you haven’t got your health, you haven’t anything.” (It figures that evil men would, of course, be all about putting their needs first, LOL.)

    Liked by 1 person

    • AutumnAshbough, what a marvelous insight into who I am, how I go about doing things. I wrote this list off the top of my head, just scribbled it onto this virtual page, without considering my priorities. BUT YOU’RE RIGHT, I didn’t think of myself first, only other things. I like that quote, am laughing about the truth of it. Heaven knows a better night’s sleep and a little meditative yoga could only serve to make me feel better about everything. Thanks for the observation.

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  17. I can relate to so many of these Ally! While the current weather is not conducive to most outdoor work, I have been trying to knock a few things off of my indoor list. It definitely takes some gumption to get going, but once it’s done, it feel like a huge a weight has been lifted!

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  19. I like how you explore topics other less observant types may gloss over. Yay, Ally!

    What am I waiting for? Undistracted time to tackle the piles on the floor, stuff lying horizontally and a few verticals, mostly books. I’m also waiting for Amazon to put the cover for My Checkered Life on the ad. Who wants to buy into a fuzzy, gray image?

    I’m NOT waiting for spring. We’ve had temps in the high 80s for week now: Spring has sprung with azaleas, camellias, and hibiscus. Thank God!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Marian, thank you. I hesitated to post this because I don’t want to come across as a complainer, but honest to Pete I’m getting nowhere on so many fronts. I prefer to think of myself as proactive, and lately all I’ve done is react.

      Why isn’t Amazon putting the cover on the ad? It’s not like they don’t know how to do that. I’d be miffed.

      I’m happy to know spring has sprung where you are. It’ll be here in earnest in a few weeks, I look forward to the colors.

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  20. OMG! I’m that adult who saves the cardboard box because it’s pretty or really nice. 🤷‍♀️😂

    I’m waiting for the spirit muse of inspiration to come by and give me a creative idea of what to do with two canvas paintings I painted that I detest but, want to repose them and love them so, come on Muse, LET’S DO THIS!

    I’m also waiting for the organization muse to come by to motivate me to clean my desk, and my retreat. They both can end up being my catch-all spaces.

    I’m waiting for the motivation muse to come by and get me going shredding about a decades worth of papers and documents I no longer need to save for the IRS.

    I’m waiting for just the right day when my car isn’t in the garage to ask He-Man to move my Sup-board out of the hallway to the spot in the upper shelves of the garage. It’s been here since January 2nd when we took it down to fill the spot with the community Christmas decor after we took it down to temporarily store in my “sup board spot”, until He-Man was able to move it to the storage area at the golf course. He moved it to the storage facility mid January.

    I’m waiting for warmer weather to install the birdbath I bought, but I need to go to the hardware store prior to doing that to purchase some stakes to embed that baby so the High Zephyr winds we get here won’t send it to Oz.

    I want to sell my Christmas dishes but,need the motivating inspiration muse to come by and get me motivated to set up my mini indoor studio and make all the images I’ll need for the ad.

    Lot’s of ideas and stuff to do here, but lacking motivation and inspiration at the moment. 😀

    I am reading a lot of books though. I’m on my 9th book for the year. After my reading hiatus of several years it’s good to be reading again.

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    • Deborah, I totally get your list of what you’re waiting for. It all rings true with me. I see you’re another untidy desk person. I mean to be less cluttered but get caught up in all the things I’m doing and *bam* there is a mess.

      A few years ago I went through a shredding phase. I was merciless about anything that I didn’t want, whether it was IRS stuff or my Morning Pages from decades ago. I felt so much better once it was done.

      Good luck selling your Christmas dishes. I’d guess that good photos of them would be key to successfully getting rid of them.

      I haven’t read much this year. Somehow I seem to be lagging in that area, but I applaud you for all you’ve read. You go girl, as they used to say.

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  21. Ah, yes, the muse of organization. One of the muses that deserts me on the regular.

    Please tell me more about this annual granite sealing. Clearly I have been mistreating our granite countertops, which have never once been sealed in the entire time I have lived here (12 years!!!). Yikes. Are they going to crumble to dust? Is sealing An Ordeal or is it fairly simple? What are the costs like?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Suzanne, when we had our kitchen remodeled we put in the granite counters and were given strict instructions about resealing them every year, so that they don’t get stained. We do it maybe every 18 months, so close to the goal.

      It’s not expensive nor is it difficult to do, btw. You clear everything off the counters, apply the heavy sealer [we use Stonetech brand] with a big paint brush, let it dry for a half hour, wipe it off. Then repeat.

      After the second repetition you let the counter sit for 24 hours so the product really absorbs. The trick to this is living without the kitchen, which for us takes some planning. Not impossible but a factor to consider.

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  23. Get a new mattress. It’s really not that complicated. We did zero research, went to 2 stores, spent an hour laying on 20 or so mattresses and bought the one that was most comfortable to us. I don’t think it’s something you should buy on-line. I sleep so well now, it was the best decision. Maggie

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    • Maggie, from what I can tell many people buy mattresses online without trying them out first. I don’t think that’d work for us. How did you decide on the height of your mattresses? It’s not standard now, so we have to decide what combo we want. Good advice, we will go to some stores, and try to ignore the hard sell.

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  25. Currently, in non-exciting news, I am waiting for my son to be ready so I can drop him off at school and head to the community centre to teach my class.
    I’m trying not to wish away time, but I’m waiting for a vacation that’s coming up quickly, and also waiting to get ready for a big move. Lots of changes around here!
    Rex is waiting for a walk, but he’ll have to wait a few more hours. Poor puppy!
    I love that quote about the cardboard box. I really do think about keeping good solid boxes.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nicole, yes you are waiting in the ways that are necessary. Hoping your son got ready in time for you to get to your class. Somehow waiting for vacations is more fun than waiting to paint a railing. Just saying.

      The quote about the box had me laughing out loud. I am renown for saving boxes that I’m just sure will be useful down the line. 🙄

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  26. Hehehe…I loved the visual about hanging onto a “really good box”…that’s me alright! 😂

    I have a to-do list about a metre long and I’m trying to relax about it because I want to also enjoy my life, especially this summer (after last summers move-a-palooza…sigh). I’m going to add to (compete with?) it, though…with a list of fun stuff I want to do. Wish me luck!

    Deb

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, I’m a person who hangs onto good boxes, too. The idea is a sound one.

      Smart idea to create a list of fun stuff to do that can compete with the list of important adult things to do. I like the idea of counterbalance, so might follow your lead here. And yes, I wish you all the fun luck you need.

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  27. Losing your last birch tree must be so heartbreaking. I’m sorry for that.
    Purchasing a new bed/mattress might be the most stressful thing. I mean, it can make or break your days!
    I find that for some projects, I’d put them off forever rather than see the nerve to finish them.
    Great Grandpa’s diary sounds fascinating!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Suz, I like birch trees and we had them planted when we built the house but they’re dead. We tried to revive them with injections, but no go. Now they’ll just be a pleasant memory.

      You said it about buying a mattress. It seems very important to get the right one, while at the same time ridiculous that it’s so complicated to buy one [and get the old one taken away]. Great-grandpa was a preacher and his diary [Praise the Lord] is exactly what you’d expect it to be [Hallelujah].

      Liked by 1 person

  28. I am waiting to finish up the very tedious process of painting the rooms inside our new house so we can move in full-time! The next two weeks are going to drag. Look for a blog post soon on how much I am despising painting.

    I have a thought about your grandfather’s diary, and this may be something you’re not the least bit interested in, but how cool would it be to turn it into a new blog? Chronicling his life story and including photos? Sounds like a big project, but if you’re ever bored, I think it would be a fascinating read. I wish my grandfather had kept a diary, because he led a very interesting life!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Mark, I know how you feel about painting. It’s absolutely wonderful when it’s all done, but the process drags. Not to mention by the time a room is finished I end up hating the color I picked, having seen too much of it.

      I like your idea about the diary. It’s over a hundred years old and delicate. Much of the writing has faded, so reading it is difficult not to mention the writing is stilted. I only have one photo of the man, but do know he was a preacher. Still I might be able to make something of it. Thanks for the idea.

      Liked by 1 person

  31. This is such a clever post. It got me thinking. First off, I LOVED that blurb about the cardboard boxes. Truer words were never spoken.

    I’d say I’m waiting for summer so I can have some time to maybe get things done. I don’t babysit in the summer. I’d really like to get my family videos organized/edited/saved to flash drives and off my hard drive. That’s a huge project. I’m waiting for Lad to move out and take his dog with him, but that might be a while yet. I’m waiting for us to figure out what to do with the freezer handle that broke off.

    Your list sounds doable. All in good time.

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    • Ernie, as a fully functioning adult I agree that some cardboard boxes are meant to be saved. You just have to.

      I know you always accomplish a lot in the summer when time is more your own. I like the idea of you organizing your videos because that’ll be one less stress on you in upcoming years. Still that’s a PROJECT, not just a project. As for Lad and the doggo, welp time will tell on that issue.

      Like you said, all in good time. For both of us.

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  32. Next month, both of our vehicles need to have their annual inspections done. The discussion right now is whether or not it is time to trade one in for a new vehicle. Both of the cars run quite well, but one will need a couple of “upgrades” in order to pass inspection with flying colors. To debt or not to debt…that is the question, Ally. I can identify with your #3. We had a couple of cherry trees that died within a year of each other, and both had to be removed along with their stumps. We waited for better weather in each instance to execute those trees so we could plant seed and get grass growing to replace the earthy vacancies. For #13, I love the little libraries that have sprouted up around here and that sounds like a very worthwhile re-purposing project!

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    • Bruce, we don’t have to go through vehicle inspections here which sounds like a blessing. I drive a 20 y.o. car that’s in good condition which suits me fine. The thought of buying a new car, and the sticker price for it, makes me anxious. I look forward to learning about what you decide to do.

      I understand what you’re saying about having the trees removed. We’re not going to mess around planting new bushes and a tree until this last birch is down, something that was supposed to happen last week, yet…

      I’m charmed by the free little libraries so am looking forward to putting books in them. However none are within walking distance for me so to the parks I go in my old car, once the weather gets truly springy.

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  33. Your list reminded me of all the stuff I need to do around here. Maybe I need to make a list. But this post also reminded me of Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s poem “I Am Waiting” and I chose to go find that poem and re-read it. “I am perpetually waiting for a rebirth of wonder…”
    Thank you for reminding me.

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    • Robin, the thing about this list is that it just popped into my head, naturally flowing onto the page, like it was meant to be. I’m not familiar with Ferlinghetti’s poem, but if this post prompted you to read poetry I feel my job here is done. 🤓

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  34. Sorry, friend. Cannot give you advice on your list as mine is decently hefty, as well. Though I do think that priority should be given to getting a new bed. A good night’s sleep does a world of good in helping us tackle the other stuff!
    I have been waiting to get off my duff and do a few things that scare me, that I am loathe to do, that I am procrastinating over…

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    • Dale, I understand long lists and hope you’re able to tackle yours in a way that pleases you. I know what you mean about putting off things that scare you, sometimes I just don’t want to get into anything difficult. Good advice about getting a new bed, I can see that item rocketing to the top of the list.

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  35. Man, can I relate! I have a painting project I’ve been putting off for 4 years now as I need perfect weather.
    We recently changed mattresses. Put that at the top of your list as well as creating that space for your reading/yoga. As to outside we are still snow-covered for another month or two, but I can already feel the yikes I can’t get it all done before I head outside feeling.

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    • Bernie, oh I love that you’ve put off a painting project for that long. I truly relate to that. I like your idea of putting the mattress higher up on the list. I could do with a better night’s sleep, so now I/we just need to make it so. Also, I get the yikes feeling.

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  36. I’ve had four books that I want to take to our neighborhood Little Free Libraries sitting next to the back door for months. You have inspired me to just take them today!

    We have a desk in our main living space that was intended to be a mail spot. When I started WFH, I started using it as my main workspace and it was always cluttered. Now that I’m not doing that job anymore, I cleaned it off yesterday and now it’s back to its original purpose and it looks so clean and sharp. It’s crazy what decluttering a desk top can do for you!

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    • NGS, yes get those books moving along, which is my goal with the books we have here. I have to drive to the parks where there are free little libraries so it’s more of an intentional thing for me rather than an easy out the door thing.

      I can imagine how great it is for you to have a clean desk again, especially if it’s in the main living space. You inspire me to clear off my desk. I get absorbed in projects and leave everything out on the desk, then repeat over and over again until I have quite a mess that I can’t ignore any longer.

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  39. I love this list – because you’ve illuminated how we all have a list of things we’re waiting for – and if we wrote them down, perhaps they’d be more manageable rather than little balloons keeping us adrift.

    Seems like #6 and #7 go together so that you don’t even have to think about #6 until the weather is sunnier and you can go out. It also strikes me that #4 and #10 go together. Maybe with a little yoga and meditation the organizing muse will come out? Or maybe you won’t care any longer? Either way, it shortens your list.

    Now I’m waiting for a reply…. 😉

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    • Wynne, excellent thinking. You’re right that #6 & #7 are meant to go together. I didn’t see that, but talk about serendipity. As for focusing on being more Zen you’re also right. I’ll either feel in tune with Muse or let the whole clean desk idea go.

      Good advice all around. Thanks.

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  40. Waiting for contractors who are going to replace the windows in this house, then for the painters to repaint the exterior stucco.
    We replaced our mattress/box spring last year with new adjustable base and appropriate type of mattress. Hubby and I can now adjust the head of each side of the bed as needed, including a good position for reading before sleeping. Best purchase ever.

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    • Margy, you are waiting for some good things, expensive things, but good things. You’re the first person to mention an adjustable bed. I’ve looked online at them but never in a store. I can see the sense in them. Will make sure to check them out. Thanks for the idea.

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  43. I always feel the need to get stuff out of my home NOW, so I’d have my winter boots and hat on and taking that walk to the Little Free Library. Every week, I come back from my mom’s with boxes of stuff and I immediately go online to see what charity can pick it up the fastest. Honestly, one of the few things I don’t procrastinate about.

    Hotel reservations and buying tickets for vacation sites? I’m also waiting on a husband.

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    • Bijoux, I take your point. I admire your drive to keep only the things you like in your home. Over the years I’ve inherited a lot of stuff from well-meaning relatives, some was easy to get rid of, some not so easy. I still have more of it than I want. Charities around here are selective about what they’ll pick up so the stuff sits in the basement or in closets until I find a way to move it along. Too much stuff is a never-ending story for me.

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    • Janis, I used to be quite the doer but over the years + living through the pandemic I’ve become more of a procrastinator. Also once you are forced to depend on other people, all bets are off. By all means, blame it on the weather. That’s always a safe bet.

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  46. New mattresses and two new chairs are on a to-do-list, but buying furniture is as bad as buying a car. It takes so long to research and then shop. I don’t like shopping. 🙂 I also have zero patience and don’t do waiting well. I basically do the jobs as they come up because I get satisfaction out of getting them done. We’re all different and so we approach differently, but I’m definitely waiting on spring. 🙂

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  47. We also have a very long list … mostly I’m waiting until I don’t have to spend so much time in physical therapy. Getting there but then our weather has also been uncooperative. Lower bed is definitely on the list for us.

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    • Jan, your reason for waiting is one worth taking seriously. I hope you’re becoming more mobile every day. A lower bed is an interesting idea. I’ve no idea how high ours is now, but I suppose I should know that before we go bed shopping.

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  48. We have a lending library at the clubhouse with 100 linear feet of books, cookbooks, and jigsaw puzzles. It’s been operational for 13 years. It’s like the Free Library Boxes but a bit bigger.

    Now . . . see if you can guess who the NEW librarian is . . . C’EST MOI!

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    • Nancy, are you the new librarian on the oversize free [not so little] library! Well kudos to you. I’d guess that’d be fun, not to mention you get first dibs on the books that come in.

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      • People can look through donations on an on-going basis. Some will disappear before I ever get to see them. That’s OK. There’s LOTS of reading material.

        Just for fun, yesterday I brought a cookbook home to peruse because the title tickled my fancy ~> I’ll Cook When Pigs Fly! 😀

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        • It sounds like a perfect fit for your personality and endless possibility. I like the title of that cookbook, too. It reminds me of The I Hate To Cook Book by Peg Bracken. A classic, my mother adored.

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  49. How big is your desk? Is it one of those thin computer tables? My temporary storage solution for my corner desk was to buy a stack of foldable cake boxes from Amazon to stick things in and stack the boxes in a corner until I could go through them. That helped clear some of the clutter (assorted papers and odds and ends) off my desk until I could go through them. Obviously you wouldn’t stick a bowling ball in them😄 but they are useful for light items like some paperbacks and papers. The ones I found on Amazon have a window at the top and can be written on since they are made of heavy cardstock.

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  50. With houses the to-do list seems to grow instead of shrinking especially when the weather starts getting nice. There are no longer as many excuses! 😉 Waiting is my least favorite thing to do; I’ve had to work on my patience for many house projects. I’m still not good at waiting.

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    • Margaret, yep waiting is my least favorite part of all these house projects, too. Once I decide something I want to do it all right now. Sadly that’s not how life works, especially with most of the stuff on this list. Botheration, I say.

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  51. I think your Thursday Thirteen list is brilliant. I should try that … although so much on my list is just waiting for me to move, not the weather to improve. Oh, and that. Pretty balmy down here in northern Florida. My husband has been doing so much outdoor work, and I’m like, “Why am I sitting inside???????”

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  52. You had me at the cardboard box dilemma…I have managed to whittle down only the absolute best whilst (!) sorting through the attic this past year. But I have to admit, I’m a sucker for a quality cardboard box! Thanks for the reminder on the annual granite sealing…we’re new to that and even have read somewhere it really isn’t necessary…???

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    • Laura, don’t you love that quote? I laughed out loud when I read it the first time because so true. I don’t know about if it’s necessary, I just know we were told to do it years ago so we do. Not quite annually, but often. It’s not tricky or expensive to do, so we keep at it.

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  54. Oh Ally – I can SO relate. It’s always something that seems to hold up progress. And as the list grows so does the feeling of being too overwhelmed to even begin.

    We took the giant mirror out of the guest bath, God only knows how long ago. Today we took a trip out to Lowe’s with the intention of getting one (and to look at area rugs). Nothing. They had nothing that I could even live with. Looking online has proven futile. And, particularly with the rug, I want to see it and feel it.

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    • Gigi, you’re right about how something holds up progress. It’s infuriating yet seemingly inevitable. I’ve looked at mirrors at Lowe’s so I get that. They’re all weird. I agree about seeing and feeling a rug before you buy it. They’re such a big part of a room, they have to make you happy. As Roseanne Roseannadanna used to say, it’s always something.

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  55. Firstly, I was not aware that granite tops need to sealed on an annual basis. What a pain! Here in Australia, Ceasarstone is all the rage but has been dealt a sudden death knell from all the tradesmen developing silicosis from inhaling the dust while cutting it. Years of legal sorties and traumatic medical dramas and heartache will unfold in coming years. So despite the sealing granite is probs way better. ( at least for the installers).
    I remember putting off buying a new mattress and was confused by which product to buy. When we finally did, we admonished ourselves for not doing it earlier! It was so so comfy, so make that your first priority!
    I need my m.o.t.h. to find a hobby but he procrastinates. Shopping is looking like his best chance at finding one in retirement!
    Finally, I love the idea of leaving paperback books in free libraries. You can also leave them in public places and watch them travel about the world’s library with http://bookcrossing.com/ – you
    might already be aware of this project?

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    • Amanda, I didn’t know about the health issues associated with Ceasarstone. I know of the product but it’s not popular around here. It sounds like a mess in the making for the tradesmen who work with it. I like our granite even if it has to be sealed. It’s not difficult to seal it, it just takes time, like 24 hours, to let it cure.

      I/we are beginning to look into mattresses. I know we’ll like one when we find the right one to like. Thanks for the nudge in that direction.

      I’m not familiar with Book Crossing but I followed the link and it looks fascinating. What a cool concept. Will keep it in mind. Thanks for the information.

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  56. I’m glad you are planning to donate the diary and other stuff to the historical society. I hope they accept it or suggest the appropriate repository (which might be a university library).

    Reading about your granite counters makes me glad we opted for quartz. (Smug grin, but with sympathy embedded – where’s that emoji?)

    Messy desks are one of those endemic things to thinking people everywhere.

    Good luck with the vacation planning! What’s your ideal type of vacation?

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    • Eilene, the diary will eventually find its way to the best place for it. It’s a matter of me gathering the diary and the other stuff together in one place so that I can photograph it before I contact a person at the historical society– or university library.

      Sealing the granite is no big deal to do, just takes time, but I take your point about quartz. I like your assessment of who has a messy desk. Sure, I’m a thinking person, some days.

      Anywhere would be my ideal vacation. I don’t have any one type in mind, I just want to not be here for a few days or more.

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  57. We get one thing done and there always seems to be something else that takes its place on the “to do” list. We’re like rats on an exercise wheel.

    I can’t help but notice how many of those things on your list have to do with fixing something—part of the joy of home ownership.

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    • Pete, you’re right about how homeowners are always doing something to the house. I feel fortunate to have a house to live in so I try not to complain about the upkeep, but it never ends. And so much of it involves waiting on someone else to do something first. Still, we hang in here.

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    • Donna, the thing about getting a new bed is buying a mattress isn’t straightforward and seems overwhelming to me. I read [might be true] that May is a good month to buy mattresses because they’re deeply discounted then. So if nothing else that gives us a goal. Hope you tackle your bed problem soon, too.

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  60. I love the meme you shared at the top of the post! I’m there with you on waiting for nicer weather to do so many projects. Isn’t it funny that with the long winter season and time in the house to “get things done” we silly humans keep putting them off as waiting to decide, or waiting on someone else, or for the mood to strike us to just do it? I nodded as I read your list – with a checkmark on many of the same things. Oh, dear, now I’m stressed…my list is just as long! 🤣🤔😉 As far as advice goes – get the yoga room done first, and you’ll feel the energy to do other things. 🥰

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  61. Ooh, can’t wait to hear about your vacation plans once you’re finished waiting!
    In January, I began my summer “to do” list. LOTS of annoying chores and tasks get put on that list during the months we’re teaching.

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    • The Travel Architect, I can imagine how, and understand why, you keep a summer “to do” list. My mother was a teacher, I’m familiar with them. As for a vacay, at this point not being here is my goal, after that anything small or large is on the table… probably the kitchen one mentioned in #1.

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  63. Is there ever a time when we don’t need a kitchen for a few days? That’s a tough one. And I wholeheartedly support the daily yoga. I’ve been doing it online every morning since the pandemic started, and it’s been a life-changer. I never would have believed that the simple practice would have such a profound effect on flexibility, strength and balance.

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    • Arlene, the granite project is simple but takes planning about the kitchen. We’re thinking this weekend might be the one. I’m looking forward to starting a consistent yoga practice and your experience is what I’m hoping for. Eventually I’ll get it all worked out in that room, hoping for sooner of course.

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  64. I’m waiting for the days we can leave the house in sneakers and a light jacket. I’m feeling weary of snow gear and all the layers!! We have to start prepping to leave for the walk to school a full 5 minutes earlier than we do in the spring. And in the morning 5 minutes is like an hour of “normal” time!

    Also, buying a new bed can be such a chore. We did this several years ago and I wanted to jump off the nearest tall building after a day. We ended up ordering several beds online that were terrible (thankfully, the ones that didn’t work could be donated, so I appreciate that we weren’t left with a bad mattress long-term). I’m quasi-happy with the one we settled on, but it’s definitely far from perfect. Years ago I could sleep on the floor and not feel a thing…but now I have such a hard time finding the perfect mattress. Firm but not too firm…getting older is complicated.

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    • Elisabeth, I can imagine how much time and effort it takes to get your kids ready on a cold morning, 5 minutes is a lot of time. Spring will be here soon though, right?

      I’ve looked online at bed reviews and realized this isn’t going to be an easy purchase. We hope to go into some stores, see mattresses in person, then do more research online. One variable is comfort, but the other is the outrageous price tag for a new bed. I agree about getting older, ’tis complicated.

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  65. Ally, I always persuade myself that I just need to take some time off and I’ll get the chores done. What generally happens is that it’s like a whisper goes out into the ether and my mother (and now my & sister too) hear it and discover I have some time off, and even more things get added to my list. All my mother’s “stuff” was meant to be going to the US with her. You’re not surprised to hear how much still rebounds are you? 😉

    I would also agree with Dorothy – sort out the bed first. I know it seems huge right now, but if you get out to a few stores and try some in person, it’ll help you to whittle down the massive huge amount of online options. And the world always feels better when you sleep well 🙂

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    • Deb, funny how your family knows when you’re free– and doesn’t want you to feel bored so they find things for you to do. Or am I spinning this too happy? I do know all about a mother, her stuff, and who becomes caretaker of it while she decides what she wants– even though she’s moved already.

      Your advice is sound. You’re right in that we need to go into a few stores to see mattresses in person, then we can re-group about what we want and all the details involved in the purchase. Thanks for the nudge.

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      • And just think about the potential for another post when you’re lucky enough to encounter one of those special bed salesmen who causes high levels of embarrassment in your entirely innocent mattress testing.

        I don’t need to tell you I’ve been there… right? 😀

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        • Yes, you’ve got a point and perhaps a good story to tell? My experience buying a bed is that the salesperson confuses me with facts about each mattress, never letting me/us just lay on the darned things in peace. The entire experience is fraught with peril, I tell ‘ya.

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  66. First of all, I love the quote about the cardboard box. I actually just spent an inordinate amount of time on that very question yesterday. In my defense, it was a really good box. Now that I’ve written about it, I am seriously considering rescuing it from the recycle bin. Oh dear! At this moment, I am waiting for the outside temperature to hit 50 degrees, so I can take the dog for a walk.

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  71. An impressive list, Ally. I didn’t know granite countertops needed to be sealed every year. We’re about to embark on a kitchen re-do so this is helpful info. Currently waiting for carpet for our basement…I like your phrase “the muse of organization” – my paper pile scares me because there’s always something important buried within that I should have done but forgot about.

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    • Barbara, I get forgetting about things buried in a pile of paper. My desk is a case study of that issue. I really need to wrangle the muse of organization so that she’ll get me going. Once I start a project I usually follow through directly, but it’s the starting that trips me up.

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  72. Love this post! I’m waiting for “The Great Shift” which—I hope—will transform us all from dense physical bodies into etheric, which in turn—I hope—will eliminate the need for the need to concern ourselves with minor little annoyances, like railing painting and box saving. lol

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  74. You have a lot of unfinished projects and must either be more patient than I, or at your wit’s end wanting something crossed off the list!
    I’m waiting for my car to be repaired and returned to me. This is completely outside my control and sublimely irritating.
    I’m waiting for a sunny Saturday when I am free from other obligations so that I may begin yard work.
    When we next go thrifting, we must remember to take and donate multiple bags and boxes from Sassy’s room.
    Additionally, I have a list of ongoing needs re house, but they are not important to me/us and are just things we aim to do, and seem such bugaboos because of scheduling with outside parties. These include: replacing the back storm door and its light fixture, ordering new steps for our front porch, having someone haul away the washer/dryer that came with the house, redoing Sassy’s now vacant room as an office for The Mister, and finding a service that will mow, but not treat, our yard.

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    • joey, I’m kind of in limbo between being mellow with a “it’ll all work out” attitude and being irritable with a “I want it done now” attitude. I seem to be SIGHING LOUDLY often enough that Z-D has noticed.

      I hope you get your car back soon and you get the Sassy stuff that is no longer Sassy stuff to the right place where they’ll want the Sassy stuff. That was a fun sentence to write.

      The rest of the things you’re waiting on are house-y and inevitable. I do like knowing you’re turning Sassy’s room into a home office. That’ll be great. As for getting someone to haul away appliances, we’ve had 1-800-Got-Junk come to the house twice to take large things, all sorts of things, away. While lovely to be free from the worn out stuff, it isn’t inexpensive to use that service.

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  75. What am I waiting for? Retirement! 6 months away! I don’t want to wish the next 6months away but I’m really, really wishing it’d get here sooner than later!

    You have a lot of things on your list. I can relate to a few, like the stairs railing and my exercise/yoga room. Stairs railing will have to wait until we can get ourselves un-busy enough to think about hiring someone to help improve it (maybe replace?) and the exercise/yoga room is waiting for me to retire so I can concentrate on making it MINE and what I want in it.

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    • M, I didn’t know you were heading toward retirement. Judging from Z-D’s experience, the countdown to it can be exhilarating and infuriating. I understand why you’re waiting to make your exercise/yoga room your own. I have a similar attitude about the process of turning an unused bedroom into my space.

      We talked briefly with someone about replacing our stairs railing, but decided to keep what we have and make it look better. I’ll be interested in knowing what you do with yours.

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  76. Oh, this type of list sounds so familiar… aren’t we all waiting for something all the time? I need to replace part of my wardrobe but I am waiting to figure out what my style is (pssst, I don’t really have one) so I don’t go out and buy more basics and workout clothes. LOL

    I agree with Dorothy’s comment that once you take care of replacing the bed, the other things will feel like a breeze 🙂 a good mattress/good sleep is so important. We have a Tempurpedic, which I LOVE. It’s 10 years old but feels brand-new.

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    • San, you’re right, of course. We’re all waiting on something all the time– and if you aren’t waiting what does that say about you? No goals? No dreams? I dunno, seems suspicious to me. I understand about your wardrobe situation. For what it’s worth years ago I took the style quiz on 40+ Style and it helped me define my style.

      I have Tempurpedic on my radar to look at. They get good ratings and your recommendation is helpful. One of these weekends we’ll get out into the stores because a good night’s sleep would be delightful sooner rather than later.

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  77. Oh, my, gosh…a kindred spirit, Ally. My family always makes fun of me and how I treasure my boxes.

    Your list…a kindred spirit…😊My husband and I have been revisiting this conversation all weekend, how he has no idea how much is on ‘my list’ that I do not even discuss with him. Yes, “re-homing” the paper back books……’et cetera, et cetera, et cetera’ (King Mongkut of Siam) (that’s all I have got for you, Ally, for words of wisdom)😊

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    • Erica/Erika, a good box is a thing of beauty and potentially useful. I understand why you treasure your boxes, all the best people do, you know?

      My husband has no idea what’s on my list either. In fact after reading this post Z-D said he was amazed by how much I’d written. Same deal as with your husband. 🙄

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    • Kari, thanks for your condolences. I’ll miss the birch tree. They’re pretty year-round, but ours is a goner and being close to the house I worry about it falling on the house. Supposedly the tree company will be here tomorrow.

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  79. You have an interesting list Ally. My birch tree is dead too and needs to be chopped down – I’ve found 3 branches on the ground from 3 different wind storms. It never got very tall so I won’t miss it. I’m waiting on income tax slips so I can do income tax – ours isn’t due until end of April, but I like to get it done, as I hate doing financial stuff.

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    • Joni, our birch tree began to lose branches last summer so we had an arborist look at it to see if it was worth trying to save and he said “no.” I’ll be sad to see it go BUT it’s close to the house and I don’t want it to fall on the house so *good-bye* to it. As for tax season, not a fan of financial things either. Too frustrating. I get it.

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  80. Ally, I feel overwhelmed by all the things I want to do, but lack the energy or initiative to do so. It used to be that Winter was my “special project time and/or R&R time” whether that was doing little house fix-it projects or just relaxing a little before Spring and yard work called. I remember one Winter, maybe 15-20 years ago, I decided I was going to paint and decoupage a pout chair and a milk stool to match the house to put out in the garden. I worked on that project one day every weekend – got done with it and it was too nice to put out in the yard. 🙂 Your “pending projects” list looks like Mother Nature’s moods lately – “fits and spurts” with no end in sight.

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    • Linda, you understand my situation. I always think I’ll get lots of inside projects completed during the winter months, and some years I do, but not this one. For me, who I am now, it’s the frustration/tedium of waiting that’s gotten to me. Fits and spurts is a good way to describe my accomplishments.

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