Nicely Done!

Nicely done!

Said with a smile 

when a task is complete 

with ease and efficiency

but it is those tasks done 

with steady on until the end

that definitely deserve a smile

and those little two words:

Nicely done!

“You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”

~ Babe Ruth

(1895 ~ 1948)

A Day Off

Everyone needs a day off from time to time. From retirement, from only adult conversation, from household chores, laundry and grocery lists. And it doesn’t have to be planned! Better that it’s spontaneous, out of the blue, and full of fun. Today was such a day and I am glad of it. On this quick change list: painting, drawing, exercises, painting, mixing up bread dough, lunch, more painting, ABCD puzzles, drawing on each other’s arms and playing dress-up. All in all it was a whole lot more fun than my planned household chores, laundry and grocery shopping. 

“A child can always teach an adult three things: 

to be happy for no reason, 

to always be busy with something, and 

to know how to demand with all his might that which he desires.”

~ Paulo Coelho

A Simple Task

It was a simple task. Just go down to SaskPower and talk to a real person about my upcoming move. A windy day with beautiful sunshine, I took the bus partway and then strolled the few blocks to……..a construction zone! Regina’s beautiful power building seemed under attack but in reality is being ‘reconstructed’. An insistent jack hammer assailed my senses! Men and women poured cement, smoothed cement and despite swirling dust, none of them had safety masks on. Hesitating, I scanned for an entrance to the offices. Just past the noise and the dust, office workers filed into a tunnel of plywood on their return from lunch, showing me the way. 

I did manage to talk to a real person, but after talking to the security guard who directed me to a little telephone on a little table ~ already in use. Construction noise muted, I passed the time watching a still steady stream of office workers slide their employee badges past the turnstile sensors and disappear into one of four elevators. Ten minutes later, I spoke to that real person and in moments my simple task was accomplished.

“Simple can be 

harder than complex.”  

~ Steve Jobs

Outburst

I got angry today. Those that know me would be shocked at my behaviour. I said the ‘f’ word….and I slammed my scissors down on the table scaring my cat. Anyone familiar with brown wrapping paper and packing tape and scissors? Each one on their own is completely manageable - almost. Wrapping paper continues to curl. Packing tape sticks to everything: my hand, under the table and itself. The dullest part of the scissors only comes in contact with the tape but doesn’t even nick it.

No…deep breathing did not help. 

In retrospect, it could be that today’s outburst was only the result of intense frustration. The energy behind the clattering of scissors, tearing of paper and ripping of tape was only enough to allow me to finish my task. A short task. 

“Control yourself, it is not worth it. You will regret your 

rudeness afterwards, your sensitive nature will be troubled.”

~ Leila Abouleia, Minaret

A Deep Clean Engagement

A few days ago, I wrote about my dishwasher overflowing. That led to washing parts of the kitchen floor, which led to the digging out dust and dirt hidden in corners, which led to getting behind the refrigerator and the stove to catch and confine dust bunnies and just plain dirt. I’ve many time declared how I dislike housework. That has been a bald face lie. What I’ve not liked about housework is scheduled housework. You know, Monday - laundry. Tuesday - ironing. All the way to every Saturday morning - take out all the silver from the china cabinet, clean it with silver polish and toothbrush, and polish it til it shines!

Today, as I pushed things around, washed and polished, mopped and scrubbed, and ferreted tiny bits of dirt out of corners, I realized that I was doing something that I’d long not recognized. Being engaged with my home and my life. I know some of you are rolling your eyes about now, deciding I have positively lost it. But I’m quite serious. I enjoyed - no, relished the detail of each task. The resulting cleanliness and order left me with calm satisfaction and just a tiny bit of pride. 

I’m not finished in my kitchen. It does not sparkle quite like the waters in the photo beside this little essay. The stainless steel of the appliances do have a lovely sheen and the oven has been cleaned inside and out. What’s left? Cupboards and drawers, inside and out - some have been done, but the rest still need my engagement with my home. Oh, yes, of course finish mopping the kitchen floor.

“The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel 

happiness living within that environment.”

~ Marie Kondo

Desk Drawer Memories

Brass keys that once opened the locks of long forgotten doors. One loose staple that strayed from its little blue box. Polished multicoloured rocks. Bits of paper ~ their purpose? A beautiful green lacquered stamp holder with delicate red flowers. Its purpose? For rolls of stamps not used for many years, it is a treasured gift. File folder labels ~ red, green, blue and yellow. A pastel turquoise tiny stapler laying on its side beside a quite stern looking brown staple remover. And a single pad of sticky notes with a nail clipper and file on top. All of this tossed and jumbled in one desk drawer. As I pulled everything out leaving an empty, dusty side drawer, Harry James Big Band was playing. The vocalist, I think it may have been Bing Crosby, sang the words ‘the album of my memory’. Well, a cluttered desk drawer is not exactly as ordered as an album, yet is still full of memories. Some of the memories, like the keys, are lost in the fog of too many moves. Why do we keep keys?!

With each drawer that I open, I find tiny slivers of memories. It may be a memory of what my intention was, like keeping my file drawers in order. Or it may be a precious gift. Then again, it may be purely utilitarian, like my stapler and staples. Whatever their original purpose or use, they wedge into the tiniest of corners and cracks, much like memories of how to peel apples or knead dough. Marie Kondo, the Japanese organizing consultant, is known to say something like, if it doesn’t bring you joy, dispose of it. I quite agree. Going through this one small drawer, was rather bitter-sweet. A saying of my own is to find the soul within the task. So, clearing and organizing this small bit of clutter, will use these principles. Memories will always stay ~ well almost always. Re-purposing those precious items unhappily relegated to messy clutter, may be a solution. The scary potential of this joy and soul finding belongs to tomorrow’s project.

“Every time I open the drawers it’s a trip down Memory 

Lane, which if you don’t turn off at the right exit, merges 

straight into the Masochistic Nostalgia Highway.”

~ Sloane Crosley, writer

The Interview

The Interview

“Mastering moments in step with your mission statement for this position, ma’am? That sounds like a challenging, if not daunting task.” Stanley, nervously straightening his tie, was intrigued. He had already dubbed his prospective employer ‘Miss Thin Lips”. Not very respectful, but being interviewed by one so young and lovely called for a bit of dampening.

“Your resumé suggests that you are definitely up for the sort of task we need in this company.” This was Melanie’s first interview without her own supervisor over her shoulder. Nervously, she smoothed the papers on her desk and cleared her throat.

Stanley sat forward in his chair and pushed forward. “Can you tell me what direction your organization wishes to take in regards to this position?”

“With respect, I believe I am the one asking the questions, sir.” Melanie pushed her glasses firmly on the bridge of her nose, just a little intimidated by this older man. He was rather good looking, in an older man sort of way.

“I’m not that young any more, as you can see by the extent of my resumé. If I’m not mistaken, as this interview is winding up, you will be asking me if I have any questions for you.” Stanley took a deep breath and tried to find the easy confidence that had trademarked his career.

“Well yes, that is on my list of items, but I haven’t reached that part of the interview yet. Could I please continue with the talking points as listed here?” 

Melanie thought maybe that her interviewee was on the defensive? Stanley was not at all pleased with how this organization was run by this young woman. But he was determined to get hired, so backpedaling seemed the best course of action, even if she did seem young enough to be his granddaughter.

“I’m incredibly sorry for my blatant jumping ahead in this interview. I suppose it comes from my long years in management and sitting on the other side of the interview desk. Please, continue as you see fit.”

“Yes, you do have an impressive resumé and I am familiar with your career. Do you not feel you are over qualified for the position you’ve applied for?”

“Well, certain of my qualifications are not on my resumé. Reliability, presentability, and willingness to learn have been paramount to any career path I have taken. Because of them, I believe I am absolutely qualified for this position.”

“Hopefully your references will agree with you. Moving on. For this position you will require your own transportation. Ease of mobility for a timely manner to our several city wide job sites is needed. Will that be a problem at all?”

“Not at all. Although I don’t own a private vehicle, transportation is no problem.” (What Stanley didn’t mention was that he had recently had become co-owner of a taxi service. He didn’t think Miss Thin Lips needed to know that detail.)

Leaning forward, arms resting casually on the desktop, she continued “What shifts are you able to work? We have twelve hour or eight hour shifts for twenty four hour coverage. Because of our numerous office sites, that sort of coverage allows this department flexibility between sites.”

“My previous jobs have all included shifting my hours from time to time. I have developed a routine to manage that part of my life. I will state that night shifts are not my preference, but I am not averse to them.” Stanley felt the ember of his old confidence warm his heart. He had dared to set himself up for this job interview. He had grown very tired of the last forty years of office politics, yet here he was back in an office building not unlike the one he had left over a year ago.

Melanie’s voice broke into his reverie. “And do you have any other questions for me?”

“Is this position part-time or full-time? Your advertisement suggested that it may be one or the other.”

“At present, this position is only part-time which can work up to full-time pending the results of the probationary period of three months.”

“Is there an orientation period to each of the buildings? I need to know where specific offices are, work spaces, and of course supplies ~ any other specifics that go along with the position.”

“Yes, there will be a brief orientation to cover all the necessary details. I will go over your references as soon as we’re done here. Will you be able to start today?”

“Yes I can as a matter of fact!” That was a surprise. He hadn’t see that one coming but was more that ready to get started in this new direction.

Excellent. Your floor supervisor is waiting for you in the coffee shop on the main floor. He will start your orientation today and give you your hours. Oh, and one other thing ~ he will present you with your own personal mop and bucket.”

“We are always the same age inside.”
~ Gertrude Stein

A Risky Journey

A fresh new bean shoot

Always a risk

to climb higher each day,

vining around supports with

no knowledge

if a deer's razor sharp teeth will 

nip the steady climb toward sunshine,

no knowledge 

of cloud cover or wind

that may slow upward progress.

Taking a risk anyway ~

the only task for seeds

planted in moist, dark soil.

“A seed, after all, is an embryo, a potential plant waiting 

for its moment to grow. It has what it needs to begin. 

But it can also put itself on pause. It can wait.”

~ Robert Krulwich, journalist

A Moments Notice

‘Notice what excites you….’

In retirement, excitement arrives 

in momentary packages, 

barely noticeable while the

work/life body memory of

inflexible tasks and schedules

recedes indelibly 

into the background.

Reframing each moment in sparklers on this journey is my happy task each day.

“….everyone wants to be excited by something magical and wondrous

 - to be reminded of how they once saw the world.”

~ John Geddes

Soul Music

Photo taken April 22, 2019.
One of the many blossoming trees lining our streets.

Tiny steps into the daunting task of the surround of sparkles waiting to be discovered, waiting to be transformed or disposed of gently and with gratitude.

Tiny steps ~ like sweeping the patio of delicate pink ‘snow’ shaken by the wind from tree-blossoms faded and ready for flight, or the replanting of narcissus bulbs laid bare by a most mischievous squirrel.

Tiny steps - like changing

a lovely lamp’s light socket 

but struggling to put it back together ~

a discordant note in the music of piecing 

together beauty and light in my home.

“I long to accomplish a great and noble task; but it is my chief duty 

to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.”

~ Helen Keller

Transcendence

Glowing from the tips of our fingers to the soles of our feet ~ our souls imbue each task we undertake, 

each memory we share with our essence.

“Inside us there is something that has no name, 

that something is what we are.”

~ José Saramago, Blindness

Skin of A Heart

Easing into one’s own skin 

is seldom a simple task for 

the skin of a heart 

constricted and puckered 

by rigid expectations leaving little room for resiliency.

When roughened and scarred by being brutally kicked through life, there is room only for survival.

Rest, recuperation and kindness

~ softeners for dry and leathery souls

open doors to gradual growth and recovery.

“What we hope ever to do with ease, we must first learn to do with diligence.”

~ Samuel Johnson, The Life of Samuel Johnson, Vol.4

A Homely Creation

Ten minute tasks

designed for motion, comfort and growth

clean laundry ironed smoothly

writing a muse

gathering garbage and taking a stroll down the hall.

writing a book review

freshening bed sheets and fluffing the pillows

writing an essay

cleaning up my plate and washing up the dishes

writing a poem

while a loaf of bread rises

and the oven pre-heats.

Ten minute tasks

so I get all chores done
dip and dive into word-crafting

keep an afternoon appointment

crochet a few rows

and keep my home cosy and comfortable.

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of 

a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.

~ Paul J. Meyer