Smarter Saturday

[Indiana]

"Work smarter not harder."

What do you do to work smarter not harder?

A few things I do:

2 sets of bed linens - I can change right away and then wash the first set. I don't need to wash and then make up the bed.

2 sets of towels - I have 4 sets (2 were Dh's) fore the master bath and the same number for the guest bath.

2 throw rugs for the kitchen - I can put one down right away while the other is washing.

Lots of kitchen linens so I can change them daily.

What things do you do to work smarter not harder?

[Harmony]

Oh, Oh, me, me! I can reply to this! But first, yesterday...

OKay, I'm glad your DDad is okay. DH's Dad fell a few weeks ago, he just slipped down beside bed and she couldn't lift. They are in the next town and would take us too long to come. She called neighbor who came in and lifted up. It is such a constant job to take care of another person.

Yesterday we spent 8 1/2 hours out in driveway with hot glaring sun trying to fix the car. We replaced 3 hoses, thermostat, and rad. cap. After I road tested, DH followed the trail of fluids to determine - what - something - don't know. Awful hard job. No room anywhere in this vehicle to fingers, tools, etc. 2 trips out to auto supplies 6 I last counted getting proper hoses and still 1 left to return and DH cut one down too long to fit. This morning he went out to buy new water pump. We had multi problems.

So our smarter Saturday, is our neighbor (who does repair work in a big shed in his backyard) is installing water pump for $100. Yesterday was absolutely exhausting. It took us both out there all day yesterday. I was running back and forth with tools, etc.

Today he is out with church as part of a ministry. I had signed up for this too, but found out which ministry this is part of and I balked. Not one I support. So I packed him lunch and off he went with multi-rules from me not to hurt himself. It is work he usually subs out because he's not able to do it himself and I'm upset he's doing this...I told him not to get hurt (as if that will stop something drastic happening, so I'm concerned).

Kathryn, fibroids cause your symptoms. Google that if you don't know. Common. Sometimes they shrink by themselves after while. Sometimes requires surgery. DMom had them with your symptoms. Cleared up / shrunk by themselves after while.

Cleaned up kitchen not done last night. Made lunch/cooler for DH. Gotta make phone call.

[OKay]

Good Morning!

In the "Smarter not harder" category, I have to say doing the basics helps me the most. Each time I don't have time to get to the basics, it takes what seems like twice (or more) as long to do that task later. Hang the clothes up immediately from the dryer takes about 2 minutes.....unless they sit and get all wrinkled then they take 5-10 minutes each item to iron. Argh!!!

Today we will finish MPB camera/security system upgrade. It has been a multiple step progress but hopefully all the pieces will come together this morning. I sent a list of ports and IP addy with DH this morning and also pulled out of storage a large screen monitor to hook up. DH is installing all the new cameras and a techie husband of a former co-worker is doing the computer side. I tried going to be involved, but ended up spending all my time making sure LO is safe (such a busy area) so it is better for me & LO to not be there.

[Indiana]

Harmony that is a long time to be in the hot sun working.

OKay does you feed from the camera stay at MPB or can you see it at home?

[OKay]

Help! I'm stalled and am not doing anything productive.

I just finished taking some cute pictures of LO though. I find it humorous to watch him work his way through phases of clothing preferences. He no longer wears a clip tie with his daily T-shirts and/or polo shirts. However now he is into wearing DH size 12 boots. Of course they are HUGE on him. He was struggling to walk with them at first, but now he has worn them enough to be able to do a weird gait that resembles running. He has also become quite proficient at holding onto the boot ears with his hand in order to lift his foot (like when going up the steps).

Okay. Alrighty! Enough stalling! I'm going to look what the next card is and do it.

[OKay]

Indiana - the cameras feeds will be available locally (on large monitor in office area) and online. DH said we need to return to carrying smart phones so we can monitor and instantly see all the camera areas when we get a phone call with a problem. I have enjoyed my time away from being instantly available all the time and am currently resisting giving up my "dumb" phone. I know DH is right.....but but but but I'm stalling with going back to carrying a smart phone.

I seem to be doing a lot of stalling lately.

Stalling = procrastinating??????


ACK!! I AM PROCRASTINATING!!

***poof***

[Harmony]

Yesterday's work in the sun: I had a blanket draped from open hood at side to prevent sun glare inside. I had a chair in the one small spot with a little shade because sun was giving me a headache and I jumped up and down to fetch tools, etc. It was at least 90° out there. We both needed a bath in GoJo when we were done.

[DeeClutter]

Thanks for the laugh, Okay. (Boots story) I can just picture it!

Got my dressing table cleaned off this morning and more things stacked to pack. I'm really taking my time getting ready to leave the house. Never even got up until almost 9am! DSonIL has gone to funeral for the wife of his dfriend. DD and I are going to Epcot around noon. GD has gone to spend the weekend with a friend. She is well liked there and oh so polite. Now if she can only learn some skills to use at home.......

DD is working on computer work for school and I'm puttering.

Ordered a speaker/charger system for my Iphone last night. Also ordered a bean bag holder for the dash for my G armin. Had one that just kept falling down so didn't want that type.

Finally talked to dh last night. He's been very busy all week. Yesterday was the first day for permanent campers to come in. I had a call from one yesterday at 7:15a.m. She really wanted dh. She was already complaining about a situation. If someone were to complain it would be this one. Complaint? That dcampowner wouldn't let them come in on Thursday -as he said, "If I do it for you, I'll have to do it for everyone and the days will keep backing up." Friday was the date set in all the rules/newsletters. As it is the temps are supposed to be in 20's tonight which can mean lots of frozen water lines. What happened to all that nice weather earlier?

I'm ready for Disney except for doing my hair. Guess I'll try that now. Also have to find some kind of light jacket/shirt in case it's cool inside restaurants/attractions. It'll be nice with just DD and me. Gd can make it more of a nightmare if she chooses. I'm off>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[Harriet]

((Harmony)), good job on proactive nagging. No, it does not mean that nothing will go wrong. However, since what we worry about isn't usually what goes wrong, why not clearly get the worry out in the open and say, there! That's what I worry about. DON'T let that happen!

I have been that involved in carwork days like that but I was MUCH YOUNGER then! I know how it happens, though. You think you are just about finished and something's not right, so you put a little more time into it, but then something else isn't quite right, and now you've INVESTED too much time not to keep trying, etc., etc., etc. Oh, the days of a car door mechanism laid out in our yard, or an engine up a hoist. I remember having to take off watches so the grime wouldn't get to them. Perhaps it's just as well that I (and the men around me) don't understand the new cars as well as we did older models. As (a paraphrased) Danny Glover famously said, "I'm too old for this... carwork."

Doing more than one thing at a time is the general category for my "smarter not harder" work. Laundry is the best example. WHILE the laundry is going, so much can be done around the washer or away. I try to get a feel for how much time I have between the different attentions I need to give to the load before it's finished. Even though I go to another part of the house or outside on quick chores, I think there's a mental clock function (smile) or is it "laundry memory" that keeps me aware, so I won't have wrinkled textiles. (On a related point, I think inattention to laundry is a BIG RISK for costing time and extra work around the home. Not just in the machines, but neglecting to get barely-worn items hung up promptly, not getting children to keep track of their clothes, etc.)

Dee reminds me - dd is also at a friend's and I will be picking her up this afternoon. I already have a long list of items that need to be bought while I'm out.

And thinking of dd ALSO reminds me - attention to laundry includes keeping track of the hangars!!! Without dd here as I did jeans this a.m., I couldn't find hangars for pants. GUESS where 3 were! UNDER her bed! So much for her clean room. "All dressed up with a dirty neck". We're going to have to talk about Stash N' Dash.

Stash N' Dash is a necessary tactic - don't get me wrong. But it requires UNdoing! follow up! Memory! Debriefing!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Ahhh, stash in dashes... I have some horror stories to tell!

As for being Smart - not today. Slug, yes; smart, no!

My second set of sheets are on the line now to dry. Monday is bed change day but it took until today to have clear enough weather to even think about hanging things out.

I did get an hour in on the treadmill today. I'm working off yesterday's lunch.

No change in the physical issues. Thanks for the suggestions and anecdotes. I know I'm not alone in this and I have several friends with fibroids who have it way worse than me, but it is still frustrating. I'm amazed at how little patience I have for this - it feels like this has been endless but it has only been a few weeks. And the unreliable cycle really just started in February - again, not that long ago.

I haven't started dinner for tonight so we'll be doing something else (it was to be crock pot.)

I should have some lunch now and then get a move on. I've mapped out a brilliant children's story for tomorrow so my day hasn't been totally a waste. Just looks like if you look around the house.