PhD in Procrastination

by brigid on May 1, 2013

As a professional procrastinator, sometimes I find myself running an errand, or doing a task at a time that isn’t exactly convenient.

Ahem.

Yesterday, for instance, when I looked at the calendar and realized it was indeed April 30th and that there is no April 31st, I knew I would be making an evening run to the post office to mail a package that needed to be postmarked in April. The package had been sitting on the table ready to go for four days, but you know, procrastination…

I decided to wait until rush hour traffic was over (procrastination, still) since the self-serve machine in the lobby of the post office was available after hours. An hour later, I told my husband I was running to post office and headed out. Nick was riding his bike in the driveway on my way out and asked if he could come with me. He ran to tell Mike he was coming with me and off we went.

The counter ended up being open later than I thought, so we actually snuck in right under the wire (procrastination WIN!) We headed home and were gone no longer than 20 minutes. Nick and I had a nice conversation on the way home and I was once again rewarded for my last-minuteness.

When we pulled into the garage, I realized Mike’s Jeep was gone, which was weird. Even weirder, Fiona was jumping at the door so I knew she wasn’t crated. My first thought was that Mike decided to run to Home Depot or somewhere and Maggie was home. I came inside and could tell the stove had just been on from the smell of cooked eggs. The back door was open and there was an omelet on the table. The omelet was still warm when I put my hand over it.

And no one was home.

No one was home.

All in one moment I thought Maggie must have hurt herself and Mike rushed her to the hospital, because the door was open and the dog was roaming free, and these things would not be unless they left in a huge hurry. My first instinct was to call him, but then thought better–he would need to concentrate on what he was doing if this were a true emergency.  I would just have to wait until he was able to call me.

Ten second pause for all the thoughts of possible injuries…

*****

I turned around just in time to see the Jeep pulling into the driveway. WHEW! Mike, Maggie, and one other person were in it. Who would he have gone to pick up? This was going to be interesting.

Turns out, Maggie and a neighbor friend found two big dogs that had gotten out of their yard. The kids called the number on their tag, but no one answered. The friend knew where the dogs lived, so they wanted to take them back. Mike was going to let them walk them home, but realized it was a tad bit farther than they needed to go (since, you know, her dinner was sitting on the table) so he loaded everyone up in the Jeep and they dropped the dogs off.

They told me the street and I asked which house and we figured out the dogs belonged to our babysitter. I’m the only one who has dropped her off before, so they had no idea. A good deed was done, even if it did take ten years off my life, and my package got mailed right on time.

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for love of paper

by brigid on April 7, 2013

{Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Minted. The content and opinions expressed here are all my own, and not indicative of the opinions or positions of Minted.}

Walter Diemer

My mom’s dad worked for a paper company. Every year on Christmas Eve he would have to attend a meeting at work. Well, at least that’s what they told us kids, and we fell for it year after year. What he was actually doing was dressing up as Santa and sneaking out to many families in his church parish to hand deliver gifts. One of my uncles would usually drive him around because without his glasses he couldn’t see much.

When it was his turn to come back to his own house, an adult would feign hearing reindeer on the roof. We would squeal with delight. He would ring his sleigh bells and come in to his own living room. The youngest at the time might cry, because he was quite a presence. He would talk to us individually, by name, and we were always amazed that he knew us. Santa knew me! I kid you not, I never had a clue he was my own grandfather. He changed his voice, wasn’t wearing glasses, the suit made him look larger than life, and it was all so exciting that I never questioned.

My brother was the oldest grandchild and figured it out first. He followed my grandfather on the sly one night and saw him coming out of the basement dressed in the red suit. He told a younger cousin of ours and drama ensued. My grandfather would go on to dress as Santa for years after that as more and more cousins joined the family. It’s one of my fondest memories of him. (Well, that and helping him stuff the celery with his blue cheese mixture.)

I have one vague memory of visiting him at work. I wish I could have gone again when I was older and would have remembered more. I have often wondered if my love of paper comes from having samples of the good stuff from an early age. I adore thick, heavy card stock. Soft cottons. Linen. Parchment. I have an affinity for paper that has a story.

My grandfather worked with printers to get the best invitations for his customers. I was sad that by the time my wedding came, none of my grandparents were still alive to see it. My mom told me she knew her dad would have loved to help me choose the best invitations and stationary. And I know she was right.

I ordered our Christmas cards from Minted this year upon the recommendation of a friend. Now it’s my chance to recommend them to you. From Minted’s wedding invitations to their holiday cards and birth announcements, you can’t go wrong with their stationary. Take it from me, the granddaughter of a paper guy.

 

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the long way

April 4, 2013

I am known for taking my own path. Finding my own way. That is a kind way of saying I get lost. A lot. I can go somewhere ten times, and get lost going there the eleventh time. It’s true. Not something I’m necessarily proud of, but something I’m learning to own. My kids still [...]

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taking it on the chin

February 19, 2013

Yesterday was not a good day. As a parent, I pretty much failed. No one got hurt, physically, at least, but there was much yelling. Much gnashing of teeth. Many ultimatums and a few threats. Not my finest hours. I could say I was goaded into it, but then I would be blaming a child [...]

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karma

February 13, 2013

The other day Maggie and Nick took Fiona on a walk around the neighborhood. And by “a walk around the neighborhood” I mean they walked directly to her friend’s house that is a couple short blocks away. I told her she could only stay ten minutes, and the deal is she’s only allowed to stop [...]

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catching up

February 7, 2013

A few quick things that don’t seem important enough for their own post: Room update – things are beginning to go missing. All humans and animals are accounted for, but half of her basketball uniform is missing, toes are in peril with roller skates strewn in the middle of the floor, and I heard a [...]

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the evolution of a neat nick

February 4, 2013

I have mentioned many times that I happen to be organizationally challenged. I fully admit this, and guard my piles ferociously. But such was not always the case. I went through different phases as a child. Some years my room stayed fairly neat. I made my bed and carefully lined up all 98 of my [...]

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spinning my wheels

January 18, 2013

You may remember back a few months when I went to Maggie’s play at school and came out to have a tree fall on my car (moments before I would have moved it…) (And if I wasn’t such a chatty person, I might have been long gone before the tree fell, but I am and [...]

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santa’s elves

January 8, 2013

This was the first year that Maggie “knew” that Santa doesn’t really deliver presents to our house on Christmas Eve. She knows that her dad and I are the ones who “play” Santa at Christmas. Thus, she was able to have a bit more input on a few of her Christmas gifts this year and [...]

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keeping my day job

January 5, 2013

Mike asked me last night what we were doing for Nick’s cake. See, this year we thought we’d wait to have his “friend” birthday party until after everyone was home from traveling. So, yes, we’re still celebrating the birthday. Whew. Today is the final stand. I replied to Mike that I was going to make mini-cupcakes, [...]

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