Status of the to-do list.

Note: This photo is what Shrove Tuesday dinner looks like when you’re married to a chef. I asked for seconds and his response was, “okay, do you want me to plate it?” haha.

Last week I blogged that my plan for Lent was to finish everything on my to-do list and the result? It’s honestly the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I amazed myself with how much I managed to fit in between my full time teaching  job every day, night class on Wednesday, after work coffee-shop job on Thursday, and random basement hippie concert on Friday. On Saturday I went home to go bridesmaid dress shopping with my BFF (we found dresses that are so amazing that she changed her whole wedding colour scheme from pink to purple for them!), so I left Kent in charge of the to-do list and he met all expectations by fixing our coffee table, buying a new lamp, fixing a light fixture, and hanging a quilt. Actually while I was home I vacuumed the car and I’m so glad I did. I am fine with driving an older car as long as it is clean! I prefer it, actually. The $0 payments per month besides some upkeep twice a year are quite nice. I think it appeals to my Dutch senses.

On Sunday I cleaned out our whole entire closet and realized that the majority of my clothes have been moving with me from apartment to apartment and never being worn. What a waste of time and space. So I purged about 2/3 of my wardrobe and it feels wonderful. I no longer have to feel guilty about all the stuff I’ve not worn in forever. This week my biggest accomplishment was finally  getting Kent’s ring sized and mine beautifully shined after being submerged in cofee-related-grime each day for far too long. I can’t stop looking at it now! I even had a photo shoot of it during recess.

I’m finding that it’s changing me a lot. Now when something new that I have to do comes up, I make sure I do it right away because I do not want to have to add something new to the list. I’m so much cleaner too, because my mind feels more organized. Now I also can’t relax until the apartment is clean and yesterday when I stepped in the door the first thing I did was vacuum. Who am I? Kent has actually asked me that question a few times in the last week, but I think he means it in a positive way.

I did say in my last post that I was afraid that the to-do list may actually be never ending and I am afraid that I was right. Sometimes if I’m inside during recess I will sit there and think of everything I can possibly add to the list. A list that was once 38 items long is now 65, and I’m done 23 of them. I guess that’s good because it’s over a third completed and we’re not over a third through Lent, but it doesn’t account for everything I have yet to add… which could be trouble.

How is yours going, if you gave anything up for Lent or are trying harder at something?