An Account of My Time

We are already on the 3^rd of June.  One tenth of the month has already passed!  The days seem to just whiz by, don’t they?    

For the most part, my days are filled with everyday, routine, ordinary, activities.  Going to work, doing housework, gardening, cooking, visiting on-line with daughter, etc., etc., etc.  These ordinary tasks take up practically the whole day and, sometimes, it feels like 24 hours are not enough.

I like to keep an account of what I did each day.  I feel it is important.  Because it is how I spend my time.  These are the activities (or inactivities, as the case may be) that fill the hours of my days, the days that add up to the weeks and months and years of my life.  How I spend my days is how I spend my life.  And I want each and every day of my life to count.  Not just the days when milestone events took place.  But also those days when only the mundane tasks were done.

So, here’s an account of how I spent the first 3 days in June:

Monday, June 1 – It was an overcast day as “May Grey” gave way to “June Gloom” – both actual weather terms used to describe the effects of the marine layer which results in cloudy, overcast skies, here in Southern California.   The day started as most of my working days tend to do – I woke up to the alarm going off at 6:00 a.m. (and 6:15 a.m., because I tend to hit the snooze button), along with Dancer cat jumping on the bed and meowing to tell me it’s time for his breakfast.  Then, I turned on the altar lights (morning ritual; a small prayer of gratitude for a safe night and waking up in the morning) and turned off the porch lights, fed Dancer and the outdoor stray cats, made and drank my coffee while watching the morning news on TV.  After that, I got dressed, packed my lunch (used my new lunch bag!), phoned daughter to wake her up (she has her alarm set, too, but likes to be woken up by me and we go through our morning ritual of wishing each other a good morning and saying I love you), turned off the altar lights, and drove myself to the office.  It’s an hour long commute – I say my morning devotions, then listen to the radio or a CD. 

I had a productive day at the office, but came home with a bit of a headache.  As usual, I turned on the altar lights upon returning home, called daughter to let her know I came home safely (something she has requested I do because she worries about me as much as I worry about her), explained I had a headache, and took an hour-long nap on the sofa.  After I woke up, I emptied the waste baskets, took the trash cans to the curb for trash pick up the next morning, and hand-watered the front garden. The mama bird sat in her nest and watched me; I hear her chirping every morning – hopefully, the babies will be hatching very soon.  One of my cousins lives one house down across the street from me; she saw me out in the garden and came across to return a bottle of ground nutmeg she had borrowed, earlier, and we chatted for a few minutes.

Then, I went inside, to spend the rest of the evening video chatting with daughter, watching some TV, going on the computer, etc.  I also phoned a friend to check on her (she was recovering from a cough), phoned an aunt to check on her (getting over bronchitis), emailed relatives in Texas to see how they were managing with all the flooding in their area (they were OK), exchanged a couple of emails with other friends, had dinner, watered the indoor plants, did the dishes, packed the next day’s lunch, cleaned the litter box, etc.  Then, said my nightly devotions, blessed the house (a little ritual I do every night), bid goodnight to daughter, and went to sleep at 12:30 a.m.

On Monday, I was grateful for:

• Naps on the sofa
• A quick visit with cousin
• Phone chats with aunt and friend
• Emails with other family and friends
• A new lunch bag

Tuesday, June 2 – Again, it was another typical work day morning.  Did all the usual things I do before leaving for work, and drove myself to the office.  During my morning break, I went to the pharmacy to pick up a refill on one of my medications (asthma inhaler, this time).  I am on a few different medications which were prescribed and filled at different times, so the refills become available at different times.  Which means a few trips to the pharmacy during each month.  Fortunately, the pharmacy is located across the street from my office, so, easy access.  Plus, the pharmacist and I have become friends over the years and we always chat a little, if there isn’t a line of customers waiting. 

On the way home from work, I stopped at the library near my house to return a book and then, stopped at the gas station to put gas to the car ($3.59/gal.).  My nextdoor neighbor had already brought in my trash cans for me, so I didn’t have to do that.  I video chatted with daughter who was feeling a bit under the weather, watched some news on TV, went through the grocery ads (boneless/skinless chicken breasts @ $1.79/lb; chuck roast @ $3.49/lb; cane sugar @ $1.79/4 lb), phoned another cousin to check on her (she had called me on Sunday to tell me that she had been taken to hospital due to an on-going heart condition; she was feeling better when I called), wrote to a friend, posted on-line, gave the cat his flea prevention medications, did the dishes, etc.   I started this post, but couldn’t finish it, since it was already past 12:30 a.m. and I needed to go to sleep.  By the time I said my nightly devotions, blessed the house, bid goodnight to daughter, etc., it was close to 1:00 a.m.

On Tuesday, I was grateful for:

• Easy access to the pharmacy
• A friendly pharmacist
• Libraries
• Helpful neighbors
• Being able to keep in touch with family and friends

Wednesday, June 3 -   It was hard to wake up at 6:00 a.m., today!  Then, when I got on the freeway, it was a parking lot due to an accident and lane closures!  I was late getting to work, this morning, but I made up for it by not taking a lunch break.  In any case, I usually eat my lunch at my desk, anyway. 

Today, after I came home from work, turned on the altar lights, called daughter, etc., I put water to the back garden.    Then, made "breakfast for dinner" - bacon, fried potatoes, and a scrambled egg; chocolate pudding for dessert!  Perhaps not the healthiest of dinners, but just what I was wanting.  :)  Later, one of my cousins called me and we had a chat on the phone.   In a little bit, I will do the dishes and clean the litter box and get ready for bed.  

Today, I am grateful for:

• A flexible work schedule
• A safe commute
• Leftovers for quick and easy to pack lunches
• The 5 minutes or so of misty-fine drizzle this morning (not enough to do anything, but still, it was precipitation, and other areas of the City might have received a bit more than what we received in my neighborhood!)
• June Gloom and the cooler temperatures it brings

 Do you keep an account of your days?  Even those days that are filled with mostly routine, everyday activities?