Haste Makes Waste

Yesterday I spent the greater part of the afternoon gathering and scanning my tax papers.  I took a break to get something from the freezer for dinner when I remembered that I had forgotten to give Crash and Burn their afternoon snack.

As well as I can remember the sequence of events I was removing the lid from the can of cat food while I was walking to the garbage can when I felt a very sharp pain in my finger and warm liquid flowing down said finger.  I quickly put it under running water, but the blood kept flowing and the cats kept meowing for their food.  I applied pressure and raised my hand, but it didn't stop the bleeding.

I had to scoop the food from the can one-handed while the can was sliding across the counter.  Finally there was enough food in the dishes so I called a friend and asked her to take me to the urgent care facility nearby, which she did.

After the physician's assistant and doctor looked at it, they decided it needed stitches.  Now, I must admit, I have lived a very easy life.  Even with two boys I never had to go to the emergency room or even had stitches.  This was a new experience for me.  I asked for a little distraction so I wouldn't have to see what they were doing.  We talked about my favorite subject - cats.

After the stitches, the doctor wrapped my finger in gauze and covered it with neon orange tape.  It looks like this

Of course this is my left hand and I'm left-handed.  It's very hard to do anything.  Eating and writing are a chore.  When I went to charge something at the store, I had to make sure I wouldn't have to sign my name.

The bandage is supposed to come off tonight and I'm not looking forward to seeing the stitched and what they look like.  I'm very squeamish.

I guess I should stop rushing and pay more attention to the task at hand.  For a while I'm feeding the cats Meow Mix.  Those cans have a foil cover, much safer.

Hoarding

The other night I was watching "Hoarding".  I like the show although sometimes I have to turn it off because of the living conditions of the hoarders.  Other times, it spurs me on to clean up my own collection of "stuff".  I had already been in the process of cleaning up my office for about the millionth time, but this gave me additional incentive.

One of the participants was under orders from his town to clean up his yard.  It seems he would pick through trash and take things that he thought he might have a use for.  He was particularly fond of taking machinery and building supplies that were being thrown out.  There was one comment that he made that got me thinking.  He said something to the effect that he had so many ideas and projects that he thought these things would be useful for some time in the future.

A few days earlier, I said to myself that one of the reasons that I have so much clutter is that I have so many interests and projects that I want to do.  There are bags of yarn in my office for a baby blanket I want to knit and donate, but I haven't gotten too far because I lost the instructions for the design of the blanket.  There is also a ball of styroform, a dowel, a can of stain and a collection of small flowers and bows for a topiary I want to make.  I also have a collection of linens that were hand embroidered by my mother many, many years ago.  Then there are all my photographs, the paper necessary for printing copies and the supplies of ink for my printers.

Am I becoming a hoarder?  There may be hope for me since this is the only room that is in such disarray and I am currently in the process of cleaning my pantry and garage.  Or am I just making excuses for myself?

How to Get Things Done

I was watching The Five tonight and they were talking about the democrats and how they were fighting everything that the president is trying to do.

Bob Beckel, who I like and am glad to see back on the show, commented that that was just what the republicans had been doing for the past eight years.  He is right, but his party is just acting like spoiled children.  Just because someone does something to you, it doesn't mean that you should retaliate. 

The democrats should try to show that they are more mature and want to show our country that they really care about it.  Instead, they are whining that the republicans started it.  When my boys were young, I never cared who started an argument, I just cared that it was over.  If they stopped blocking everything and everyone, maybe something could finally get done.