One More Push

This week is my LAST chance to get things in order at Casa South. To say that I'm stressed out is putting it mildly.

It makes me angry beyond words that the house still isn't ready. My only option now is to give it one more Herculean push and hope it's enough.

I nagged Greg for YEARS--years, mind you, knowing these last few months would be hell on earth even under the best of circumstances. But you can't convince a procrastinator that chores clone themselves when you're not looking.

Don't get me wrong. It's ridiculously hard to keep a ranch running all by yourself. We're running two ranches simultaneously pretty much by our lonesome. That's all the more reason not to let the little things pile up. I'm not as strong, bright, or mechanically adept as Greg is, so I'm always busting my keester trying to stay one up on problems when they appear.

Putting a house on the market is serious business and everything has to be perfect. I'm depending on him to keep the house and acreage immaculate once I'm gone.

It's a rotten job to be the nag, but I can't be in two places at once, and it's not like any of this was unexpected. We both knew the timetable.

At least most of the big chores are done. My biggest concern right now is painting the house, which I'll do this weekend, and mowing the acreage so it looks nice and neat.

I'm already dead tired from moving a mountain of dirt (by hand), birthing baby goats, and jumping up in the middle of the night every time Tank so much as makes a whimper. My shoulders are one giant knot from putting in the garden. And I haven't even had the chance to mow and rake my place yet. It'll have to wait until I get back.

I tell myself that it's just one more week of giving it all I've got, but I gotta be honest, I'm not sure how much I've got left in me.

My goal right now is to empty Casa South as much as possible. Less clutter will make it easier to keep neat and presentable.

All I want right now is to put this behind me. Wish me luck--or send me a truck full of hardy elves!



Comments

Stacy McKitrick said…
I hope you give yourself a nice "reward" when it's all over (and it will be over). If I had a truckload of hardy elves, I'd send them your way! :)
Mike Keyton said…
I'm speechless. No elves, but prayers. I think you need them.
Maria Zannini said…
Stacy: The last time I did this I was so tired I gave myself three whole days off doing absolutely nothing. I hope I can do the same this time too.

And you're right. It'll be over in a few months one way or another. I just want to survive it to enjoy the rewards.
Maria Zannini said…
Mike: Prayers work too. :)
Anne Gallagher said…
I'm feeling you right now. I'm doing the exact same thing. Without the goats and the Tankster. But I've got dirt by hand and two houses with trees and acreage and shrubs and floors and paint and wash and windows. Oh, and the shoulders.

I also have the exact same man who says, "I'll do it tomorrow."

Take a deep breath. You got this. Then you can collapse.
Good luck! At the end of this, I think you should buy yourself a hot tub. Very good for sore muscles, and they have some low-maintenance models that are pretty reasonable.
Maria Zannini said…
Anne: How do procrastinators and do-it-now-ers ever get married? That still baffles me.
Maria Zannini said…
Barbara: We've often talked about getting a hot tub. It might be time to put it on the list.
Angela Brown said…
Give what you can but try not to over do it. Don't make me come up there, wag my finger at you, force you to sleep and make Nana guard you :-)
I find this mantra helps me a lot.

"One step at a time." (If you're thinking journeys)

or if you rather...

"One bite at a time." (If you're thinking Elephant stir fry)
Jackie said…
Maria my sympathy is with you, having married a procrastinator myself know just how much you hate the mantra "I will do it later/tomorrow/when I get around to it."

It will get done, you casa south will sell and all the angst will become a memory you will look back on some day and wonder why you worried so much. {Speaking from bitter experience here on that one!]
Sarah Ahiers said…
ugh on painting the house. And i hope you have a riding mower for all that acreage.
But the end is in sight! You're almost there and you'll never have to do it again!
Maria Zannini said…
Angela: Oh, that dog! I can't make a move without her wanting to ride shotgun. She may be little, but she's all guard dog.
Maria Zannini said…
Mac: Too bad I'm really tired of eating elephant. LOL.
Unknown said…
Best of luck to you! It sounds like a lot of work and I can only imagine double the load with two ranches. Good Lord!

If you had married a marine, you'd be going through the opposite like me. Every turn I take he's directing me and my time. "Come here, need your help."

"We need to get to the store."
"We need chlorine for the pool."
"Will have to go by Lowes."
"What do you want for breakfast?"
"Did you pay the bills yet?"
"Call our daughter and ask her if she's coming over for dinner."

Me:

"Stop it! I'm your wife, not your secretary! Sheesh."
Maria Zannini said…
Jackie: I'm a worrier that's for sure. So much is at stake and I seem to be the only who cares.

Maria Zannini said…
Sarah: Painting is the easiest thing on my list. I like to paint and I'm fast. Fortunately, too, the house is small so it won't be that big a job. ...I hope.
Maria Zannini said…
Diane: I've always felt that I should be able to trust my mate or coworker to do his part of the job without me asking. To me it's the height of disrespect not to pull your own weight.

I don't mind if people give me objectives. After that, leave me alone. Don't micromanage. It will get done and then some.
Anonymous said…
Okay, I'm just gonna send you hugs and a firm hope you don't over do it.

And this, too, shall pass :)

You definitely deserve that hot tub but it sounds like you'll have to hire someone to put it in for you.

Don't make me send Angela up there to boss you into taking care of you ;)
Jenny Schwartz said…
Sending you good vibes -- and feeling very grateful that I'm too far away to be roped into chores :) Take care.
Maria Zannini said…
Raelyn: Oh, Lord. Not Angela. She'll hurt me. LOL.
Maria Zannini said…
Jenny: ROTFL! You're the smartest one of all. I've been known to recruit people on the spot. :o)
Marian Perera said…
Good luck! Kind of wish I could be there to help, because I've never done work like yours and I'd find it a novelty. But given that I'm so unused to it, I'd probably just be worn out after a short time and of no further use to you. :)
Maria Zannini said…
Marian: Actually any of the things we do can be great fun if that's all there was. It's when you have to do them all at once that it becomes a burden.

Rebekah Loper said…
If my car was in better condition, I would totally drive down there and help you out. :/

In the meantime, you have my prayers. *hugs*
Maria Zannini said…
Rebekah: I'm tempted to give you a loaner car. LOL.

It'll all work out in the end.
LD Masterson said…
I can't find any elves. But I know a guy with a bullwhip. Could that help nudge Greg along?

Try not to work yourself to death.
Maria Zannini said…
Linda: Too late. I think I'm a goner. :)

At least there's light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope there's not a train attached to it.
Rula Sinara said…
Oh wow. I've been scarce online, so I missed that this was going on. Sending you tons and tons of sale luck and energy vibes. Getting ready to sell a house/property is tremendously stressful and exhausting. Make sure you stop to take care of yourself!!
Cate Masters said…
It might sound crazy, but the St. Joseph statuette trick worked like a charm for us, and for a crit partner. We both had buyers lining up for our houses! Hope all goes well and you're stress-free soon!
Misha Gerrick said…
Oh my word that sounds horrible! I hope things are going easier now.
Maria Zannini said…
Rula: Thanks, hon. We're on the snap count now. :)
Maria Zannini said…
Cate: We've done that before and I think it worked too. We were in a terrible selling market and we sold the house in under three months.

Might be time to do it again.
Maria Zannini said…
Misha: As the Marines say, the last easy day was yesterday.